--An Invitation--


Subject: An Invitation to contribute & share your photography expertise.

I invite you to help folks on the Forum to improve their photographic skills. This will be a “sticky” thread to stay as a reference in the Picture gallery, called “How to Improve Your Knife Photos”.

The format is simple: Two or more photos & your set-up description

1. Brief description of your “studio” set-up
2. Image(s) #1(or more) will be photo(s) of your “studio” set-up with or without the knife.
3. Last image will be the finished photo of a Randall knife you photographed using your set-up.

1. Description of the “studio” set-up & 2. Photo(s) of “studio” set-up

Describe any major hand-made items, like a light-box. Tony offered a link to a website to construct one. If you are describing factory-made equipment, like a light-box/tent, or lighting, indicate manufacturer, model, and mfg stock number & source. For example, “ I use the Lastolite Outdoor Cubelite, 3’, Mfg #LL LR3687, from B & H Photo” or “I use 400 watt incandescent bulbs with clamp-on fixtures from Wal-Mart”. It also can be as simple as saying, “I shot this outdoors on an overcast day, eliminating shadows from the knife & sheath in the photo.

Camera description (Optional):
If you are using a SLR, make, model, and lens. Example: Canon 5D MKII, Canon 100mm macro f/2.8 lens. If a zoom lens is used, indicate the focal length for the shot. For example, Canon 70-200 f/4 lens@ 100mm. If not a SLR, indicate camera make & model, and focal length used for the shot. If you are using a “smartphone”, indicate make and model. They are getting better and better.

3. Indicate with the last image of the knife, the camera settings. (Knife Photo)

If the camera setting information is available, indicate the following with the knife photo:
ISO, shutter speed, & aperture. An alternative location would be in the File Caption Block of knife image in the File Manager. For example, Randall Model 1-7: ISO 100, 1/5 sec @ f/22.

Lastly, indicate photo-editing app you are using, if any. Example: Photoshop Elements, Version 12 or on my iPad & iPhone, I use “Snapseed”, a free app from Google.

I want to see both the simple set-up, costing less than $100, and the semi-pro set-up with light stands, and light tent/box like Captain Chris uses, and everything in between, including “smartphone” photography.

Your contribution will be beneficial to readers who would like to refine their posting entries.
As images improve, the KTF improves as well. I hope you will join me in this educational endeavor by providing your expertise to help enhance our website.

I’ve asked Mitchell Harrison to start by showing one example of how to proceed. Some of our regulars have been ask to contribute their set-up.

I appreciate your efforts in gathering images and descriptions to make this a success.