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  #16  
Old 01-14-2010, 02:14 PM
mckenna mckenna is offline
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I think you hit paydirt on the first image Barbera. I appreciate your insight !! Now if I could only get more clarity in my shots!!
Thanks,
Greg
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  #17  
Old 02-06-2010, 03:37 PM
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Buddy Thomason Buddy Thomason is offline
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I constantly experiment with backgrounds and over time a few guidelines have emerged that I've found useful. For example, any background I use (these days) that has its own pattern, contrast and interest, will get subdued in post processing - darkened, softened, selectively blurred or whatever (naturally there is the occasional exception). Here's an example of mine from a couple of days ago.



As Coop points out, a more complex knife most often benefits from a simpler background. Oddly, and this is only my impression, there seems to be a degree of complexity beyond which it takes a strong background to balance the image. Example:



This large mirror polished blade was at risk of dominating (in a negative way) the composition. I had to come up with something that would not compete with the knife, but would instead ground it and integrate it into the composition.



A constant challenge is taking care not to let too much of the background get picked up and reflected by the knife's shiny parts, especially if there is a pattern involved. Here's a good example:



Take a look at the front face part of the guard. In the original capture that whole top surface was lost because that background was perfectly reflected on the shiny flat face of the guard. You couldn't differentiate that part of the guard from the background. Not having the opportunity to re-shoot the knife, I had to fix it in post processing.


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  #18  
Old 02-07-2010, 01:29 PM
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SharpByCoop SharpByCoop is offline
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^^^ really good examples, Buddy.

Top image: There is enough distiction in the background to know it's real, yet it's darkly suggestive and allows the knife to really stand proud.

Second image: A fantasy for sure, but then so is the knife. It's a dream world. Good work.

Third image: The opposing direction of the draped cloth breaks up the linear views and adds to the impression.

Fourth image: One of those 'only the sharpest eye' would figure this out. It simply looks natural, and it stands clear. Good examples.

I am now well over 5000 individual images. Believe me I have taken my share of imperfect backgrounds. Then again, without experimentation we grow stale.




Below are two legitimate examples of the point I made, that Buddy understands:

Simple knife + Busier background = Pleasing image.


Busy knife + Simple background = Pleasing image


Of course this is not a hard and fast rule, but it's a consideration.

Keep talking.....

Coop


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  #19  
Old 02-08-2010, 01:33 AM
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KNAdmin KNAdmin is offline
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Nice work, guys! All someone might do is look for things to nitpick. Those are "all" beautiful images!!!!

Regardless of background used, I'd make sure that you consider adding a natural shadow to any cutout image (BT Image 2). When you do this, make sure that you consider the light angle, intensity and/or the existing shadows on other portions of your image (for composites). This, in my opinion, is what creates realism, and is one of the major things that I've always admired about Eric Eggley's work.

Also, I'd make sure that you do a good job of cleaning your background and your knife/object before you shoot your image. Fingerprints and lint are the sign of an amateur!!!

Keep up the good work!!!


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  #20  
Old 02-09-2010, 01:38 PM
iheartweapons68 iheartweapons68 is offline
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I think the backgrounds look great. They really show off the craftsmanship of the knife.
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  #21  
Old 02-10-2010, 01:41 AM
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Buddy Thomason Buddy Thomason is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by KNAdmin View Post
...make sure that you consider adding a natural shadow to any cutout image (BT Image 2).
Thanks for dropping by Alex and thanks, as always, for providing a great forum experience for all of us. There is another school of thought regarding insets and shadows. It holds that insets larger in proportion than the main knife don't get shadows. The eye perceives the inset as closer than the main view of the whole knife on its background casting a shadow. For it to be "real" there can be no shadow. Imagine that you pick the knife up off the background and move it closer to your eyes so that you mimic the magnification factor involved. Does the knife now cast a shadow on the background? No. Example:


For comparison, here's one with a magnified inset before I started experimenting with eliminating the shadow. Sometimes it doesn't matter that much but to my eye, this image would probably look more 'real' if the inset cast no shadow.


It's different if insets are the same 1:1 proportion as the main knife view then the eye perceives them as being in the same plane and all casting shadows. Example:


Your point about making all the highlights and shadows line up is a good one - this is true for the knife AND the background (unless one seeks to create perfectly diffused very even light in which case the light is essentially non-directional).

For both of these reasons - the inset shadow issue and positioning insets so the lighting appears consistent - more often than not I'll try and shoot all views with the same lighting orientation and the same perspective and relative size. Of course this won't always be desirable - like for really closing in on some nice detail area on the knife.


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