From an angle or straight on

[Dave Kelly]

If I wanted a straight on shot I've always propped part or all of the knife up. This time I tried matching the angle of my camera and propped the background up but I'm not real happy with this method. How do you guys achieve a straight on shot, do you use some kind of a boom to hold the camera over head?

[Terrill Hoffman]

I usually just tilt my tripod a bit and get close enough to an overhead shot. The art is makinng sure you aren't reflected in the blade.

[Dave Kelly]

Thanks Terrill but that's just too simple of a solution, I was hoping for something a little more complicated I love when I do this kind of stuff, making a mountain out of a mole hill and completely missing the obvious, easy answer! Thanks again, I'll give it a try. I may also try cutting the center rod of the tripod and installing a locking swivel coupling.

I originally showed how I couldn't get the perspective correct when I tried matching the angle of the background to the camera but I accidentally lost the photo. Here it is again, came out a little warped.

[Buddy Thomason]

Originally Posted by Dave Kelly

I was hoping for something a little more complicated

Ha! Guess I'm not the only one!
I don't do straight on shots mainly because I can't. If you have a camera with a tilt view screen, a tripod with a top tube that pulls out & goes back in horizontally or upside down even, and you can manage the reflections it would be easy. Also I think I prefer the off-center perspective visually; especially when there are curves that can be emphasized.
Nice knife & nice foto too!

[Dave Kelly]

Thanks Buddy, Here's the other side of the knife with "Terrill's tripod tilt" shot.

[Buddy Thomason]

Wow! That's quite a bit better than the first one - nice! Just goes to show what a small adjustment can do. Even though I said I didn't prefer straight on shots, I have to admit that in this case it really does work well.

(Rik Palm does great work. That's a nice one.)

[Terrill Hoffman]

Good job Dave. With the layout you have create, an overhead shot is just about required. The "cross" create by the window frame looks good by another angle would have given it an "out of place" look.
I usually just lay out the setup I want, then I take a moment to move around and view it some several different perspectives before setting the camera up.