# Photo Comments



## airrat (Feb 28, 2007)

I have been playing around with some backgrounds.  Just curious as to what others think.  I am trying to learn more "artwork" with the camera.  No photoshop was used, just ACDSee to resize, crop and auto level.</u>

These were all taken in my kitchen with certain blinds open/closed/angled up or down.  I didn't have my photo booth here to set  up.  I am still working on getting the lighting with it to my satisfaction. 

First is Box Elder Burl.







Holly Jr. Statemen's  It looks yellow in this picture but when I change backgrounds I can get it white. 






BOW


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## LEAP (Feb 28, 2007)

Very nice! they all look great. Is the BOW really as dark as it appears? I admit to limited experience but all that I've seen has been much lighter. that Box Elder burl looks terrific!


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## its_virgil (Feb 28, 2007)

Tom,
Your pens are top notch..really nicely done in choice of materials, kits and of course, the workmanship is excellent.  Your pictures are excellent also. But, I just have not come to like other stuff in pen pictures. We are showcasing our pens and our talent and other stuff in the picture seems to distract from what we really want to show. I must be in the minority on this because I see more and more pictures with  stuff in them other than pens or backgrounds with various motiffs. As I visit various websites I see more and more of this. We are even seeing more posts here and over on Yahoo! Penturners asking just what you are here..which background, etc do we like best? Maybe I need to move into the current century on this but I still think a picture of a beautifully made pen, as yours are, needs no other embellishment. I do not intend this to be a negative reply and I do hope you accept it in the spirit with which I offer it. 
Do a good turn daily!
Don


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## Dario (Feb 28, 2007)

Pens look great.  

Pics are a bit grainy...if you can, try using a slower ISO setting and compare the results.  Do use a tripod.


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## airrat (Feb 28, 2007)

Phil for some reason on that one I keep getting the same results with color.  I am unsure why and is one reason I posted some of these.

Don I appreciate the compliments.  I too like pictures of just the pen without a lot of distraction.  I did some home grown research the last few months asking friends,  family, customers, anyone I could hound, which pictures they liked better.  I got mixed results.   I decided to try to learn how to take different style of pictures at that point, so I could show different ones for a pen.  Anything to add to the selling point of a pen online.  Plus I have always wanted to better myself at photography.


Dario the pictures didn't look that grainy with the originals.  When I resized them and did the auto level some of them became grainy.   I am trying to find a way to avoid the auto leveling part of the process.   Today I will see about setting the ISO slower and hopefully that will make some better quality pictures.

I have had fun with this, it is almost like turning a pen.  You never know what you are going to get through the little screen on the camera until you look at it on a computer.  Just like you never know what the grain is going to do when you turn it.


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## toolcrazy (Feb 28, 2007)

May I note that some image programs are not very good at resize. I use Corel Paint Shop Pro X and have had good luck with it. You may also reduce the jpg compression when your save the file and then make the image smaller to keep the files size resonable.


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## bob393 (Mar 1, 2007)

Tom Nice work. 
The first and last are super the middle one looks washed out to me.
I would think it was under lighted and the camera compensated for it by
pushing the sensor iso. Just a guess though.


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## kiddo (Mar 6, 2007)

I just LOVE the pic of the holly pen. It looks so perfectly dreamy! I'm afraid I'm gonna have to steal your idea.

Added to my folder of "Cool Ideas"


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## stevers (Mar 8, 2007)

I like the one with the flowers and pearls.


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## fiferb (Mar 9, 2007)

I think if you're looking for a comparison of backgrounds you should use the same pen in each photo. That way, the only thing to compare is the background and how it affects viewing the pen. Nice pens by the way.


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