# Current setup



## fritzmccorkle (Jun 22, 2005)

this is my current setup.  only the light on the boom with the softbox is in use.  the other lights sitting there were not used.  is anyone else using anything similar?  what do you think of the results?  which works best the white background or the black?
thanks for your input.  

fritz/forum/albums/fritzmccorkle/tn/tn_boom light-e.jpg

/forum/albums/fritzmccorkle/tn/tn_boom light 2-e.jpg


/forum/albums/fritzmccorkle/tn/tn_amboyna tactile broker.jpg


/forum/albums/fritzmccorkle/tn/tn_amboyna tactile broker on black.jpg


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## fritzmccorkle (Jun 22, 2005)

for some reason the thumbnail of the first pen pic didn't seem to work, but the pic is there if you click on it.

fritz


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## Darley (Jun 22, 2005)

Nice set up Fritz, I personally like the withe back ground


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## wdcav1952 (Jun 22, 2005)

Hey Fritz,
Count me in for liking the white background better.  The pen seems almost to blend into the black background.


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## Thumbs (Jun 22, 2005)

Whew! Until I got to check the closeups.  I thought Fritz was into making dental torture chairs for William. Really Scaaary![:0][}]

Hey, Fritz isn't that tip s'posed to be all the way in or all the way out? 

(Me? A picture critic?  Who'd'a thunk it?  Ha! Ha!)[][][}]

Oh, BTW, White BG is better choice on this!  I guess, maybe, I think sorta......


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## woodscavenger (Jun 22, 2005)

Great, now not only do I have pen envy but now I have photo toys envy!!  Thanks!
the white one is better for me but I would like to see another kit with chrome/Ti/Gold instead of black with the black background to see how it looks.  nicely done.


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## gpadgham (Jun 22, 2005)

I agree with woodscavenger.  The White background does better with the black pieces of the pen, but black might look good with gold or chrome pens.


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## Chuck Key (Jun 22, 2005)

> _Originally posted by woodscavenger_
> <br />the white one is better for me but I would like to see another kit with chrome/Ti/Gold instead of black with the black background to see how it looks



Something like this?









Chuckie


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## fritzmccorkle (Jun 22, 2005)

check my album.  i've got different kits on both backgrounds in there.

my opinion is like yours for the most part.  the white really gives a better look at the pen, but in some cases the black gives a really nice looking photo.  i try to shoot the lighter stuff on the black and the darker on the white, but maybe i should just use the white only????  by the way...these are just sheets of lucite.

woodscavenger....hehehe they are fun toys.  take great pics of my daugther as well.


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## Ron in Drums PA (Jun 22, 2005)

Real Nice!!!

Did you ever try a gray background?


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## fritzmccorkle (Jun 22, 2005)

no, i should.  i have a few pieces of fabric i was using, but non were grey.

fritz


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## swm6500 (Jun 22, 2005)

Fritz, I prefer the white background. The black seems to reflect too much, maybe something black that is not so reflective.


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## fritzmccorkle (Jun 22, 2005)

i could crop out the reflection.  i've been leaving them in thinking they looked kinda cool.

does everyone agree that these pics are better than the ones in my album where i used my light tent?  the curly purple maples and several others are shot that way.  seems to me that they take away the gloss look of the pens and make the metal look a but "fuzzy".  fritz


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## ograywolf (Aug 12, 2005)

Great info on photography!  My biggest challenge has been lighting, as you will see from the web page isted below.  Looks like a light box is in the future.  I did find that light pastels were the best backdrop for my wife's jewelry.  (see www.babesboutique.biz) I know you hairy-chested lathe guys won't go for pink...but there are other colors!  Just starting on pens myself so photos of them will be a new challenge.

Dave


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## gerryr (Sep 28, 2005)

All light meters (I'm old enough to have used cameras without them)whether they're built-in or hand-held do exactly the same thing.  Whatever color they're pointed at will provide an exposure setting that equates to a 35% reflectance "gray" card.  If you used black and white film and a hand-held meter and photographed the same object against a white background and also against a black background, and made no compensation for the background, the densities of the two negatives would be identical.  A light meter doesn't know about color, only reflectance and it averages everything to 35% reflectance.  The best way to assure proper exposure is to meter a gray card under the same light, hold that exposure setting and take the picture.  For objects like pens, a neutral gray background may not be the most attractive, but it will give good exposure results.  Somewhere I still have a gray card, I just have to find it.


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