# Still Tweaking photos



## Randy Simmons (Jun 30, 2013)

For those of you who haven't been following, you might want to see my last post to understand where I'm referencing.

Anyway, one of the criticisms mentioned frequently was that the mirrored reflection sort of played tricks on your head. I fixed it a little with a glass partition between the subject and mirror, but still wasn't really satisfied. 

I hunted around for other shiny things. Aluminum foil is my next best attempt, again using a glass partition.

This seemed to favor gold pens, not sure why, that's just my perception. I had to avoid certain angles to prevent the flash from reflecting off of the foil.

What do you think?

Left to right: Cocobolo/gold ti spalted alder/chrome cypress/chrome, all atrax


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## Randy Simmons (Jun 30, 2013)

An added note: both of the pens using this photo technique I added to my site got favorited within an hour of my posting them. I will put more up like this and see if the trend continues


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## NittanyLion (Jun 30, 2013)

I prefer the mirror myself.  It's great to show off the backside of your pens, plus, as you said, it plays tricks with your head!


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## islandturner (Jun 30, 2013)

If you're a PS user, there are routines to make reflections exactly the way you want them, without shooting the pen on a reflective surface. This one is on a black background but you can do them just as easily on white, too.






This pen was shot in a light box, then isolated/separated, placed on a pure black background, and the shadow image created/added. You could have more of the pen in the shadow; it's just a question of what you like the looks of, while you're doing it.

Outstanding pens, BTW -- quite stunning....

Steve


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## JohnGreco (Jun 30, 2013)

I think there is too much blowout in the reflections. Steve's picture above looks good because the pen is sharp and crisp, and the reflection is equally sharp and crisp, but muted so it's not standing out. Eyes should go to the pen imho.


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## dbledsoe (Jun 30, 2013)

I like this much better. My only request would be greater depth of field. I like to see the whole pen in focus.


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## Randy Simmons (Jun 30, 2013)

Steve, I can't see your picture.... attach as thumbnail maybe?

Unfortunately I don't have photoshop, and when I did, I was awful at it.


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## islandturner (Jun 30, 2013)

Randy Simmons said:


> Steve, I can't see your picture.... attach as thumbnail maybe?
> 
> Unfortunately I don't have photoshop, and when I did, I was awful at it.


 
Randy, Sorry about that... Flickr have radically changed their site -- the pic was there for a while and dissappeared. I've uploaded it to photobucket -- hopefully this will work... Steve


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## BSea (Jul 3, 2013)

JohnGreco said:


> I think there is too much blowout in the  reflections. Steve's picture above looks good because the pen is sharp  and crisp, and the reflection is equally sharp and crisp, but muted so  it's not standing out. Eyes should go to the pen imho.


I agree  with this.  I followed the last post, and thought that the photos looked  better with just the mirror.  With the glass, the reflection is too  distorted, and I think it takes away from the pen.  But you got some positive feedback on the photo's, so what do I know?:question:

I also agree that the depth of field could be better so the focus would cover the complete pen.  That might help the reflection too.

Oh, and great picture Steve.  I'm not a PS person, so that's a little beyond me.  Although it does look like the cap is floating since the reflection is below the cap whereas the reflection at the nib touches the nib.


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