# Pen photos for sale or use?



## les-smith (Dec 5, 2006)

Has anyone ever thought about selling or allowing people to use their pen photos?  I'm starting to develop a website now, nothing fancy, but I need photos.  I'm not going to sell off the site, I just want people to be able to go to a website and see what type of pens I can make for them.  I just need good generic photos of various pen types.  Maybe at some point I'll be able to have everything setup to take good photos.  But, at the moment I just want some generic quality pen photos of various pens.  Any thoughts?


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## JimGo (Dec 5, 2006)

PSI makes custom catalogs available, and if you contact them, they MAY allow you to use their pictures on your site.

That being said, I don't see why you'd want to use a picture of someone else's pen.  Why not see if someone is willing to take some pics of your pens instead?


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## Skye (Dec 5, 2006)

> _Originally posted by JimGo_
> That being said, I don't see why you'd want to use a picture of someone else's pen.  Why not see if someone is willing to take some pics of your pens instead?



Agreed. If your pens arent as 'fit-n-finished' as the pic, you're going to have egg on your face. I'd highly suggest focusing your attention on getting better quality pics of your own pens. You dont want to get the question:

"Wow, that's amazing, did you make that?!"
"Um.... no..... but I _can_."

Reminds me of going into a tattoo shop. I dont give a crap if you say you _can_ tattoo like that photo, I want to know that you _did_.


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## Rifleman1776 (Dec 5, 2006)

Selling or not, permission or not, there is still an ethics question here. Showing pen "like you can make" is possibly portraying something you really cannot do.
Take it a step at a time. Make pens, photograph them. THEN post pictures of YOUR pens.


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## les-smith (Dec 5, 2006)

What gave me the idea was a website that I saw in an advertisment, Webstock Photography.  It's like a database of photographies that you can purchase.  It got me thinking, so I thought I'd ask.  

I do agree ethics are involved, and that there are copyrighting issues to account for if you were going to consider such an idea.


I believe that you would want to disclose that the photographies are indeed not of your own work, only a resemblance of the work you can accomplish.  

I am in the progress of purchasing all the gear needed to take proper photographs of my pens.  To be honest, the photographs I've taking so far were almost as fun as making the pens.  There is a lot to learn and it's fun.  Do I have a lot to learn?  Big Time.

I'll go ahead and go out on a limb and post one of them. Please remember that I'm a newbie and this photograph is no where near what some of you are doing, that's what got me thinking about this whole subject.

I took this photo with my in-laws camera, under our kitchen light with a flashlight in my hand.  And trust me I know, I need to build a light cube and start doing it the right way.






<br />


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## JimGo (Dec 5, 2006)

You're on the right track with that pic!  Looks lke all you really need is different lighting, and to change a few settings on your camera.


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## les-smith (Dec 5, 2006)

I'm worried about changing to much on the camera because I might not be able to get it back the way the in-laws gave it to me.  Maybe I can work through my worries and do it anyways.


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## JimGo (Dec 5, 2006)

LOL

I can understand that!  Can we see a picture of your picture-taking set-up?  Mine is quite simplistic, as you can see below:

<b>Image Insert:</b><br />

<br /> 

That's not to say my pictures are that good, but hopefully you'll get an idea of the caliber picture you can take without a significant investment.  Total cost for the stuff in the picture, not including the pens or the tray table, was about $12-15, and yielded this picture:



<b>Image Insert:</b><br />

<br />


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## les-smith (Dec 5, 2006)

Right now I really don't have a set up.  As stated above, I just used the kitchen light and a flashlight I held with the other hand and the back ground is sheet of paper with gradient fade that I copied off a posting on this forum.

I've bought a light that is full sprectrum, PVC for the box, and plexiglass which I used to make the stand in the photo above.  I've got a white sheet to use as a diffuser.  So, I think I just need to get it all put together and take more photos.


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## bob393 (Dec 5, 2006)

Jim, that picture looks great, So does the pen.


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## Ligget (Dec 6, 2006)

Good set up Jim, fantastic photo and pen![]


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## alamocdc (Dec 6, 2006)

That's our Jim. Have Tupperware, will travel.[}][]


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## jaywood1207 (Dec 6, 2006)

Jim,
With your picture I have a question.  In the picture of the booth it looks really orangey but the pic of the pen turned out great.  Do you use your flash when taking the pen because it is a lot whiter or is the colour in the pic of the booth just skewed?


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## Rifleman1776 (Dec 6, 2006)

> _Originally posted by les-smith_
> <br />I'm worried about changing to much on the camera because I might not be able to get it back the way the in-laws gave it to me.  Maybe I can work through my worries and do it anyways.



Don't mess with the in-laws. []
Actually, if you don't understand the operation of the camera you are destined to have problems. Read their owners manual and learn the controls, not likely you will hurt anything.
Yes, the set-up is simple, but there is nothing wrong with that. Except, you should put in a daylight balanced bulb, like a GE Reveal.


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