Weekly Assignment #65: Beauty of a Blade

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Comments

  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited January 30, 2008
    From your posts I can assume that you do like kitchen knifes very much.
    Am I wrong ? ne_nau.gif
    I wonder if you like to use them that much for cooking mwink.gif

    Here is an old cake knife witch was offered to my wife and to myself some 32 years ago. It belonged to an old woman.
    It was from her own wedding.

    setup / final / original

    Nice shot, great story, thank you, Antonio! thumb.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited January 30, 2008
    I dont have a second camera so i wasnt able to get a photo of the "set up". But here is what i did: using a cloth backdrop that i placed on the floor, i put a book (The Decameron, if it matters :) ) on the sheet and then placed the knife on top. my camera was mounted on a tripod pointing down. i moved the lighting around until i felt it looked ok. post-processing includes white balancing the RAW file, some sharpening, and then i added the vignette.

    as for the table saw blade: well...i just turned it on and took a picture of it. :)

    Doug, thank you! thumb.gif
    It's a nice cover, but what I would really like to see is a blade filling more space on the final image. deal.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited January 30, 2008
    douglas wrote:
    Rambo Returns!
    Haha, Douglas, this is classic, albeit the knife almost looks like the one from the "Cobra", earlier Sly's flick. thumb.gif
    Funny - I also used "Lens flare" effect for my entry:-) mwink.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited January 30, 2008
    stirfry wrote:
    the modern chef
    Great cover, very nice blade image! thumb.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited January 30, 2008
    leaforte wrote:
    I like the result of the work put into the final product!
    Thank you, appreciate it! thumb.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited January 30, 2008
    Please note: Only one bendable bunny was harmed during the making of this image.
    Great cover, and I like the title! Thank you!thumb.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • doug pettwaydoug pettway Registered Users Posts: 55 Big grins
    edited February 1, 2008
    Nikolai wrote:
    Doug, thank you! thumb.gif
    It's a nice cover, but what I would really like to see is a blade filling more space on the final image. deal.gif

    hopefully this fits the requirements better.

    249800433-M.jpg
  • doug pettwaydoug pettway Registered Users Posts: 55 Big grins
    edited February 1, 2008
    Nikolai wrote:
    Haha, Douglas, this is classic, albeit the knife almost looks like the one from the "Cobra", earlier Sly's flick. thumb.gif
    Funny - I also used "Lens flare" effect for my entry:-) mwink.gif

    i was thinking it looked like one of the blades on the Predators arm. :D
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited February 1, 2008
    hopefully this fits the requirements better.
    It does :-)thumb.gif
    It also shows one of the main issue with polished steel: excessive reflection. In your case the bottom part of the blade almost dissolves in the background ne_nau.gif You gotta choose your angles very carefully for this type of things!
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited February 1, 2008
    i was thinking it looked like one of the blades on the Predators arm. :D
    Well, that's Ah'nold, not Rocky :-)
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • OffTopicOffTopic Registered Users Posts: 521 Major grins
    edited February 2, 2008
    250064867-M-3.jpg


    The original (I'm not happy with the shallow DOF - I had to open up to 3.5 in order to expose properly to blow out the background. Probably should do this during the day when there is more ambient light.)

    250064872-M-2.jpg



    The setup - my quickly-thrown-together DIY macro lightbox rolleyes1.gif Not very fancy, but it did the job.
    I used one strobe on the right, glossy photo paper for bounce on left and back, blade angled away from the flash so it didn't catch direct light.

    250064878-M-1.jpg
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited February 2, 2008
    OffTopic wrote:
    The original (I'm not happy with the shallow DOF - I had to open up to 3.5 in order to expose properly to blow out the background. Probably should do this during the day when there is more ambient light.)
    The setup - my quickly-thrown-together DIY macro lightbox rolleyes1.gif Not very fancy, but it did the job.
    I used one strobe on the right, glossy photo paper for bounce on left and back, blade angled away from the flash so it didn't catch direct light.
    Lori,
    thank you very much, both for the nice final entry and for actually providing the requested "how-to" photos...thumb.gif
    And I've got a crack of the subtitle lol3.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • eL eSs VeeeL eSs Vee Registered Users Posts: 1,243 Major grins
    edited February 28, 2008
    Moonlight and Hatchets
    I took this shot about an hour ago. Sorry I didn't take a how-to picture, I used two lights, difused tungston, white balanced for same.

    DSC_0809copy.jpg

    I haven neither experience nor templates for designing magazine covers. :cry
    Lee
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  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited February 28, 2008
    eL eSs Vee wrote:
    I took these shots about half an hour ago. Sorry I didn't take any how-to pictures, but I think they pretty much explain themselves: difused tungston, white balanced for same.

    Thank you, Lee, nice blade! thumb.gif
    I had fun with similar hatchets during the Big Bear Renaissance Fair last summer... rolleyes1.gif
    Now, how about putting it on a cover? mwink.gif
    I understand that you haven't done it before, but that's why we do it here - we learn...
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • eL eSs VeeeL eSs Vee Registered Users Posts: 1,243 Major grins
    edited February 28, 2008
    Just for the heck of it.
    I took this one at the same time.

    Similar lighting as the previous, rotated 90 degrees CW.

    DSC_0816copy.jpg

    Maybe these could be editorial photos wthin the article? ne_nau.gif
    Lee
    __________________

    My SmugMug Gallery
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    "If you've found a magic that does something for you, honey, stick to it. Never change it." - Mae West, to Edith Head.
    "Every guy has to have one weakness - and it might as well be a good one." - Shell Scott: Dance With the Dead by Richard S. Prather
  • eL eSs VeeeL eSs Vee Registered Users Posts: 1,243 Major grins
    edited February 28, 2008
    Nikolai wrote:
    Thank you, Lee, nice blade! thumb.gif
    I had fun with similar hatchets during the Big Bear Renaissance Fair last summer... rolleyes1.gif
    Now, how about putting it on a cover? mwink.gif
    I understand that you haven't done it before, but that's why we do it here - we learn...

    Thank you very much.

    Well, I can try. But, like I said, I have neither experience nor templates. I'm using PhotoShop 7, and just started learning that a couple months ago. Have you any suggestions for me?
    Lee
    __________________

    My SmugMug Gallery
    My Facebook

    "If you've found a magic that does something for you, honey, stick to it. Never change it." - Mae West, to Edith Head.
    "Every guy has to have one weakness - and it might as well be a good one." - Shell Scott: Dance With the Dead by Richard S. Prather
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited February 28, 2008
    eL eSs Vee wrote:
    Thank you very much.

    Well, I can try. But, like I said, I have neither experience nor templates. I'm using PhotoShop 7, and just started learning that a couple months ago. Have you any suggestions for me?
    If it makes you feel any better: in 2005 I honestly didn't know what "layer" is, let alone "curves" and "blending styles". Well, I got and read a few books (Kelby is a great start), did some exercises... Now I can probably write 90% of PS books on the market... mwink.gif
    I must say one thing though: get CS3. Academic version is $200 only. I can't even describe how much better it is compared to PS7 ne_nau.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • eL eSs VeeeL eSs Vee Registered Users Posts: 1,243 Major grins
    edited February 29, 2008
    Thank you, Nikolai. It sounds like you've got Photoshop down! Something to aspire to, for me. bowdown.gif


    I have a book, but I think it's for PS6 and it's buried deep in my storage. I'll look for Kelby's book. $200.00 for the academic version, eh? Can a non-student get it? I'm a couple decades past that.

    What are yout thoughts on Elements?

    Thank you again.
    Lee
    __________________

    My SmugMug Gallery
    My Facebook

    "If you've found a magic that does something for you, honey, stick to it. Never change it." - Mae West, to Edith Head.
    "Every guy has to have one weakness - and it might as well be a good one." - Shell Scott: Dance With the Dead by Richard S. Prather
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited February 29, 2008
    eL eSs Vee wrote:
    I have a book, but I think it's for PS6 and it's buried deep in my storage. I'll look for Kelby's book.
    Books. There are several. I'd start for CS3 for Digital Photographers, then Classic Effects, then Down and Dirty tricks. Don't bother with Channels, it's a blah thing.
    $200.00 for the academic version, eh? Can a non-student get it? I'm a couple decades past that.
    Well, then you prolly have a student of your own, eh? mwink.gif
    What are yout thoughts on Elements?
    I tried them when they were version 4. They sucked big time. deal.gif I heard the latest one is pretty good, but since I have CS3 I see no reason to downgrade...ne_nau.gif

    HTH
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • B RockB Rock Registered Users Posts: 181 Major grins
    edited April 22, 2008
    Here is my go at it. I used to do lots of Graphic Design but I'm quiet rusty now!

    283647131_urF9D-X3.jpg

    Thanks for viewing.
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited April 22, 2008
    B Rock wrote:
    Here is my go at it. I used to do lots of Graphic Design but I'm quiet rusty now!
    Thanks for viewing.
    Awesome! Love it! Great entry, thanks a lot! thumb.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
  • JAGJAG Super Moderators Posts: 9,088 moderator
    edited April 23, 2008
    Well this might be a bit dark. headscratch.gif But my son and I tried to come up with something different and he suggested the shock factor. (Thats a 19 year old for you!).wings.gif

    I used two light set up with a high iso. You can find the Exif files on any of the other images in a 283796987_Vcqno-XL-2.jpg
    I just set up. I used a combination of 3 seperate images plus some paint shop pro to make it look more illustrated look.

    Here are the three images in their original unedited form...
    283799541_KgTFn-M-1.jpg

    283799442_3yhDE-M-1.jpg

    this last one I only used the blade portion because it was reflecting better...
    283800339_ZVs8v-M-1.jpg

    BTW...no fingers were actually harmed in the making of this mag cover!
  • NikolaiNikolai Registered Users Posts: 19,035 Major grins
    edited April 23, 2008
    JAG wrote:
    Well this might be a bit dark. headscratch.gif But my son and I tried to come up with something different and he suggested the shock factor. (Thats a 19 year old for you!).wings.gif
    Jag,
    great entry, thank you very much! thumb.gif
    I like the contents! rolleyes1.gif
    Also great howto portion! clap.gif
    "May the f/stop be with you!"
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