Gun photography

[master_photog]

I'm a big fan of long exposures and a dim flashlight. Spray the flashlight's light perpendicular to the camera in a dark/unlit room (the darker, the better). Use side and top light, no frontal light. Side, top and rear light will provide shadows and dimension. Front lit subjects makes for boring photography, people or things. Be careful with rear light as you'll want to avoid direct light into the lens.

When the room is lit, put your camera on the tripod and get the item in focus with your lens. Once your focus is set, change the camera or the lens to manual focus. This will keep your camera from attempting to RE-focus when you hit the shutter button to take the long exposure.

I like 15 second exposures in a pitch black room and an el cheapo flashlight. The cool thing is, is that you can walk in front of the camera during this time to get to the other side of your subject.

Very cheap way to go if you have no studio lights. You need a tripod, a flashlight and a camera that can do long exposures.

 

[Fast14riot]

Light painting is a fun technique! I haven't used it for product photography as I prefer to do detail shots to add texture or interest. I am going to have to give it a try for gun photography! Light painting is an excellent technique for large items like cars, too.

Here's a quick natural light shot I did. Added a little color temp in post. Set up was simply laid rifle on leather couch in front of large window with indirect light.



Here is another type of detail shot that can tell a story. One or the relatively few cell phone shots I will keep for more than social media.

 

[Geno C]

Let’s see what I can come up with. I only use my phone though so no fancy exposure or nice lenses from me

 

[Geno C]

Little generation loss on this one on the upload

 

[Geno C]

Shooting elr in Kansas in some serious dust. Sustained 20+ with gusts well over 30

 

[Fast14riot]

Fast14riot very cool photos......

I was told by a photographer that a red background works good for rifles.....but Im just using my cel phone for pictures

One thing I will note about using a cell phone for gun photography, consider the perspective they offer, small sensor, fixed optics at a very wide angle view. It's what makes your nose look big when you take a picture of someone's face and fill the frame. I like to back up a little, use lots of light and zoom in when using my phone. I do have a mechanical aperture on my phone, so I can control depth of field a bit, but that small sensor behind small optics needs lots of light. Large light sources, too. Shine a very bright light at a white wall or ceiling instead of right at the subject, you now have turned that entire surface into your light source. This will give much more even lighting and reduce shadows.

As for color of background, unless you really know your lighting, anything that isn't the same color as anywhere on the gun works for most.

 

[Kurz]

I've posted similar images before even though they are not mine because they represent what fine photography is for any subject matter. These are not cell phone shots but meticulously designed images from which fine photographs were made for use as advertising illustrations. The photographers didn't dance around the set with a digital camera banging off dozens of shots in the hope that they captured the image the client was looking for. These were done with large format cameras and real film. Some were 8x10 format while others were 4x5, remember this is inches so by comparison an 8x10 sheet of film is a little smaller than a sheet of notebook paper. For transparencies, this amounts to about $299.00 for 20 sheets of film before processing. Usually 5 - 6 sheets were exposed to allow for a slight range of lighting and a safety sheet.

This was camera brand and size I used, made by Merle Deardorff himself:

 

[butchlambert]

I'm stuck with my Brownie Hawkeye.

 

[Fast14riot]

Large format photography is an art unto itself. Those old Deardorff 8x10 are nice, price isn't terrible on those, $3k will get you a good working camera and probably a stack of film holders. A good lens and shutter like a Rodenstock is roughly $1500, but other lenses can be had for around $500.

I've been interested in medium format beyond 220, like a 4x5 field camera, but I just don't need another hobby.

Those shots are great, excellent lighting. From what I can see, single light, coming from 12 o'clock 45°, likely a large soft box, possibly a parabolic umbrella. I have a bit of time and some new toys I plan to shoot today, hopefully I can get that done. This is good inspiration!

 

[gunsandgunsmithing]

Still playing with a different method of posting.View attachment 1151038

Very nice, as with most of your stuff! I love the tang!

 

[skeeljc]

I am not a fan of dark background.

 

[Dave Way]

How about the inside of one? Lilja three groove.



Dave.

 

[DngBat7]

I don’t want to down any photos that people are posting, but I do feel that Fast14riots images are of a more professional standard. I can definitely picture them in a catalog or magazine add or billboard at shot show. The type of work he is posting is a lot more labor intensive than just a phone snapshot. Nice Job. The large format film, and butches shots and some others were nice as well

 

[Fast14riot]

I don’t want to down any photos that people are posting, but I do feel that Fast14riots images are of a more professional standard. I can definitely picture them in a catalog or magazine add or billboard at shot show. The type of work he is posting is a lot more labor intensive than just a phone snapshot. Nice Job. The large format film, and butches shots and some others were nice as well

I appreciate the kudos, but having worn out one shutter on my main digital body (went 150K+ frames) and now at close to 50K on the second shutter, I know I have much more time behind the camera than most average shooters. The following is not to knock what you have said X-47, simply a clarification.

I do not want anyone to feel their shots that they love are not worth posting, often times simple snap shots can provide excellent inspiration or ideas, too. I simply love seeing everyone's favorite shots of their guns and hearing the story behind why they like that particular shot. Please post them.

I will try to add some of my own lighting experience and tips using super cheap or free things. I have moderated photo forums, done some professional work in the past, but always stayed away from making it a job. One thing I used to love in the photo contests I would run, is doing super limited gear contests. Like cell phone shots only, no off camera flash, normal prime lens only, etc. This produced some excellent creativity.

One thing I will say is no matter how good, expensive, fancy or not your camera is, it does no good with bad light. New photographers love to chase gear, when they begin to start using off camera lights, they start to see what lighting is all about. So dont worry about just having a cell phone, get the light right and you might surprise yourself.

Btw, my main digital body is 10.2mp and now nearly 15 years old. I still shoot for everything.

 

[DngBat7]

I appreciate the kudos, but having worn out one shutter on my main digital body (went 150K+ frames) and now at close to 50K on the second shutter, I know I have much more time behind the camera than most average shooters. The following is not to knock what you have said X-47, simply a clarification.

I do not want anyone to feel their shots that they love are not worth posting, often times simple snap shots can provide excellent inspiration or ideas, too. I simply love seeing everyone's favorite shots of their guns and hearing the story behind why they like that particular shot. Please post them.

I will try to add some of my own lighting experience and tips using super cheap or free things. I have moderated photo forums, done some professional work in the past, but always stayed away from making it a job. One thing I used to love in the photo contests I would run, is doing super limited gear contests. Like cell phone shots only, no off camera flash, normal prime lens only, etc. This produced some excellent creativity.

One thing I will say is no matter how good, expensive, fancy or not your camera is, it does no good with bad light. New photographers love to chase gear, when they begin to start using off camera lights, they start to see what lighting is all about. So dont worry about just having a cell phone, get the light right and you might surprise yourself.

Btw, my main digital body is 10.2mp and now nearly 15 years old. I still shoot for everything.

No offense taken, I just wanted to make the point that these are not just snap shots, You put time into lighting, setup and post production. Not just pressing a shutter button

 

[Fast14riot]

No offense taken, I just wanted to make the point that these are not just snap shots, You put time into lighting, setup and post production. Not just pressing a shutter button

It's true, was probably 3.5 hours with staging, lighting, test shoots, rigging, etc. before I even got to where I could swap guns in those first shots. It is a lot of set up in preproduction, then developing the digital negs before individual post production begins, but I don't do much post as I like to get it right in the camera.

 

[CT10ring]

I've posted similar images before even though they are not mine because they represent what fine photography is for any subject matter. These are not cell phone shots but meticulously designed images from which fine photographs were made for use as advertising illustrations. The photographers didn't dance around the set with a digital camera banging off dozens of shots in the hope that they captured the image the client was looking for. These were done with large format cameras and real film. Some were 8x10 format while others were 4x5, remember this is inches so by comparison an 8x10 sheet of film is a little smaller than a sheet of notebook paper. For transparencies, this amounts to about $299.00 for 20 sheets of film before processing. Usually 5 - 6 sheets were exposed to allow for a slight range of lighting and a safety sheet.

This was camera brand and size I used, made by Merle Deardorff himself:

Great pix!! I used a Deardorff once, also... Still have plenty 8X10 chromes stashed away.

 

[CT10ring]

Knowing there are some professional photographers in here and many photography enthusiasts, I'd like to see some of what everyone considers their best gun or shooting photos. I'd like to keep posts to just photos and short descriptions or possibly BTS shots of the set up if you're using more advanced gear.

I enjoy product and fine art photography as a pastime of 20+ years, which of course naturally shooting my guns in the studio quickly followed suit. Always looking for more photo projects, even if you have had professional shots done, I'd be very interested in seeing it for lighting techniques alone.

To start off, I will post some of mine. This series was for catalog purposes mainly.View attachment 1150963 View attachment 1150964 View attachment 1150965

nice pix. You might want to spring for a light bank - diffused light is nice for metal. Chimera is a brand that comes to mind. A cheaper and effective method is to use a 48-60" white foamcore, scored and angled in a shallow V + hang it above your rifle to be photographed. Lose the umbrellas and aim the heads at the foam core. Use alum foil sprayed matte black to capture the spill light... I have shot many cars w the same setup, altho the board was 18' X 40'. same principle. couple pix- 1911 w/ a Chimera; the bolt - is a bare bulb rig that I built. Rugers - windowlight... Iphone. Def fun to combine the 2 passions, right?

 

[CT10ring]

Here is a shot I did as an exercise in lighting principles, using the inverse square law, this image was shot with no backdrop.

View attachment 1150971

great feel to that B&W shot! tonality makes that gun sing...

 

[CT10ring]

oh and I retouch EVERYTHING in Photoshop. still. ya gotta.
loved film & love digital.
My rig was Hasselblad H2 + PhaseOne p45+, also Leaf backs 120mm macro, Apple Mac Pro stuffed to the gills w/ RAM. no excuses
Photoshop fun. 1911. Still have it.