Weekly Assignment #65: Beauty of a Blade

[Nikolai]

OK, let's get down to a cold steel blade.
Ubiquitous in our kitchens, knives are often beautiful and usually highly reflective objects, which tend to create certain troubles for photographers, just the way glass and chrome does.
This time we going to try to capture the beauty of a blade. You're hired to do a cover for the "Texas Knives" or "California Blade" (you can pick your own country/state:-) magazine. What would it be?
One final image per entry, please, multiple entries are OK. Post-processing at will, but please submit the original image(s), too, as well as the "how to" and setup pics.
And yes - it's gotta be a magazine cover! :deal
Let's shoot some blades!

[BradfordBenn]

Okay dumb question - when you say Magazine cover, does that mean that you are looking for a portrait orientation of the page/image; taller than wide.

I have an idea and a new camera and I am home for a change...

[Nikolai]

Okay dumb question - when you say Magazine cover, does that mean that you are looking for a portrait orientation of the page/image; taller than wide.

I have an idea and a new camera and I am home for a change...
Yessir! :thumb The cover is "portrait". But of course you can shoot landscape and then fill the cover with more than one image:wink or with some related material (title, contents, etc.)

[Antonio Correia]

1 (http://strobist.blogspot.com/search?q=knife) - 2 (http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=strobist+lighting102+assignment+cooking+final&m=tags&z=t)
:rofl

[Nikolai]

1 (http://strobist.blogspot.com/search?q=knife) - 2 (http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=strobist+lighting102+assignment+cooking+final&m=tags&z=t)
:rofl
All wrong! :wink
I simply got a spanking brand new set of Calphalon Katana knives (http://www.calphalon.com/calphalon/consumer/katana/katanaSeries.jhtml?menu=PLSKatana) for my BD earlier this month..:lol3

[Antonio Correia]

All wrong! :wink
I simply got a spanking brand new set of Calphalon Katana knives for my BD earlier this month..:lol3

See no reason.
Yes master. OK :huh

[Travis]

All wrong! :wink
I simply got a spanking brand new set of Calphalon Katana knives for my BD earlier this month..:lol3

Awesome knives. One day I'll own a set but for now I'll just have to wait for to post a photo of them. :D

[djspinner2k]

I have a cheap dollar store set of knives.:dunno

but I have a vision.

so we will see what happens

[Nikolai]

Awesome knives. One day I'll own a set but for now I'll just have to wait for to post a photo of them. :D
Since I finally got kicked out of this LPS season for good, I have nothing else to do but at least play here :lol3

[MooreDriven]

Since I finally got kicked out of this LPS season for good, I have nothing else to do but at least play here :lol3
Don't you mean cut out. Sorry, it's just fit the assignment. Congratulations on making it as far as you did. :clap The competition looked really tough.:bow

I guess I better start looking for some blades!

Dale

[Nikolai]

Don't you mean cut out.
Yeah, prolly, the final result is the same - I can't hang out with the cool kids anymore... :wink :rofl
Sorry, it's just fit the assignment.
that was a good one:-)
Congratulations on making it as far as you did. :clap The competition looked really tough.:bow
Thanks! It was fun though!

I guess I better start looking for some blades!
Dale
You do that, Dale! :thumb

[doug pettway]

cool topic assignment!

i am nearly done with a knife that i made the scales for. i'll "showcase" that one the magazine cover. :)

[leaforte]

http://tonymcguiness.smugmug.com/photos/247274317-L.jpg

[Antonio Correia]

From your posts I can assume that you do like kitchen knifes very much.
Am I wrong ? :dunno
I wonder if you like to use them that much for cooking :wink

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.

http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/247450003-M.jpg http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/247457702-L.jpg http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/photos/247451135-M.jpg

setup / final / original

[evoryware]

Antonio, what off camera cord is that, if I may ask?

[doug pettway]

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. :)

Original:

http://douglaspettway.smugmug.com/photos/247494626-M.jpg

Original:

http://douglaspettway.smugmug.com/photos/247494589-M.jpg

Final:

http://douglaspettway.smugmug.com/photos/247494615-XL.jpg

[Pilznr]

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


Very funny cover. Nice job! I've been looking for a cool knife to photograph, but I've come up with nothing.

[Antonio Correia]

Antonio, what off camera cord is that, if I may ask?

Sure you can ask. :D
Sure I can tell. :D


http://www.usa.canon.com/app/images/supplies/Off-CameraShoeCord2.gif
Off-Camera Shoe Cord 2 (http://www.kjsl.com/%7Edave/ocsc.html)

[Antonio Correia]

Very funny cover. Nice job! I've been looking for a cool knife to photograph, but I've come up with nothing.

Get an old one :wink

[doug pettway]

Very funny cover. Nice job! I've been looking for a cool knife to photograph, but I've come up with nothing.

get an assortment of plastic knives and do a "shoot-out" to determine which brand is the best. :D

come to think of it...i might try it if you pass on the idea. :D

[Pilznr]

get an assortment of plastic knives and do a "shoot-out" to determine which brand is the best. :D

come to think of it...i might try it if you pass on the idea. :D

It's your idea, go for it. I think I'm going to go to the one place I've been avoiding. I work in a theatre with a very extensive prop shop. :wink

[douglas]

Rambo Returns!
http://www.smugmug.com/photos/248110669-XL.jpg

[stirfry]

http://stirfry.smugmug.com/photos/248158108-L.jpg

[douglas]

Stirfry.... Excellent, Very Well Done!!:clap :clap :clap

[evoryware]

Thanks Antonio! I have one, but it doesn't stretch that far. I will have to force the issue. :D

[fashiznitsngrins]

Please note: Only one bendable bunny was harmed during the making of this image.

http://1anda2.smugmug.com/photos/248438699-L.jpg

[stirfry]

Stirfry.... Excellent, Very Well Done!!:clap :clap :clap

Thanks, Douglas :lust as soon as I saw yours I was wishing I had cooler cutlery to play with!

[stirfry]

Please note: Only one bendable bunny was harmed during the making of this image.


:rofl This is shaping up to be quite a fun thread.

[Nikolai]

OK, here's my hasty attempt at blade-related cover:

http://nik.smugmug.com/photos/249286024-XL.jpg

[Nikolai]

Northwest steel
Great image, love it! :thumb

[leaforte]

OK, here's my hasty attempt at blade-related cover:

http://nik.smugmug.com/photos/249286024-XL.jpg

I like the result of the work put into the final product!

[Nikolai]

From your posts I can assume that you do like kitchen knifes very much.
Am I wrong ? :dunno
I wonder if you like to use them that much for cooking :wink

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

[Nikolai]

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
It's a nice cover, but what I would really like to see is a blade filling more space on the final image. :deal

[Nikolai]

Rambo Returns!

Haha, Douglas, this is classic, albeit the knife almost looks like the one from the "Cobra", earlier Sly's flick. :thumb
Funny - I also used "Lens flare" effect for my entry:-) :wink

[Nikolai]

the modern chef
Great cover, very nice blade image! :thumb

[Nikolai]

I like the result of the work put into the final product!
Thank you, appreciate it! :thumb

[Nikolai]

Please note: Only one bendable bunny was harmed during the making of this image.

Great cover, and I like the title! Thank you!:thumb

[doug pettway]

Doug, thank you! :thumb
It's a nice cover, but what I would really like to see is a blade filling more space on the final image. :deal

hopefully this fits the requirements better.

http://douglaspettway.smugmug.com/photos/249800433-M.jpg

[doug pettway]

Haha, Douglas, this is classic, albeit the knife almost looks like the one from the "Cobra", earlier Sly's flick. :thumb
Funny - I also used "Lens flare" effect for my entry:-) :wink

i was thinking it looked like one of the blades on the Predators arm. :D

[Nikolai]

hopefully this fits the requirements better.

It does :-):thumb
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 :dunno You gotta choose your angles very carefully for this type of things!

[Nikolai]

i was thinking it looked like one of the blades on the Predators arm. :D
Well, that's Ah'nold, not Rocky :-)

[OffTopic]

http://www.careyphoto.com/photos/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.)

http://www.careyphoto.com/photos/250064872-M-2.jpg



The setup - my quickly-thrown-together DIY macro lightbox :rofl 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.

http://www.careyphoto.com/photos/250064878-M-1.jpg

[Nikolai]

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 :rofl 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
And I've got a crack of the subtitle :lol3

[eL eSs Vee]

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.


http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb171/MrNewportCustom/DSC_0809copy.jpg

I haven neither experience nor templates for designing magazine covers. :cry

[Nikolai]

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
I had fun with similar hatchets during the Big Bear Renaissance Fair (http://nik.smugmug.com/gallery/3299822_85sn4) last summer... :rofl
Now, how about putting it on a cover? :wink
I understand that you haven't done it before, but that's why we do it here - we learn...

[eL eSs Vee]

I took this one at the same time.

Similar lighting as the previous, rotated 90 degrees CW.

http://i208.photobucket.com/albums/bb171/MrNewportCustom/DSC_0816copy.jpg

Maybe these could be editorial photos wthin the article? :dunno

[eL eSs Vee]

Thank you, Lee, nice blade! :thumb
I had fun with similar hatchets during the Big Bear Renaissance Fair (http://nik.smugmug.com/gallery/3299822_85sn4) last summer... :rofl
Now, how about putting it on a cover? :wink
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?

[Nikolai]

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... :wink
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 :dunno

[eL eSs Vee]

Thank you, Nikolai. It sounds like you've got Photoshop down! Something to aspire to, for me. :bow


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.

[Nikolai]

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? :wink

What are yout thoughts on Elements?
I tried them when they were version 4. They sucked big time. :deal I heard the latest one is pretty good, but since I have CS3 I see no reason to downgrade...:dunno

HTH

[B Rock]

Here is my go at it. I used to do lots of Graphic Design but I'm quiet rusty now!

http://b-rock.smugmug.com/photos/283647131_urF9D-X3.jpg

Thanks for viewing.

[Nikolai]

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

[JAG]

Well this might be a bit dark. :scratch 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!).:barb

I used two light set up with a high iso. You can find the Exif files on any of the other images in a http://JAGCreations.smugmug.com/photos/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...
http://JAGCreations.smugmug.com/photos/283799541_KgTFn-M-1.jpg

http://JAGCreations.smugmug.com/photos/283799442_3yhDE-M-1.jpg

this last one I only used the blade portion because it was reflecting better...
http://JAGCreations.smugmug.com/photos/283800339_ZVs8v-M-1.jpg

BTW...no fingers were actually harmed in the making of this mag cover!

[Nikolai]

Well this might be a bit dark. :scratch 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!).:barb
Jag,
great entry, thank you very much! :thumb
I like the contents! :rofl
Also great howto portion! :clap