Bushpilot Loc: Minnesota

A pre-1890 revolver, and a pre-1900 pocket watch. Suggestions?

pelirrojo Loc: Duluth, MN

I would eliminate the modern amo box and move the watch hands closer to 'high noon'.

Bushpilot Loc: Minnesota

I was thinking the same thing, although the box is about 20 years old, not as old as the Smith. Maybe I'll have to browse around for an old, old, ammo box. It's a pleasant little gun to shoot, but not much power.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

I'm curious to know how you lit the photo.
I can't tell by the reflections.
I do like the composition but know very little about firearms.

Bushpilot Loc: Minnesota

It was lit by one tungsten light in a reflector, about 45 degrees to the subject, but turned so just the edge of the light was on the subject in order to reduce harsh shadows and reflections. I cropped, reduced the shadows slightly, and also tweaked the white balance in LR4. I then softened the bright spots somewhat in PSE10.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

I would display the revolver canted at about a 45° angle, using two of the following as balance points: butt, trigger guard, barrel. The angle can be achieved with a dowel through the trigger guard, an OLD-FASHIONED clothes pin jammed on the trigger gusrd drom the rear or, preferably, using a platter or bowl display board with a backing and a parallel groove. Get rid of the box, but keep 5 or 6 (cylinder capacity) cartridges standing in a row or circle; remove the powder and reseat the bullets (while the bullets are out and with no powder, you might want to fire the primers). You can buy a brass hanger for the watch. You might want to show a picture of the revolver with the break-action open.

conkerwood

I too would eliminate the ammo box. All of the elements are metal, and to a greater or lesser degree, reflective. The ammo box, despite being in context because of the subject matter, seems out of place simply because of what it is made of. I like the angle of the revolver and the cartridges but it might have been worthwhile rotating the watch a few degrees clockwise (no pun intended) to put a little more light onto the watch cover just to bring out the surface features a little more. Whether set at high noon or 11:52 (I actually like the current time setting, its a nice angle) the watch-face is, for me, a very important part of the composition. Being white it tends to balance the two or three strong reflective surfaces on the revolver but also, because it is relatively large, it tends to draw the eye, which leaves me wondering about the DOF. The watch is moving OOF towards its top which perhaps makes the revolver pop out more, but as a still life, all of the elements need to work together. So maybe it might have been better to have gone for a deeper DOF and made sure that the watch and chain were also in focus. That might have been difficult of course depending on distances but maybe focus stacking two or three shots might have resolved that. Overall I like the pic. And I would add that it was a very clever decision to place the revolver in the position where the grain in the wood echoed the curve of the trigger guard.

Hope this helps.

Peter

DwsPV Loc: South Africa

I hope you don't mind?

OnDSnap Loc: NE New Jersey

Absolutely agree about loosing the amo box, really distracts from the age old items, the colors of the box alone pulls the eye away from the true center of attention. Perhaps making the box more of a B&W or sepia toned to co exist with the warm tones of the watch & bullets.

Chuck_893 Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska, USA

Would you consider tenting it, or partially tenting it? What's bothering me is [1] harsh shadows which distract from (esp.) the gun frame & trigger guard, and [2] black metal. I'm pretty sure that's a chromed revolver but it's hard to tell because very shiny objects are mirrors—they reflect whatever they are presented with, in this case the dark room above. A light tent over your set controls both the shadows and the reflections. Here's one I've looked at which will at least describe what it is: http://digital-photography-school.com/how-to-make-a-inexpensive-light-tent

The one shown is pretty small and includes a "coved" background within. What you'd want to do would be to just make a framework large enough to fit over your set that you can keep the frame out of frame (so to speak) and cover it with pretty much anything white, such as a white sheet, or tissue paper. Instead of a box you could use coat hanger wire. If there's room, light can be bounced from the inside of it. Otherwise light is directed from the outside where it shines through. Tenting will cut contrast—that's the idea—but now the bright chrome frame of the gun will be reflecting the bright tent instead of the dark room. You can still get shadows if you want them by carefully tearing holes in tissue paper. Some old timers would use strips of black construction paper to create dark reflections with great precision, but all that's probably far more work than you want or need, especially if you continue to use a single light, since the tent is its own reflector for shadow fill. DwsPV begins to come close with his(?) rework where you can begin to see the chrome of the frame.

I think it's a great concept. If you reshoot it, I don't mind the ammo box so much, esp. if it's period. I do wonder about moving the hands on the watch closer to High Noon, and I wonder about losing the watch chain, which seems juuuuust a little distracting. :thumbup:

RacerDan Loc: Virden Illinois

I agree with removing the ammo box and sepia is the way to go.

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

No expert at this, but what about bringing in a soft light from the front to lighten the shadows around the gun especially. I think you have done a good job with the reflective surfaces, but I personally would like to see lighter shadows.

RMM Loc: Suburban New York

I agree with losing the ammo box. Also, I think I'd try separating the watch and fob from the revolver. Maybe set the watch to what I understand is the "traditional" 10 minutes to 2:00.

Bushpilot Loc: Minnesota

I appreciate all of the suggestions, I'll give some or all a try and maybe repost this at a later date. It was a fun project, shiny objects are always a challenge.

Nightski

Bushpilot, you might want to check out this post. The first photo in it is a very creative way to photograph a firearm. Other photos may be added in this thread that would be of interest to you.

http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-165881-1.html