some shots of my guitar

I must admit I'm a little bit nervous about posting and even more nervous about showing my photo's off for other people to see and comment on.

But I suppose it's a requirement for growth.............SO here gose













lighting was one soot and a mirror with a black reflector
Camera set to manual and room blacked out





Matt

They're terribly dark but perhaps that was your intention using soot and a black reflector.

What was your actual light source?

I agree they are dark. Also on the third one the focus point seems to be either the last couple of frets or the top element (hard to tell on my monitor) which leaves the bulk of the photo out of focus. I don't like that. Shallow depth of field fine, but to have the focus point so far to the right just feels wrong.

The first one works the best for me, though the reflection of the string on the scratch plate is distracting.

Just too dark to tell what's what ?? Why this dark ??

p.s. strings need changing

I'am going to have to agree with every one else they are very dark. Is this your intention


James

Hi Matthew,

I took the liberty of copying one of these and having a go at it in Photoshop. It needed quite a lot of work in levels, too much really as the file was underexposed in camera. Do check your histogram after each shot and reshoot if there's not a nice spread of tones.

The amount of levelling I had to do introduced a lot of noise which you can avoid in the future.

I also sharpened the image and finally added a border.

Don't worry about making errors. Everyone does, all the time, and it's actually a good way to learn! If I were you, I'd try to repeat this exercise taking great care with focusing, lighting and ensuring the camera is really still so as to avoid movement. I'm sure you'll do better second time around

I'll be interested to hear from Matt why he chose to have them so dark. I doubt that it's a mistake as he's clearly thought carefully before posting.

That said I feel they are too dark - although if viewed on black they may look different?

Mike

I like 'em... moody shot's of a classic stratt , but I do say clone out the reflection of the whammy bar . Andrew your version has a nice gritty 60 s feel to it . Or is it just me...Jeff BTW what's a soot ?

The images where uploaded from a laptop and as a result are displayed dark.

My laptop is one of those high glossy wide screen displays

I have now connected a second monitor to it and the display difference is around 3 stops




Matt

Andrew I like your conversion wish I had your talent xx

and here is one more what do you think of this one





Matt XX

I like this one better, but to be really picky I'd like to see more of the body curve highlighted. As it is it is a fine photo of strings, a couple of elements and a whammy bar, but the Strat is a very curvy, sexy guitar and it needs those curves showing.

The depth of field is still shallow too so that the tone knob is in focus whilst the bulk of the photo isn't. Unless it's my eyes of course, which is quite possible .

Gwyn

thank you for the comments I'm really nervous about showing my work/
So a Big thank you for taking the time looking at my Guitar

This next image is more what I wanted the body highlighted




Matt

The first of the new ones I like very much but I think Gwyn is right about showing more outline curves, the second is well lit but just a touch over exposed, the highlights are starting to blow; if the original is OK I'd be inclined just to pull the highlights back a little

Both a big improvement. Particularly the first one! What progress!

Hear hear Matt - as above.