I've been playing with different Photoshop techniques and also trying to improve my lighted photography of shiny things. Here are a few pics I've done.

The first one is a 1-1-1 with the S&W factory when it was on Stockbridge Street in the background.

The next two are of a newly acquired 1 1/2 New Model.

Constructive criticism is appreciated!

Attached Images

	1-1-1.jpg (149.3 KB, 256 views)
	S&W-5.jpg (82.3 KB, 239 views)
	S&W-6.jpg (108.5 KB, 222 views)

I like them!

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Thank you!

well done..what's your camera source?

Awesome photos, shame you couldn't find nicer subjects. The .32 has a turn line and the 1-1-1 is missing silver finish, seriously they are magnificent pieces.
I feel blessed to own a 1-1-3 and a 1 1/2 second issue but yours are way, way, way beyond words. Is the Stockbridge st. photo the only one ? or are there other prints?

Thanks for letting us all see your artwork.

I have no constructive criticism---just a WOW!!.

Ralph Tremaine

I have a Nikon D850. I think I used my Nikon 24-70 lens for the 1-1-1 image. The 1 1/2 image I think I used my Tamron 90mm Maco lens.

Thank you for the compliments. I'll work on taking some pics of some better specimens--I do have a 1-1-2 with some of the silver finish and a beautifully engraved 1-1-6.

I've only played with this one picture of the Stockbridge factory photo. I'm working on some other ideas for backgrounds--more using photos I've taken.

Thank you, Ralph!

Nice photos.
What’s your light set-up?
I’ve tried several lighting arrangements.
Have mostly defaulted to just shooting with natural light, usually with my iPad.
Like this Flare Launcher.

Attached Images

1A2DD6BA-81E2-49F5-9CEA-130FA7B48596.jpg (68.6 KB, 54 views)

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lwood92,

Skills, you got 'em! Thanks for sharing.

WR

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Pilgram--I've used a couple of different light setups. I have some continuous photography lights. I have also used speedlights. I mostly use the speedlights with modifiers on them for fill. The 1-1-1 I did with one continuous light and a reflector for fill on the other side.

Your iPad seems to work pretty well. There are some low cost LED lights that can work pretty well. On some of these LED lights you can change the color temperature and color.

Thank you, WR!

Nice work, Lynn!

But you do know that your 1-1-1 was not made in the Stockbridge Street factory, right? It was made on Market Street. And I only know of one sort-of image of that building ...

Mike

Thanks, Mike. Well, it was an old S&W building I could find a picture of. I'm still not sure of the best "subject" for the background. Still working on that.

Pictures look great! I've always wanted a nice camera but overwhelmed by all of it really. I just use the camera on my phone.

Thanks!

Cameras on phones are definitely getting good. I see some great photos that are taken with a phone.

I also think learning Lightroom and/or Photoshop help no matter what you use taking the picture.

These photos are very impressive, especially the lighting. I do have some professional studio experience, so I hope these comments are helpful.

I really like both of the close ups. That is tough to light such reflective surfaces.

On the first photo, if the primary object is the gun, I believe it is too small relative to the clock, and even the whole frame. It appears to me that the clock is the subject matter, not the gun. I think you could improve the gun focus by bringing the gun forward to enlarge it, or just substitute another smaller object for the clock and then zoom in some.

The gun needs to be larger within the whole photo in order for it to be recognized as the central subject. Too many other larger elements overtake the gun. They should be interesting only secondarily to the primary object.

Just keep trying. The lighting skills are great. Perhaps artistic arrangement and positioning need more experimentation?

Thats amazing work you've done. When you talk Photoshop this is the kind of stuff I do, cutting pasting, then filling in with color. I'm working on this Bicycle Gun...

CB3, I totally agree with your critique. I was following a tutorial for still life photography. The tutorial I was following included having a background in the back, so I was trying to get a big enough frame to include the background. I thought the clock was a good additional prop (for added interest) and a prop to prop the gun up. So, to your point, I probably just made a bad choice of subject matter for this particular project.

I always think I lack an artistic side! I'll work on some other pics and hopefully they'll be better.