Hey, guys...could use some photography advice for shooting metal. I'm helping a family member with a new business making steel signs. These things look gorgeous in person...almost a "liquid metal" look with the bluing and gloss techniques...but it's been tough to take pictures that fully do them justice.

We're starting off on a tight budget, so trying to do as much as we can on our own. I've got access to a Nikon D3100 for now, which is what was used for the Gator. The other two were cell phone pics...but want to give you all a visual of the coloring I want to bring out. Any suggestions for camera settings, lighting setups, etc. would really be welcome.

UF Gator (licensed):


Uploaded with ImageShack.us

75th Ranger Regiment scroll:



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Ranger Tab:



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Make a light box to diffuse the light, or bounce light off the ceiling or an adjacent wall and shoot the item at an angle so you don't get a light source reflection

In direct lighting is your friend when it comes to trying to get detail on a reflective surface

Use lighting all around what you are shooting. Use "full spectrum" or daylight lamps. DO NOT use a flash. Make sure your lens is not using a polarised lens. Use smallest lens with widest f-stop you can.
Manuver lens to get the most light bending effects you can.

Also, if the item you are shooting has a predominant color, surround it with the same or similar color just out of frame to enhance reflection of that color.

good luck.

__________________
Gerry

The D3100 is capable of taking the pictures you desire.
The unidentified lens attached to it might be also.

The embedded EXIF file tells me the Gator picture was shot at:
Focal length = 70mm (105mm 35mm equivalency)
Shutter Speed = 1/50 Second (Too slow for handheld with 70mm lens)
f/Stop = f/4.2
ISO = 3200 (Too fast - High speed not needed for still shots - Adds electronic noise to photo)
White Balance = Auto (What color is background, white or beige?)


Use a tripod and remote shutter release (or camera's self timer) to minimize camera shake.

Use diffused lighting, either a Light box or outdoors on an overcast day.

Match camera's White Balance to color temperature of light source.

Manually select lowest ISO setting (film speed) for best detail definition and lowest noise.

Polarizing filter will reduce reflections and increase color saturation. Try with and without, and pick what you like best.

Numerically higher f/Stop (Smaller aperture) will increase depth of field while lower numbered f/Stops will make focusing more critical. Middle of the road would start at about the f/4.2 range.

The nice thing about taking pictures of inanimate objects is that you can keep trying different things until you get what you want, or give up trying.

Try different lighting, different camera settings, different angles and different distances. Most of all, take tons of pictures.

Hope this helps.
Good luck.

__________________
Age + Treachery = JohnnieB