Big Birch Bowl

Re: Big Birch Bowl

J L

>Nice! Love the swirl.

Re: Big Birch Bowl

Leo Van Der Loo

>Hi Gil

Vey nice bowl, sure looks like ash from here.

You did a good job on the angle you chose, it is almost impossible to get a real good look on a bowl in only one shot, the reason I assume for the 2 or 3 pic's very often used to give a better look of a turning, taking only a profile doesn't do it, and a lonely top down shot will not give it either, so the compromise angle as you did, and I would say did very well.

When is it right? what do you like to show, or hide or emphasize does make the way you take a picture, I would assume.

Have fun and take care

Leo V

Re: Big Birch Bowl

Philip Duffy

>Wonderful form and great execution. The whole thing looks so natural. BZ Phil

Is this one alcohol saked?

Dave Smith, Longview, WA

>Hi Gil,

The wood looks like maple to me. I think the birch beer smell was from the alcohol you soaked it in.

It is a big beautiful bowl in my opinion.

Dave Smith

Too early to think in Longview, WA.

Re: Big Birch Bowl

Charles Bjorgen

>Hi Gil -- I'll address your photography on the three pieces you've posted. Absolutely get out your iron and get rid of the wrinkles on that sheet. You also need to arrange your setup so the background that shows in the frame is farther back in the picture. If you need to do a lot of photography of your turnings, it might be easier in the long run to invest 25 to 30 bucks in a roll of neutral gray seamless paper background from a company that sells to studio photographers.

Your side lighting is nice though and is particularly effective in the shot of the bowl with the open portions. Sidelighting is great for making round things look round in a two-dimensional photo. I'm not sure if you used window light or a single artificial sidelight for illumination. If it is artificial light, you might consider a second light striking the object from behind and slightly off to one side that would skim the top edges of your bowls. This can add some nice dimension to a photo. Then a white reflecting card to fill the shadow side will help show detail in the piece without flattening the photo. You've made a nice start here.

Re: Is this one alcohol saked?

Gil

>Yeah it was soaked in alcohol, but the birch smell came before the soaking. dunno maybe it's maple too.

-Gil

Re: Big Birch Bowl

Gil

>Hi Charles,

Thanks for all the great information. I do have about 30 bowls to photograph plus some flat work. I will check out B&H photo in NYC and see what they have to offer. I've never done art photography before. Most of what I do is fine art landscape stuff. See http://www.engr.uconn.edu/~milone/pics/art/ Wal photos. Phot run about the Borg stores taking over my area. Anyway I'll check out the neutral Gray paper.

For the side lighting I have some old Movie flood lights toned down by a white sheet. They are still a little too HOT for gettting the effect I want, and I think I might need to move my setup somewhere more flexible. So does the white reflecting board go oposite my side light?

Thanks for the great information!

-Gil

Re: Big Birch Bowl

Charles Bjorgen

><< So does the white reflecting board go opposite my side light? >>

Yes, and because you're using artificial light, you can actually move the reflector card either closer to or away from the subject to judge how much fill you want before you shoot.

Seamless paper comes in so-called half rolls that are a bit over four feet wide making them ideal for shooting our turnings.