Hank Murrow on sat 6 feb 10
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On Feb 6, 2010, at 9:58 AM, Tony Ferguson wrote:
> Gay asked me a question about cameras so I thought I would re-post
> with some updates:
>
> Any of the Canon SX models.
I can corroborate Tony's advice, as I have both a SX3 and an SX10. I
use a softbox for the light source using a color-corrected 500 watt
halogen bulb, and get wonderful light to dark gradations with a 4x8
sheet of formica hung from the rafters onto my table(stage) that I
color-matched to a Kodak grey card....... 17% grey. Each camera was
purchased on eBay with additional 2 year warranties for $305 and $326
respectively in 2007 and 2009. Impressive value, IMHO.
Cheers, Hank
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Chawan-in-a-Bag......
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Tony Ferguson on sat 6 feb 10
Gay asked me a question about cameras so I thought I would re-post with som=
=3D
e updates:
If you are on a really tight budget:
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=3D3DModelInfoAct&fcategory=
id=3D
=3D3D183&modelid=3D3D17482
=3D0A
=3D0Ahttp://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=3D3DModelInfoAct&fcat=
egor=3D
yid=3D3D183&modelid=3D3D18138
=3D0A
=3D0AEither and both have the ability to set your light temperature, f-stop=
w=3D
hich is what you want.
=3D0A
=3D0ANext best would be:
=3D0A
=3D0Ahttp://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=3D3DProductCatIndexAc=
t&fc=3D
ategoryid=3D3D113
=3D0AAny of the SX models.=3DA0=3D20
The absolute BEST is going to be a DSLR like the XS, XSI, or most recent, T=
=3D
1i.=3DA0 Of course, as you spend more money in the spectrum, you are gettin=
g =3D
generally a bigger, better lens and sensor/dynamic range, f-stop and shutte=
=3D
r range =3D3D better image quality.
Remember, your max f-stop is 8 on just about anything that is not a DSLR, o=
=3D
n DSLRS, its 30+.=3DA0 No need for any debates between Nikon & Canon - its =
th=3D
e difference between a Toyota and a Honda and the proof is always in the im=
=3D
age and lens and editing...
If anyone has tired of their current photographer, shoot me an email.=3D20
=3D0ATony Ferguson=3D0A=3D0A=3D0A
Vince Pitelka on sun 7 feb 10
I'm still Nikon all the way for DSLRs for any application, but that's not
why I am posting. A softbox or other diffuse light source is essential whe=
n
photographing ceramics or glass, but it is not enough. If you want to get
the sharpest photos, you must show the highlights, and a softbox is usually
too diffuse to accomplish that. When photographing ceramics or glass,
people sometimes make the mistake of trying to eliminate all highlights, an=
d
that makes the work look flat and dead. My favorite setup is to have the
softbox perched directly above, slightly in front of, and slightly off to
one side, barely out of the photo frame. That way you can control the
background separately. I use reflective cards to illuminate dark spots -
either white cards, or cards covered with foil. To bring out the
highlights, I use a small spotlight mounted far in front of the work. If
the softbox is shifted slightly to the left, then I place the spotlight to
the right. Sometimes it is ten or twelve feet away from the work, and I
often use barn doors (real or improvised) to limit the light. If this
produces a small shadow, so be it. That's another fallacy in photographing
ceramics and glass - the concept that you should eliminate all shadows. If
you can get the very best image with no shadows, that's great, but if you
need a stronger light source to make the work look better, then it's worth
it to put up with some shadows.
The above is specifically designed to give asymmetrical lighting, which is
almost always more interesting than symmetrical lighting. Even on a very
symmetrical piece (and perhaps far more so on a very symmetrical piece) the
work looks much more interesting with asymmetrical lighting.
I have always used a setup like this, but now I am spoiled, because John
Lucas and Dean Carothers at TTU Photo Services love to shoot artwork, and
they have great equipment and will set it up however we want. They charge
us $20 per hour plus a small fee for burning the CD or DVD. I can get a
dozen pieces shot with multiple views and detail shots for $50. If you wan=
t
to see the quality of the photos they shoot, go to www.accessceramics.org,
click on "artists," and click on my name. After you click on a thumbnail,
and the image comes up on the right, click on the image and you will see a
much larger image.
- Vince
Vince Pitelka
Appalachian Center for Craft
Tennessee Tech University
vpitelka@dtccom.net; wpitelka@tntech.edu
http://iweb.tntech.edu/wpitelka
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