Badge and Gun - Take Two

[DerekSalem]

3 is definitely the best. I'd say lean the badge on the lower section of the gun (try to cover the grip but leave the Springfield symbol exposed).

Also, they let University cops have guns? lol not meaning that in an offensive way but I haven't seen that before.

 

[crimbfighter]

Also, they let University cops have guns? lol not meaning that in an offensive way but I haven't seen that before.

Yes, contrary to popular belief, we are the real police and we have lots of guns... It varies from state to state, but the University of Wisconsin is state owned, so I am actually a state law enforcement officer. In fact, we have more LE authority than any other agency in the state besides the feds. Plus we have f**k loads of money so we're well trained and equipped. :mrgreen: It's hard to break away from that stigma for just that reason, though.

 

[kundalini]

A very good rescource for photography lighting. It has a chapter dedicated to lighting metal.

Light, Steven Biver, (9780240808192) Textbooks - Barnes & Noble

 

[wesd]

So after listening to many of your thoughts, I reshot the photo tonight. I only feel I made marginal progress, but we'll see what you all think. I also changed the background drastically, to all white in fact.

I know there are a few areas, like just to the right of the badge, the ejection port is blown out. Not quite sure how to fix that. The badge also has some really annoying reflections in it of the camera and tripod. I tried adding light to drown them out, I tried putting a white sheet of paper in front of the tripod to mask it, nothing worked... I minimized it, but it's still there :gah:

Anyway, Let me know if I went :thumbup: or :thumbdown: with this set...

1. f/5.6, 1s, ISO400, 55mm

2. f/5.6, 1s, ISO400, 55mm The gold coloring on this one is a little off. Looks too PP'd. I'd have to adjust it a bit to get it closer to the next one, but it's 5AM, and I need sleep!

3. f/5, 1s, ISO400, 32mm

I also thought changing the badge to gold kinda worked here, agree or nay? If I had to pick a favorite, I would have to say #3 is the strongest, IMO...

Yes definetly the third one. Not that I didn't like the first two but once i scrolled down to the third one I knew which one I liked. Alough the color ballance of the second one was better than the first. So it goes 3 , 2, than one.

Wes

 

[Mike_E]

Sorry, the composition is lifeless. You need movement or the evidence of movement, two elements aren't enough to carry this shot by themselves.

I'm not overly fussed by the hard light but it could be softer and at a larger angle from the vertical.

 

[Derrel]

I think you ought to try moving the main lighty around so that it comes more from a frontal direction. The shadow being in front of the grip just isn;t helping the shot...and the front of the badge just doesn't have the "life" I think it should show for such a cool-looking badge. Maybe the whole composition should be re-worked, perhaps with the bad leaned right onto the sidearm, and the camera raised and pointed downward. I dunno....it just seems that the underside of the pistol is not very interesting...I'd rather see the distinctive beavertail on the grip, and the hammer, rather than the muzzle and the slide. The way it's set up right now just isn't working all that well.

 

[kundalini]

What is your lighting setup?

 

[crimbfighter]

I think you ought to try moving the main lighty around so that it comes more from a frontal direction. The shadow being in front of the grip just isn;t helping the shot...and the front of the badge just doesn't have the "life" I think it should show for such a cool-looking badge. Maybe the whole composition should be re-worked, perhaps with the bad leaned right onto the sidearm, and the camera raised and pointed downward. I dunno....it just seems that the underside of the pistol is not very interesting...I'd rather see the distinctive beavertail on the grip, and the hammer, rather than the muzzle and the slide. The way it's set up right now just isn't working all that well.

Yeah, the composition, in my opinion, was "ok". I was trying to put the focus on the badge, not the gun. So I was trying to find the best way to get the gun in the photo, due to the obvious relationship between a badge and a gun, but still emphasize the badge. I think I'm going to try and reshoot it again in the next couple days and see what I can come up with, composistion wise. Plus, lighting with my available tools has been a big stuggle. I was working with white reflectors, a candle and one table lamp... But I'm sure the pioneers of photography worked with even less! Besides, that's why I'm on here. Gotta learn somehow!

 

[crimbfighter]

What is your lighting setup?

One table lamp, one candle (which I never thought would work as well as it did for accent lighting) and one 3'x5' white foam board reflector, positioned behind the table lamp on the far side, opposite the camera. The candle was between the camera and the gun, to cast a little extra light on the badge w/o becoming the dominant light source. Certainly not ideal, but it's all I have to work with for now...