Interesting concept-piano keys.

TenaciousTins · Jul 26, 2012

I was trying to take pictures of musical instruments today and I started with my piano. Took the ordinary "down the keyboard" shots...then decided to do a front shot. Upon reviewing the shot, I was completely excited to see that my music had reflected on to the keys. So I played around with it for a few more minutes...still haven't perfected it but I think it's a cool concept. I know that it's out of focus but I was using my nifty fifty (that I just got as a birthday present!) and am still learning how to use it. This was taken at ISO400, 1/200th second, F11, and using an external flash. If you have any ideas about the concept or how you think it should be perfected, let me know!

cgipson1 · Jul 26, 2012

that is pretty cool!

I would reshoot.. with your music upside down, so that it can be "read" on the keys easier.. almost need a mirror image for that though...

TenaciousTins · Jul 26, 2012

It is upside down...and the music is the right side up in the picture

I had to flip the picture horizontally to get it to look like it was at the start of the piece...so it's not completely accurate, but still cool.

TenaciousTins · Jul 26, 2012

The piano piece is Chopin's Etude in G flat major, opus 10. It is ridiculously fast and I have tried to learn how to play it but my fingers don't move that fast lol

invisible · Jul 26, 2012

I've never seen any piano-key shots as original as this one.

TenaciousTins · Jul 26, 2012

Wow, thank you :blushing:

cgipson1 · Jul 26, 2012

The more I look at it, the more I like it!

(and I keep coming back to look at it! lol!)

Tuffythepug · Jul 27, 2012

TinaciousTins you've accomplished something here. I'm not ashamed to admit that I may try to copy that idea myself. (sincerest form of flattery and all that )
Seriously, that is an original way see an otherwise mundane, un-interesting, subject.
Can it be improved ? sure. In several ways. You've already noticed the focus issue. I would resolve that by putting your camera on a tripod #1. dump the flash and go longer exposure instead. try doing some simple sidelighting with a portable source to get shadows just where you want them. Or shoot in natural daylight if your are near a window. A window with sheer curtain would be ideal in my view. Of course, I admit I don't have any idea how my lighting ideas might effect the reflection on the keys. But I would certainly put the camera on a tripod to re-shoot this.

TenaciousTins · Jul 27, 2012

Thanks Tuffy :blushing::blushing:

The flash is what caused the reflection in the first place. With my natural eye, I could only see the reflection on the black keys, but very faintly. This made the focusing difficult...as you can imagine! It was backlit by natural daylight...

I tried it on a tripod, lower shutter speed with no flash, lots of different settings without flash, but it didn't appear...so it was the flash that was doing the reflecting in some odd way. Hard to explain it. I'll show you a few pictures later today if I remember...have to go work.

I hope that this is something that I can sell in the future. I am not too keen on selling my work, but this makes me think I could sell this particular work of art. Mainly because I can see this on a canvas, hanging on someone's wall...hanging on my own wall (I will definitely be doing that!). And I need to capitalize on it because a lot of people will probably want to copy the idea...which I don't mind at all, but it would upset me if someone copied the idea, then said it was their original idea...I know you won't, but I am afraid of others doing the same thing. I hesitated to put it up here for that reason, but I trust you guys here.

Thanks again

I will see what else I can try with lighting and such. I don't know if it will make a difference in how the music reflects on to the keys or not.

Trever1t · Jul 27, 2012

Very interesting concept and I like it! Yes, you've tied together the music and hte instrument, well done!

Tuffythepug · Jul 27, 2012

TenaciousTins, I see that you've already experimented with some of the things I suggested. Looks like your eye caught something and you have capitalized on it. Good job.
You are correct that some people might copy your idea and present it as their own. I wouldn't ever consider such a thing but there are those who would. Hopefully not on this forum however. I do have a piano so I will probably see if the effect can be duplicated. In fact I have the same piece of sheet music ! Rest assured that I would not try to pass off this idea as my own though. I'm interested to see what you come up with when you try it again.

Frequency · Jul 27, 2012

i have to admit that i was not wise enough to understand your image on my earlier visit; but once i realized what is it, i felt wow ; great work :thumbsup:

TenaciousTins · Jul 27, 2012

Thank you all! Tuffy, I would love to see what you come up with! I didn't even realize that I was using the "Black Keys" piece until I was editing...this all was a huge coincidence. I wasn't worried you'd pass it off as your own and I'm not all prickly like you might think. I just REALLY like this and am psyched that finally I did something original. I have a good eye, good natural talent, blah blah blah but none of that matters to me until I do something original. I have no classes, no training...and only a little equipment, it's a hobby, don't have time or money for the profession itself as I am getting into counseling...but I'm glad I was able to create something unique, that doesn't look cookie cutter. And the best part is that it wasn't even really my idea...the camera had ideas of its own