Thread: Tips for Photographing Your Razors

I see a lot of posts where members are frustrated by the poor photos they’re getting of their straight razors. I do a lot of photography at work, so I thought I’d post some tips about how you can get the best results with inexpensive photography equipment.

Basically, most of us are working with inexpensive, point-and-shoot digital cameras, so I’m writing this with that in mind. Most of these cameras should be quite capable of taking decent photos given the right approach.

Tip 1--Turn off the flash
If possible, turn off your on-camera flash. It’ll reflect right back at the camera, and you’ll end up with ugly bright white spots on the blade and scales.
To make the photos come out, you’ll need to work either in bright, indirect sunlight or with a bright electric light.

I’ll stress indirect light here. Direct light is harsh and creates dark shadows that are unattractive. So work on a table near a window, or use a desk light with a frosted bulb. Outdoors on a cloudy day is great, soft lighting.

Try to position your camera so that the light is coming from up over one of your shoulders. The light will come in from high and to the side, creating gentle shadows that give the photo depth.

If you have a tripod, use it. Set your camera on its self timer mode to take the shots. This will prevent blurring.

Also, try turning the ISO (“film speed”) on your digital camera to 400 or 800. That could make indoor shots come out much better without the flash.

Tip 2—Back up and zoom in
Most consumer digital cameras can’t focus when you’re really close to an object. You can overcome this by moving the camera away from your razor and then zooming in. The razor will be the same size, but the greater distance allows the camera to focus properly. (As a side benefit, it also makes the razor’s proportions more accurate in the photo.)

Some cameras also have a macro photography mode that lets you get in closer. Read your manual to find out.

Tip 3—Learn how to shoot in manual mode
Manual mode isn’t nearly as scary as it seems, especially with a digital camera. You can see the results instantly and make adjustments. There are really only two settings to worry about—aperture and shutter speed. Indoors you’ll probably need a wide aperture like F/2.8 to F4 and a slow shutter speed, between 1/30 of a second and 1/15 of a second.

Tip 4—Learn about white balance
Different types of lights have different color casts. Incandescent lights have a yellowish cast, while florescent lights have a greenish cast. If your camera isn’t set for the right type of light, your photos will have colors that are weird-looking. Adjusting for these different effects of light is white balancing.

Most cameras have pre-set modes for sunlight, shade, florescent and incandescent light. Try all of them to see the different effects each has. Some will make the photos look “warmer” and some will give it a cool blue steel effect. A warmer shot might compliment bloodwood scales, while a W&B wedge with translucent scales might look cool with a slightly cooler cast.

Your camera probably has an auto-white balance setting, but these can get confused if there is more than one type of light present.

In a pinch, you can also scan your razors with a flatbed scanner. These aren’t the most flattering photos, though.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask away.

Good luck,
Josh

Thank heavens! I'll try taking pictures of my razors again with your suggestions. I was getting quite flummoxed with all the blurstravaganzas I was making.

Thanks so much Josh. I have tried and tried and tried to get some decent pictures of my razors with absolutely zero luck. I cannot wait to try your tips. This is much needed.

Thanks!

If you post samples I can give you suggestions, too. Just use the attach file feature.

Good luck,
Josh

Thanks for the tips Josh. I'll definitely try this out next time I photograph some razors

Follow THIS link!

RT

sweet link Randy, thanks a ton .

Great link, Randy. That site was basically describing how to build an inexpensive "softbox." A softbox is a filter or diffuser that scatters light rays from a point light source. The more directions the light comes from, the softer the shadows. (Photographers who shoot really really reflective objects, like cars or silver products often use tents of translucent white fabric with just a small hole for the lens to poke through. It eliminates reflections while giving a nice soft effect to the lighting.)

The white reflector on the side of the object away from the light is another good tip that you can use any time. Reflecting light onto the darker side of the razor will brighten up the shadows enough so that more detail is visible.

Shadows give definition and form to an object, so you usually want to keep them but soften and control them.

Josh

heh, I've actually just been using the spread on my couch and a 60-watt lamp with some paper over it to diffuse the light

More ideas:

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...t=11894&page=2

This is the thread where I found the original "light box" link:

http://www.shavemyface.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13927

RT