pic help

[Steve bellinger]

i just finished this died black gum burl HF,and finial.After putting about 10 coats of lacquar on it, it looks really deep in real time. But when i try to get a good pic it's like the pics. Not sure what to do to get a good pic, so i'm asking for ya all help. Now i do have a tent, and a Canon Power Shot sx30is camers. Don't really know how to use all the features.Also as i'm just a dumb hillbilly i need the help in terms i can understand:eek:
:oThanks for any help ya can give me. .Steve240450240451240449

[Jerry Marcantel]

It looks like you're taking your pics outdoors. Turn your tent around facing whatever is backlighting your pics. Whenever I take pictures in a tent, I do it at night with no other lights on than the ones around my tent........ Jerry (in Tucsdon)

[Steve bellinger]

Thank you Jerry. I'll try that.

[Mark Levitski]

i'm just a dumb hillbilly

I don't think so, at least not the dumb part :). Nice HF, and that finial is unique (for me, anyway--I'm just a dumb Polish guy). You've got so much lacquer and shine on there that it's dazzling. I think I could see your lights, tent fabric, and your smiling face in the reflections! (Another :)).

Seriously, it took me awhile to learn the menus on our digital camera and to learn the subtlties of the light tent. Just keep on experimenting and asking questions and you will get it, at least get better. Just another thing to learn along with the turning. I can see that you haven't given up on that part of it!

[Steve bellinger]

Thanks mark. I guess i just need to learn this camers, and the only way to do that is keep taking pics with all the different settings.

[Jamie Donaldson]

Steve- the tent enclosure is your best option, with a single light away from the tent side, in a dark room with no other sources of light. A single highlight is necessary to show the nature of the surface, but no more than 1 highlight is the goal. In these images your camera work looks quite "under control," so play with the tent set-up.

[Steve bellinger]

Thanks Jamie, i'll be trying this.

[Harry Robinette]

Can't say anything about the pic's,But like the HF allot.

[Michelle Rich]

I can give you no camera help, but I can say the vessel is striking. the finial is wonderful..might it be your "signature" in the making?

[Rick Markham]

Steve, beautiful piece! I love the finish and your finial.

I am not familiar with your camera, but the first thing I would try is to use "exposure compensation" There should be a +/- button or option on the camera, do a couple clicks (to the plus side) until you get the dark object to be exposed properly. What's happening is your camera is taking most of the reflected light from the background, which is making the subject (your beautiful turning) appear even darker. You will have to take a picture, zoom in on the image on the screen, and then adjust the +/- button again, Take another picture, zoom in look at it repeat the process until your subject is exposed properly. :) That should make a big difference. All of the other suggestions offered are great ones too.

With a high gloss pieces I personally don't have much luck keeping the white glare off of the sides using a photo tent. I've abandoned the tent and resorted to other methods, but haven't perfected a technique as of yet. (That will require more playing on my part)

[Hugh Cowart]

Hi Steve, I've read the suggestions others have submitted and they are all good. The reflections in the background appears to be your biggest problem. However with the high gloss you will want some reflections. Once you've eliminated that problem then be sure to use a tripod, especially when you begin to darken the room, etc. No matter how good a photographer you are, camera shake in low light situations will cause most of the poor pic' quality problems. Good luck! Your HF is absolutely stunning. My business is photography and I've just begun to turn so I may need your help in the future.

[Steve bellinger]

Thank you all for the help. Just got home from work so i'll be trying some of these tips a little later. Michelle this is the 2nd one of these finials i've done, so i'm hoping these trun out to be my signature finial. I can't remember ever seeing any like them.