Red Oak Bowl

[Tom Bucanan]

This is my first attempt at posting a picture so I hope that it works. This is approximately a 12" bowl turned from the crotch of a red oak tree and it is finished with antique oil and buffed.

Any tips and critiques are welcome (on the finish, form, and photography) I just set up my first photo tent and this is one of the first pictures I have taken

[Steve Schlumpf]

Tom - nice work on all accounts! Good looking bowl! Nice figure, classic form and a warm finish. Photo is focused, good lighting, just enough shadow to give the bowl depth and the backdrop doesn't take attention away from your subject.

Looking forward to seeing more of your work real soon!

[Jim Becker]

Very nice looking bowl. Good work.

[Robert McGowen]

Very nice form Tom. I have always heard that red oak was hard to turn, but you did a great job with it.

[Leo Van Der Loo]

Very nice Tom, I love Oak, those rays are so appealing.

[john taliaferro]

the thing i like most is the small bark spot, it says this is what i use to be till i got turned into art. john t

[Mike Vickery]

Very nice looking piece.

[Tom Bucanan]

Thanks for all the kind words

[Dane Allen]

The bowl looks fantastic but now I want to heat about this "photo tent", sounds like a great idea.:)

[Curt Fuller]

That's just about as perfect of a curve as you can get. That's really a nice, clean looking bowl.

Your photo seems to have a bit of a red tint, at least on my monitor. I'm not a photographer so I can't offer any help, but I'm sure someone here can tell you what to tweek to get rid of it. Or you can do like I do and fix it with your photo editing software.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Really nice looking form and finish. That is a beautiful bowl Tom.

[Tom Bucanan]

Dane - I actually just built my tent about 3 days ago following the directions for Jaime Donaldson's 'Phrugal Photo Studio' (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=57168) It was very easy to construct; however, I still am really confused with the entire lighting part of photography.

Curt - I agree there seems to be a red tint. I will try to experiment with some software in order to adjust that (Could I get rid of it by altering the white balance)

Thanks again for the comments and critiques as they are extremely helpful

[earl timmons]

Nice bowl. Being in Minnesota I see and turn a lot of red oak. I have three acres of it and it seems at least every other year I have to take a large one down. I think it is great turning wood.

You did an excellent job.

[Curt Fuller]

I agree there seems to be a red tint. I will try to experiment with some software in order to adjust that (Could I get rid of it by altering the white balance)


It might just be the type of lights you're using. I use daylight compact flourescent bulbs similar to these http://www.rewci.com/coflbu20ware.html, three of them held in some cheap aluminum reflectors, one above and one on each side of the tent . And I just use the auto setting on my Canon S2 IS camera on a tripod. I then use Google Picasa (free) for editing. I crop, hit the 'I'm feeling lucky" button and usually increase the fill light a little. I'm a genuine computer and camera dummy but it's pretty easy once you've done it a couple times.