[Clyde from Carolina]

Posted on the old board, or was it the old old board? one of my latest group shots. Just a quick pic of a few going for a partial "Skennerton" like on the cover of Lee Enfield Story and The Lee Enfield.

Top to bottom: 1917 SSA SMLE, 1943 Lithgow SMLE FTR'd in '52, 1942 Long Branch No.4 Mk I*, 1945 Fazakerley No.5 MkI.

 

[03man]

I still cringe every time I see those slings mounted the 'correct' way; with the metal towards the wood!

Nice set. Keep up the good work.

 

[krinko]

Clyde,
That's a nice photo----the rifles stand out well on the green background, especially the honey blondes.
Keep up the good work.
-----krinko

 

[Clyde from Carolina]

Thanks, krinko. I've been trying to improve my picture taking with trial and error. Here's a shot I took the other day of some nice '03s on the same green military blanket background, but the indirect light was still a little bright and caused a bit of glare, especially on the two National Match rifles in the middle.

Still light years ahead of my pics from two or three years ago!

 

[03man]

Try using a white background. Everything else detracts from the object. If you must use green, smooth out those wrinkles!

Nice rifles though, Keep on , keeping on, as they say.

 

[LACHY.303.]

Come on mate, I think you should post some more pictures of your other stuff in your collection, we all like seeing them. I have given up on taking pictures until I get a better camera.

I have been looking for that book you mentioned to me but I can't find it anywhere. Sounds like a good read, you don't hear much from a armourers perspective usually.

Cheers,
Lachy.

 

[MauserboyM48]

nice rifles.

 

[Jakeman]

Very nice looking rifles there Clyde. I Especially like the blond Longbranch since my first Enfield I just bought is a Longbranch.

 

[woftam]

Just trying out the posting of larger photo's as opposed to the thumbnails.
And this seems the perfect thread for these photos.
Top to Bottom
MLE MkI* Sparkbrook, marked to the Victorian Rifles
SMLE MkI*** Enfield, marked P310 on butt (Police ?) and a Crown in various places.
SMLE MkIII* Lithgow, marked with a WM between crossed rifles
No 4 MkI, Fazarkerly, has a 4 gouged in the butt, ex private school.
No5 MkI, Fazakerky, marked 1HI.

 

[woftam]

That went OK, so here's some more.

 

[A square 10]

im enjoying your photos immensly , i need to shoot new photos as mine are getting a bit tattered around the edges , you guys inspire me , now to act on that inspiration , thanks for these and nice riofles

 

[krinko]

03man,
You favor white backgrounds?
How do you keep the exposure meter from reading off the bright white background instead of the relatively dark rifle, thereby leaving the rifle an underexposed brown blob?
Enquiring minds want to know.

I shoot indoors alot using lights, no flash.
I have an ancient halogen movie camera light that I got at a junk store for $2. I mounted this on a cheap tripod, pointed it straight up and bounced the light off the white ceiling to eliminate glare and excessive shadow.
I use a dull green or dull blue background, because the exposure meter reads this the same as it reads the rifle and there are no subsequent exposure issues.
Like this---

I know it is possible to shoot detail photos against a white background----but the photos I saw were professional and that means lots of expensive equipment.
Is there a cheap way?
-----krinko

 

[03man]

Photo info

krinko,
My camera has a spot metering mode, which eliminates the background problem.
Others have an exposure lock that can help compensate. I bought my camera on ebay for about $60, it is a Nikon coolpix 5200 and has more features and capability than I can use, it is small to boot.

Exposure can be compensated somewhat while editing, and gives one even more control.
MS has a easy to use picture manager built in.

Backgrounds can be very distracting and make an otherwise great picture hard to 'see'.
Light green and light blue are good too. But backgrounds with texture or wrinkles are just as bad, IMO.

I learned the hard way about backgrounds when I was putting together the pictures for the Arisaka T99 book I recently co-edited. The white background also helps to keep a uniform appearance from page to page.

Hope this helps.

Here are a few picts from the book:

 

[bones92]

Hey Clyde

I have a 1918 SSA and a 1918 Enfield, both all matching. Maybe a swap is in order... my 1918 SSA for one of your Lee-Enfields?

Or my 1918 Enfield for your 1917 SSA...?

 

[A square 10]

this is great getting the good photos back up , you fellows have very nice rifles ,

 

[Sudden Death]

Thanks, krinko. I've been trying to improve my picture taking with trial and error. Here's a shot I took the other day of some nice '03s on the same green military blanket background, but the indirect light was still a little bright and caused a bit of glare, especially on the two National Match rifles in the middle.

Still light years ahead of my pics from two or three years ago!

Hi Clyde:

Very nice rifles by the way!

I'm no photo expert but have learned a little using my camera. When taking photos outdoors in bright light try reducing the exposure -1/3 to -2/3. This will help in reducing that white glare!!

Regards,


SD

 

[MJ]

Cheers
MJ

 

[bones92]

Since we're posting group photos...

Top to bottom:

1941 Dispersal
1918 made at Enfield
1918 SSA FTR'd
1944 Maltby FTR (my first milsurp bolt action)
ROF Mk1/2 FTR'd in 56 - my recent find
1944 BSA Shirley No4T (repro mount, Weaver K2.5 still mounted)
1944 BSA Shirley No4T (original mount, No32 MkII, original sling)

Not shown:
ERA P14
No 2A1

 

[krinko]

Whitelight, whiteheat...

03man,
I must say, you have done a very good job suppressing the white background demon---but it's not quite a complete eradication. The macro shots are perfectly clean, but the full length photos have tiny spots where the demon peeks through.
Pardon the nitpicking, but the buttstock is a bit underexposed in the single rifle photo and the very top edge of the upper rifle in the four rifle shot is washed out, because the white background is slightly overexposed. (See the rear sight.)
Got the background information from the photography subsection at Ian Skennerton's website, by the way---after I wasted a whole roll of film shooting rifle-shaped shadows in front of a beautifully exposed cream colored blanket.
-----krinko

 

[03man]

Krinko,
You are correct, they are not perfect; in fact they are over lightened for printing in the book because they darken and lose contrast in the printing. Shadows are always a problem.

Without a pro light box set up, and a light table to put the piece on, it is almost impossible to eliminate all the shadows.

I did many of the pictures outside in open shade; on rainy days or at night, when I needed a picture, I had to relate on directional light. This worked better for the closeups of small parts or areas.

Rifles are a tough subject, with curved surfaces, shiny and flat areas, wood that varies in tone.

My main point is that an uncluttered background presents the object better than woodland camo, or a box with printing on it. Turning the box over to its plain side would make a fairly good background itself.