New Dublin

[Alden]

Strawberry Wood with Black and White Ebony Ring
Comments welcome

[scotties22]

I REALLY like this one. The only thing I see is the ring really gets lost in the black stain and stem. It should have been a contrasting (lighter) wood or the stain needs to be lighter.....Just my opinion

[d.huber]

In profile, I wish that the lower line of the bowl started it's journey to the rim just a touch earlier, but that's a nit-picky aesthetic preference kind of note.

Great pipe, Ryan.

[wisemanpipes]

I LIKE!

I think david is trying to say not so much heel? I agree with that though

I gotta get me some strawberry

[andrew]

Now Ryan, I think we need a little truth telling time here , who really made the pipe?
Seriously though, very nice work. I like the dark ring. It catches your eye and invites a closer look, rather than trying to steal the show. Good choice.

andrew

[The Smoking Yeti]

I'd say the worst thing about this pipe is the photography. This shape is great though! It's tough to evaluate stain color and accent ring because the whole pipe is underexposed. However, what I do see looks bueno. A thought though- I'm not sure I agree with the stem work. It might be interesting to start with a wider diameter so the transition into it from the shank feels less like a step down. Or maybe do a really squat type of flare into a saddle.

I agree with huber- I think there is just a hair too much briar left on the front bottom part of the bowl. Softening that shank to bowl transition ever so slightly would do wonders for the overall composition.

Your button and stem cutting really caught my eye- those lines are nice and sharp- great distinction man! Keep it up!

Cheers!

Yeti

Edit:

Upon further observation, I redact what I said about the stem feeling like it steps down from the shank. It does keep nice flow through the transition. I'm still curious what some other stem styles might do for the overall composition.

[Alden]

the whole pipe is underexposed.

Tell me more
I bought a book about the digital Rebel, tried to comprehend as much of the lingo as I could, and made a few guesses about my settings based on what I was reading at the time.
I've forgotten every single thing I learned, and been using the settings I guessed at on a chapter by chapter basis....
I'm not that happy with the results, but they are better than where I started anyway.
I probably should start over at page 1.

[LatakiaLover]

the whole pipe is underexposed.

Tell me more

Switch/set the camera to spot mode light metering (if there are several, choose the smallest one).

[The Smoking Yeti]

the whole pipe is underexposed.

Tell me more

Switch/set the camera to spot mode light metering (if there are several, choose the smallest one).

Or better yet, set it to manual exposure on the tripod. Set the aperture(F-stop) to as large a number as you can(somewhere between F8 and F16 works great) set your ISO to as low a number as you can (varies depending on the camera's sensor).

After that, adjust the exposure so the background is very bright- maybe take a couple test shots. You want the pipe to be well lit so you can see all the details of it- no super darks, this becomes tricky on black sandblasts- you want to make the pipe look grey, not black, then you can add in some shadows/contrast if you like. As far as White Balance, you need to play with this. It depends on the bulbs you're using.

The absolute best bulbs are 1600lumen Fluorescent Daylight(5000k) bulbs. You can get these bulbs at Lowes or Home Depot- Target has a fuckin' shitty light bulb selection, don't waste your time there. If you're shooting with aforementioned bulbs, you can manually set your color temperature to 5000k(the closest pre-set is Daylight).

What you're trying to do with white balance, is remove the tint from the image, you want that background to look plain ol' white. Not slightly blue. Not slightly orange. WHITE. It'll ensure color accuracy throughout your image.

Once all of these are dialed in, manually focus on the front and center portion of the pipe in the frame(almost always the bowl itself) and fire away.

Also helpful- if your images are shaky even though you're using a tripod, try setting a delay shutter timer for two or ten seconds.

If you don't understand some of the terms mentioned, google it. Or better yet, read your camera manual. If you can follow these steps you'll be shooting half-decent if not good product shots.

Cheers!

Yeti

[LatakiaLover]

...set it to manual exposure on the tripod. Set the aperture(F-stop) to as large a number as you can(somewhere between F8 and F16 works great) set your ISO to as low a number as you can (varies depending on the camera's sensor).

After that, adjust the exposure so the background is very bright- maybe take a couple test shots. You want the pipe to be well lit so you can see all the details of it- no super darks, this becomes tricky on black sandblasts- you want to make the pipe look grey, not black, then you can add in some shadows/contrast if you like. As far as White Balance, you need to play with this. It depends on the bulbs you're using.

The absolute best bulbs are 1600lumen Fluorescent Daylight(5000k) bulbs. You can get these bulbs at Lowes or Home Depot- Target has a fuckin' shitty light bulb selection, don't waste your time there. If you're shooting with aforementioned bulbs, you can manually set your color temperature to 5000k(the closest pre-set is Daylight).

What you're trying to do with white balance, is remove the tint from the image, you want that background to look plain ol' white. Not slightly blue. Not slightly orange. WHITE. It'll ensure color accuracy throughout your image.

Once all of these are dialed in, manually focus on the front and center portion of the pipe in the frame(almost always the bowl itself) and fire away.

Also helpful- if your images are shaky even though you're using a tripod, try setting a delay shutter timer for two or ten seconds.

If you don't understand some of the terms mentioned, google it. Or better yet, read your camera manual. If you can follow these steps you'll be shooting half-decent if not good product shots.

Cheers!

Yeti

Or, you could switch/set the camera to spot mode light metering (if there are several, choose the smallest one).

[Alden]

Or better yet, set it to manual exposure on the tripod. Set the aperture(F-stop) to as large a number as you can(somewhere between F8 and F16 works great) set your ISO to as low a number as you can (varies depending on the camera's sensor).

After that, adjust the exposure so the background is very bright- maybe take a couple test shots. You want the pipe to be well lit so you can see all the details of it- no super darks, this becomes tricky on black sandblasts- you want to make the pipe look grey, not black, then you can add in some shadows/contrast if you like. As far as White Balance, you need to play with this. It depends on the bulbs you're using.

The absolute best bulbs are 1600lumen Fluorescent Daylight(5000k) bulbs. You can get these bulbs at Lowes or Home Depot- Target has a fuckin' shitty light bulb selection, don't waste your time there. If you're shooting with aforementioned bulbs, you can manually set your color temperature to 5000k(the closest pre-set is Daylight).

What you're trying to do with white balance, is remove the tint from the image, you want that background to look plain ol' white. Not slightly blue. Not slightly orange. WHITE. It'll ensure color accuracy throughout your image.

Once all of these are dialed in, manually focus on the front and center portion of the pipe in the frame(almost always the bowl itself) and fire away.

Also helpful- if your images are shaky even though you're using a tripod, try setting a delay shutter timer for two or ten seconds.

If you don't understand some of the terms mentioned, google it. Or better yet, read your camera manual. If you can follow these steps you'll be shooting half-decent if not good product shots.

Cheers!

Yeti

Yeti,
I'm going to study your post until it makes sense, then I'm going to do all those things
Thanks

[The Smoking Yeti]

Or, you could switch/set the camera to spot mode light metering (if there are several, choose the smallest one).

Which works pretty well until you're photographing a black sandblast. Honestly, it's best to learn how to actually use a camera- yeah, the technology can help you out, but if you take a little extra time to learn what's actually going on within the camera, it's much more useful. Kinda like teaching a hillbilly to fish.

Maybe I'm just trying to justify all the time I've poured into learning photography?

Cheers!

Yeti

[d.huber]

Maybe I'm just trying to justify all the time I've poured into learning photography?

Isn't that your major?

[The Smoking Yeti]

Maybe I'm just trying to justify all the time I've poured into learning photography?

Isn't that your major?

No, I'm not getting a major anymore.

[pipedreamer]

With what my screen shows. You have convinced me to buy the S.wood. Merry Xmas All

[d.huber]

Maybe I'm just trying to justify all the time I've poured into learning photography?

Isn't that your major?

No, I'm not getting a major anymore.

I hope you're at least getting a sergeant.

[mcgregorpipes]

Or, you could switch/set the camera to spot mode light metering (if there are several, choose the smallest one).

Which works pretty well until you're photographing a black sandblast. Honestly, it's best to learn how to actually use a camera- yeah, the technology can help you out, but if you take a little extra time to learn what's actually going on within the camera, it's much more useful. Kinda like teaching a hillbilly to fish.

Maybe I'm just trying to justify all the time I've poured into learning photography?

Cheers!

Yeti

looking at your site the photography is fantastic i would say it was time well invested
for lack of a space to take photos indoors with a light box i've been taking them outside, only downside is seems hard to control contrasting shadows when the sun is at a low angle.. and its -35C

[The Smoking Yeti]

Or, you could switch/set the camera to spot mode light metering (if there are several, choose the smallest one).

Which works pretty well until you're photographing a black sandblast. Honestly, it's best to learn how to actually use a camera- yeah, the technology can help you out, but if you take a little extra time to learn what's actually going on within the camera, it's much more useful. Kinda like teaching a hillbilly to fish.

Maybe I'm just trying to justify all the time I've poured into learning photography?

Cheers!

Yeti

looking at your site the photography is fantastic i would say it was time well invested
for lack of a space to take photos indoors with a light box i've been taking them outside, only downside is seems hard to control contrasting shadows when the sun is at a low angle.. and its -35C

Shooting inside by a nice window can work well. Make sure the light is falling directly on the pipe.

[bregolad]

This is a nice pipe.

[Nate]

This is a nice pipe.

Ditto Ryan, good job!