Guitar Photography Questions for Frank Ford and the Community

[nathan clark]

Frank Ford, you have lots of great photos on your website.  I'm curious about your lighting for the shots you take at your workbench.  There's little to no glare in the photos and the color temperature is fairly consistent from photo to photo at the workbench (no large variances in how warm or cool the light is).  What type of light(s) are you using?

What sort of lens is best suited for taking photos with a wide depth of field such as photographing down the length of the guitar neck while keeping as much of the neck in focus as possible?

[Frank Ford]

I know very little about photography.  My pix are ALL shot without flash, and with ambient shop lighting.  I shoot digital photos as JPEGs and do a white balance for each new location to keep the colors more or less sensible.  I do no color adjustment on the computer, mostly because I'm no good at it.  I try to shoot with the smallest aperture possible and always use a tripod, Magic Arm or other camera-holding device to handle the slow exposure - sometimes a half second or more in low light.  We do have a rudimentary photo studio for instrument photos at the shop, but no special equipment at all for my "process shots."   I do all my photography these days with a Canon 5D and 24-105 zoom lens.

[Greg Mirken]

A polarizing filter is also useful for reducing reflections and glare off glossy surfaces.

[Peter Poyser]

Quote:"There's little to no glare in the photos and the color temperature is fairly consistent from photo to photo at the workbench (no large variances in how warm or cool the light is).  What type of light(s) are you using?"

Quote:"A polarizing filter is also useful for reducing reflections and glare off glossy surfaces."

 

 

Photography, has been a long term hobby for me, and Photographing Musical Instruments has formed a significant area of interest, I've committed considerable time, energy and effort to.

Photography is essentially about understanding and appreciating the differing qualities of Light, how they are absorbed or reflected by surfaces, and knowing how to capture that Image within a limited medium, whilst acheiving optimal quality. It actually has a great many analogies to Recording Mediums, which is another huge Interest.

 

Basically, you can go down any of three routes with this.

The first is to use natural light. My experience with Artist and Artisan Workshops suggests that a North Facing Window is the best to give a completely even, Natural Light, with which to work. This is a great way to work with Big Aperture Lens.

From the point of view of Photography, such even light, that avoids harsh bright areas of light with accompanying areas of highly contrasting darkness, is really the very best environment not only to discern with by eye whilst one performs fine work, but also to Record with upon a Limited Medium.

 

The second is to use Artificial Light, or more probably the commonly encountered mix of Natural and Artificial Light usually dominated by Artificial. Photo Lights also fall into this area of Colour Temperature.

I have a Relative who is mainly a Violin Maker/Repairman but during his career has attracted very High End Instruments, specifically because of his ability to make Repairs Completely Invisible. With the appropriate permissions from the owners, he uses Normal Lights carefully positioned or could use Photo Lights in the same manner, to capture the Finished Instruments, quite quickly and simply.

He has a Station Set Up to do that, enabling entirely known and predictable results. In others words, he has taken the time to create an "Ideal" situation and process to achieve the maximal effect with the minimal effort.  The main problem with Photo Light Bulbs over Normal Light Bulbs is the amount of Heat they exhibit which can be considerable, and managing their reflection is very important.

So not too close and working very quickly is a must if you use that type of Light, as well as the possibility of Filtering to Adjust Colour Temperature, depending upon Film Stock. A Strip Light used with Film, for instance, will cause the cast of Green Light, so require another Special Filter altogether. Working with Digital Equipment simplifies most of these eventualities.

If you are using Film, clearly you either select your Film Stock according to the Type of Light you are working under, or utilise Filtering to adjust to it, regularly involving a loss of quality or degree of light. More likely, if you are utilising Digital Equipment a simple internal adjustment of White Balance using a proper Card achieves the same, so of course, that's far easier for most people, Professionals and Amateurs alike in this field today. Remember to calibrate your Computer Monitor.

 

Personally, I use a Swiss made Elinchrom Studio Strobe Setup.

http://www.elinchrom.com/index.php

But although the Main Lights are usually set up in a fairly typical manner, I use additional lights and completely different backgrounds to make things rather more interesting than they otherwise would be.

I go to Haberdasheries and enjoy rubbing shoulders with the Classy Ladies in these places, to buy Exotic Silks, Satins and all kinds of different Vividly Coloured and Textured Materials. I also use Standard Professional Backgrounds along with radical White and Black ones for High and Low Key Effects.

The things is, I generally utilise alluringly Opulent and Luxuriant Backgrounds to add a kind of Hollywood Glamour to the Setting in which I will place the Instrument to be Photographed. The way the material lays or hangs (I have a huge square frame with lots of Bulldog Clips for that) gets a lot of attention, as the folds in the material create sheer highlights and contrasting darkness's, whilst still being easily within ideal limits for a well balanced Photograph. How the background is Lit can also introduce a lot of aesthetically interesting differences.

 

 

Where the Instruments are concerned. Sometimes it's highly desirable to allow strong Light to flash off the Highlight Critical Zones in a manner which enhances and emphasises the natural beauty of curvature in the Design.

Sometimes the Quality of the Wood is paramount. And thus its necessary to eliminate all bright reflections so that it is possible to see right into the grain. Avoiding ALL reflection completely, is extremely difficult to achieve when Musical Instruments are by their very Design Aesthetic, crafted as smoothly curving, highly polished examples of Art.

What I have found, if I want to see through the gloss finish (provided the Instrument has one) deep into the actual depths of the beauty of the grain, is that I have to eliminate Reflections of Light on every plane. To genuinely achieve this, I have a Polarising Filter on the Camera Lens, which as its turned and reduces reflection, tremendously Deepens and Darkens the already Vividly Opulent and Luxuriant Colours. By now, everything looks incredibly Classy.

However, distracting subtle light reflects can still remain. It's the combination which a High Gloss Finish, Highlight Exaggerating Curves, and Extremely Brilliant Lighting presents which is so formidable a foe to overcome. How I do so, is to fit Huge Polarising Filters over the Main Strobe Lighting Refectors fitted to special frames (which includes the Powerful Modeling Lights that enable you to predict light and shadow) which Polarises Light on one Plane, which, when used with the Polariser on the Camera, as its turned, completely eliminates all unwanted reflections completely. I also have Scrims and Gobos, etc.

But to make this work as described, you MUST eliminate ALL strongly focused artificial or ambient light in the room. If you eliminate all reflections of carefully controlled Strobe Light on the Subject, yet allow the main light bulb in the room to remain shining somewhere on a surface which has every other type of reflection removed, the artificial light of a differing Colour Temperature will be highly likely to appear in the Image.

 

As a general principle, taking the Photo, is but the work of a moment. The creative thought, the intensive preparation, getting the background so interesting, you can simply place the Instrument in it and get the shot you want, is where all the time and effort is, for me, at least.

To that end the best thing I ever bought, and it completely transformed my Photography, was a quite expensive High Quality Tripod and Head. I use a Manfrotto Tripod.

http://www.manfrotto.co.uk/475-digital-pro-geared-trripod-black

And have a Range of Three Way Heads and Ball heads that I use along with it.

http://www.manfrotto.co.uk/3d-super-pro-head

 

This is an extremely Large and Heavy Tripod. I can use even Long and Heavy Lens on it, and once I set the Position and Focus, know that it will absolutely not change even the tiniest bit,  it allows me to perfectly and precisely adopt "Position's", and make adjustments that will remain as set, over what can be an extended time period, under certain circumstances.

Nothing you want to do, really the best it possibly can be done, is ever easy. But if you take the time in Set Up and Preparation, then placing the Model to be Photographed, making small adjustments and actually taking the Photo, can really happen very quickly and easily. I probably wouldn't even be looking through the Camera when I actually take the Photo as I use an Electronic Trigger Button linked to the Camera to prevent absolutely every vibration I can.

I also have a Giotto Tripod and Head which is lighter and easier for locations, and an array of various sized Monopods all of which will take a Good Quality Head. Stabilising the Image is a KEY to good results, it doesn't have to involve Expensive and Heavy Equipment, but if you are using Long Zooms and expect to Set the Zoom and Focus and want it to stay there, that's really when the better gear comes into its own.

If you have Modest or Small Camera Equipment even a cheap Tripod may substantially improve your results, Creatively and Technically. One of the greatest things about Tripods for me, is that they SLOWED ME DOWN. They allowed me to set up and check things more far thoroughly, and in a more professional manner, making sure every element of the Photograph was perfect, before I pushed the button. So often, Photos are taken and then later as you look at them critically after the event, you notice things you wish you could change. Today of course you can, far more easily than years ago, but none the less, just as when I Record with Microphones, I am looking for the Image I want (be it in sound or Visual) right at the point of Capture. I am not interested in Fixing it in the Mix, either in a Sequencer or in Photoshop, and like to get everything, "Right First Time". To me this is the Hallmark of a Professional Approach. It's very simple and very easy actually, but involves a BIG Learning Experience and always Thorough Preparation.

These are two Essential Elements of Craftsmanship, much of Today's Society, even in all kinds of realm of Professional Expertise, want to avoid in terms of personal effort, time, and creative energy, using dumbed down, technologies to make up for their lack of Experience, Knowledge and Skill.

I use Professional Quality Minolta and Gossen Flash and Ambient Hand Held Meters to measure light, usually utilising Incident Light Reading falling on the subject to work from and make settings. One of these, allows me to Measure and Mix both Flash Strobes and Ambient Light to achieve creative results in situations where the light balance involves a number of differing Light Sources.

But what this means is that I can get the Exposure Values for the Main Subject very precisely indeed. The Background Effect and the Lighting of that could be very varied, but the Main Subject (which is always perfectly prepared beforehand, and untouched by fingerprints etc) is always spot on, although I bracket exposure either side, to see if I have a creative esthetical preference really, in terms of perfectly balance exposure, that's a done deal.

I always work entirely in Manual with a Manual Focus. Even if the Camera has all the Digital Mod Cons Built in, as they usually do. Either with Film or Digital I do everything in Manual, as I wish to make my own Creative Choices in Regard to Subject, Setting, Lighting, Focus, Aperture and Shutter Speed. If the Camera does anything of these for me I am at a complete and utter loss, because usually, I don't exactly know what the Camera is doing at a given time. I like to be in Control of the Camera rather than allow the Camera dictate to me what should happen.

One little known fact is that the Trigger Voltage of Canon SLR Equipment is generally 5 or 6 Volts, so that's pretty low, and you would need to do your homework before linking such a Camera to Professional Strobes, unless they were designed for that type of Digital Camera.

Its worth reading this post simply for that fact alone actually, as it could blow up and cost you your Camera. Nikon SLR's all have a Trigger Voltage of 250 Volts, so you are pretty safe with almost any type of Professional Lighting Setup you encounter. You can always use an Infra Red Trigger to get around such problems, but I usually link the Metering (to trigger the light) the Camera and the Main or Key Light, sometimes the main fill as well, but then allow Infra Red Triggers to work the rest of the Set Up.

 

In regard to Violins and High End Instruments etc.

It's probably worth realising that a book with a limited number of very rare, High End Violin Family Instruments, along with a comprehensive, concomitant specification including all pertinent specifications regarding the Specific Instrument would sell in excess of £100 usually, and sometimes double that or more.

Sometimes the pictures in such books are only Black and White. Yet as the Instruments are so very rare, and their recognition and specifications of interest to Dealers Collectors and Instrument Builders alike, they can easily command such prices.

At the recent Stradivarius Exhibition put on here, a Record of the Instruments was published, and at £60 with large and beautiful colour pictures, was an absolute bargain.

Usually such books are far more expensive.

 

 

P

[Robbie Collins]

Lots of excellent advice already. Let me just add that I've found excellent information at dpreview.com. Wonderful reviews and articles. The website caters to everyone from the rankest amateur to the globetrotting professional. If there is a slant it's to the professional.

Here's an article called "10 Home Studio Lighting Kits:"

http://www.dpreview.com/articles/8430608295/buyers-guide-10-home-st...

I use Adobe Lightroom 3 to crop, adjust lighting, etc. Easy to use once you grasp the paradigm.

Nothing beats natural light in the morning when the colors are rich and the shadows are soft.

[nathan clark]

Lots of great information here.  Thank you everyone for your replies.  I'll be referring to this discussion as I work out my lighting.

I recently bought a digital slr.  I've mostly been using it mounted to a manfroto "magic arm" (thanks for the suggestion Frank Ford), which is in turn mounted to the sliding board jack on my workbench (very quick to set up and simply slide out of the way).  I use a tri-pod for shots taken elsewhere in the shop.

I'm mostly happy with the slr photos.  I think the next step is going to be working out a secondary light source to supplement the West-facing windows over my workbench.  The trick will be finding a simple solution that gets adequate results but is quick to set up and break down so the photography interferes as little as possible with the repair work.

 

If anyone is interested, you can compare the quality of the photos of these two articles on my website to get a sense of how much better an SLR is .

Older Canon rebel 12 mega-pixel digital slr with (mostly) a macro lens:

http://fingerlakesguitarrepair.com/fender-strat-maple-fretboard-ref...

Older Kodak 7 mega pixel point and shoot:

http://fingerlakesguitarrepair.com/vintage-gibson-popsicle-brace-re...

[Robbie Collins]

What is a "sliding board jack?"

[nathan clark]

Basically an adjustable 3rd leg to clamp stuff to.  An old-time work bench "accessory":

http://www.maguireworkbenches.com/html/sliding_board_jack.html

[Lee Bruemmer]

The simplest secondary light (especially with natural light photography) is a 'bounce card' -- a piece of white illustration board placed just out of frame to scatter light into the shadows.  It's always the first thing I try when I need a little bit more light, and the price is hard to beat.

[Robbie Collins]

Thanks, Nathan, but I looked it up after asking the question. I thought it was a one-off.

Check out this rig:

http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/blasts2013/1stplace.html

It uses a t-slot. Imagine the Magic Arm installed instead of the Bessy clamp.

[LARRY KLOSE]

A more compact alternative to an SLR, which to me is like carrying a couple of bricks when out touring or visiting national parks, is a very high quality compact camera.  I have a Canon G12, for example, which has a full range of manually adjustable features, 12 megapixel large format detector, super lens and 5X optical zoom, 20X digital zoom and HD video.  The best thing about is is the exposure system: it will adjust exposure for different parts of the picture based on the lighting there--one of the best auto exposure systems I've ever used.  I usually don't need to use many manual settings but they're there if needed.  Nikon and Pentax have similar cameras and surely, there's others, too.

To compare to film cameras, the G12 is like using a Leica compared to a big SLR--extremely easy to handle.  Where there is definitely a place for SLR's in many situations, I've been able to use the G12 for instrument, pictures, snapshots, travel pictures, medium telephoto shots and other interesting stuff.  I also build scale models and the G12 does a great job with macro shots.

[Robbie Collins]

I have one of them too. A few quirks but a great little camera. It was a Leica-type camera I had in mind when I bought it. I bought my daughter a Canon T4i and there's definitely a time and place for it. I still miss the control of my old Nikon SLR film camera.