More metal

[Charles L Webster]

Another, similar metal part. The approach here was different. I tried to make the metal as smooth and silky as possible, but added specular highlights to remind the viewer that it's metal.

Canon 30D Ef-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro @ f/16 1/200 ISO 100

One 24 X 36 softbox overhead and one strobe w/ 20deg honeycomb grid off camera right to create the highlights in the threads.

 

[Ray West]

Hi Charles,

I think that may be more like the machinist wanted to see it, but I guess only he can say. There are a few odd points I see, but that is more likely to do with my monitor, etc.

One thing that struck me, is if he is designing these in a cad program of some sort, it should be easy for him to produce rendered drawings, and thus do you out of a job ;-)

Best wishes,

Ray

 

[Doug Kerr]

Hi, Charles,

Another, similar metal part.

Looks like a lens turret!

I would rather have the highlights on the internal threads a bit wider and softer-edged. This way they look like painted stripes.

 

[Asher Kelman]

Charels,

Since this thread also included technic, I might suggest to add a component which removes it from the technical to the artistic and paints with light. In addition to Doug's point on bringing out the geometery of the lines of the threads, I would suggest bold shadows on a lighter background. Now, of course this may be counter to your idea, just my particular approach.

Asher

 

[Charles L Webster]

@Ray, yes these parts come from NC machining, and often nice renderings exist. But a rendering does not accurately represent the material etc. Besides, M.C.Escher showed that things can be drawn (and rendered) that cannot be made to exist.

The machinist is interested in photos of the parts themselves, and I'm interested in photography, not CAD drafting (something I've had some experience with).

@Asher, I deliberately approached this project from a "product photography" point of view, rather than an "art photography" one. I will, no doubt produce some more "arty" pictures of these objects (I already have a macro series in mind for one piece), but only when the "work" is done.

@Doug, yes I would like to see them larger and softer also, but don't have a suitable modifier (i.e., small softbox). I also wanted the hard specular quality of the light for the highlights, so didn't try a larger source.

Thanks all for your suggestions.

 

[Rachel Foster]

I like it a lot.

 

[Joe Hardesty]

I like it a lot.

Rachel,

I love the elegant simplicity of your statement, because in the end that is all that matters. For the client/customer it is just that simple, they like it or they don't.

 

[Charles L Webster]

And, so far the client likes them a lot. He has had suggestions for a couple. One we didn't get a chance to reshoot because he sold it... But in general we are both happy with the results.

Thanks Rachel and Joe