Cutting Edge Lens

Uncle Frank · Sep 7, 2005

This is a repost of a thread I started on the macro forum. I thought some of you who are lusting for a macro lens might not
have seen it over there.

I think I may have found a new gig for the Nikon 60mm micro.

A friend of mine is a member of a knife club... a large group of well heeled collectors. He was showing me some of precious
blades when I came up with the idea of photographing rare knives, not documentary for insurance purposes, but for
framable prints. He lent me a few rare specimens to test the concept.

View attachment 15110

View attachment 15111

View attachment 15112

Note, due to the large size of the knife in the last picture, I used The Beast at the wide end of its zoom. However, I captured the
maker's mark with the 60mm micro.

I'm making Ed prints so he can take them to his next club meeting and test the market for me.

patrickh · Sep 7, 2005

Quite a new line there UF

You could open the whole "collectors" world this way - glass, watches, toys, and on and on. Best of luck with this toe in the water - nice pics too.

Chris101 · Sep 7, 2005

That's sharp Frank.

Ken-L · Sep 7, 2005

Great photos of those!

I would think it was particularly difficult to get the damascus blades detail, and avoid moire.

Commodorefirst · Sep 7, 2005

that is a great niche effort. worth the try. As a semi-serious knife collector I myself wouldn't want a print of a knife, I like to hold them and feel them in the hands, but I don't have any 2-3 thousand dollar knives, that I would want to keep hands off of. Most of mine are in the $200-500 range. I have actually sold some recently to buy .... what else.....more lenses lol

Good luck Frank.

Perhaps an add in Blade or on one of the knife forums could work. I am a member at some of them I could also put in a good word for you there if this takes off and you place an add.

Good luck,

Wade

Uncle Frank · Sep 7, 2005

Thanks for the encouragement, folks! I've decided to go for the roses, and have matted and framed all 4 samples. They look pretty good, and it will be a fair test to see if the pictures are good enough to excite the high end knife collector crowd. I'll report back when I get feedback.

greyflash · Sep 7, 2005

Frank, these are beautiful images not to mention the fantastic knives. The damascus steel on certain of the knives is something to behold and the workmanship is wonderful. I would think that in the right crowd, you would have an easy sale. Keep in touch.

Uncle Frank · Sep 8, 2005

greyflash said:

Frank, these are beautiful images not to mention the fantastic knives. The damascus steel on certain of the knives is something to behold and the workmanship is wonderful. I would think that in the right crowd, you would have an easy sale.
Click to expand...

Keep your fingers crossed for me, Gordon. I need a strong revenue stream to feed this expensive hobby, and there aren't many weddings in the winter.

Keep in touch.
Click to expand...

Count on it, my friend .

JeffKohn · Sep 8, 2005

These look really good. Shiny metal can be tough to light but you did well here. Did you use your table-top light tent?

Maestrodawg1 · Sep 9, 2005

Hmm,

here's a couple of guys that do this. I know them fairly well through some knife forums but these are their web sites.

www.sharpbycoop.com

www.shelbychan.com

www.pirelabladedesign.com

The first two do straight photos. The last person actually designs knives but takes his own photos and has his own established style. There are about three or four others that regularly do this kind of work at shows.

The following knife collectors forum actually has a photo area where we share this sort of pics and actually started me back on taking photos (Don't let the splash page fool you. Very pleasnt community):

www.usualsuspect.net

Hope this helps or gives you some ideas.

Uncle Frank · Sep 9, 2005

Thanks for the links, Andy. You have to have an account to enter the USN site, so I didn't get to view the gallery. Maybe you could post a few of your shots here.

My only other examples have been in one of Jim Weyer's books that my friend lent me along with his knives. Weyer is an outstanding still life artist, so his compositional style is way outside my range.

Maestrodawg1 · Sep 9, 2005

Let's see if I can do a quick link

Done with light painting and a long exposoure

(for some reason I cant get the photo to pop up in the post)

Removed User 2 · Sep 9, 2005

outstanding!

These are outstanding! Really!

You've finally mastered the macro technique I believe. I can't see one darn error.
Very nice.

I am absolutely sure 100% you will get some jobs!

Uncle Frank · Sep 9, 2005

NB23 said:

These are outstanding! Really!

You've finally mastered the macro technique I believe. I can't see one darn error.
Very nice.

I am absolutely sure 100% you will get some jobs!
Click to expand...

My goodness, I'm blushing from that review, NB. I hope you're right about the commercial potential. It would be a boon for an event photographer during the slow season.

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