Creative Question

[kings6]

As I near the end of my custom revolver journey I have decided I’d like to have a good set of professionally taken photos of the quest guns and go a little write up then have them put in one of the Snap chat type books for my kids who will get some of the guns. I’ve purchased a nice photo light box for those type of pictures based on what the photographer suggested.

Unfortunately I am a “crafty” person and not a “creative” person like I tell folks who contact me about woodshop products. In other words, show me a picture or idea and I’ll figure out how to make if happen. Ask me to come up with one off original design and I flounder.

That said, I’m looking for accoutrement ideas to use in the photos along with the guns. I know some of Kim’s knives will be there as well as some leather work but I don’t know what other stuff could look good and fit in with the revolvers. I know I could leave it to the photographer but he will be my son who I will fly in from Colorado so I’d line to have a variety of items on hand for him to work with when he arrives.

Any artistic ideas would be greatly appreciated

[Deleted]

Doc Barranti gets some nice pics of his work. He might have advice. Whoever does some of the tyler gun works glamor shots knows his stuff as well. I think Bobby would probably offer advice as well. A photo light box helps if you want white background. I like natural light whenever possible. I'm an art professor, I'm good at ideas and sculpture related metal and woodworking but I've never had a serious photography interest.

[mike454]

Here's one I thought turned out ok. Just thought it seemed like a revolver a gentleman would cary and threw in some other items such a person might have with him at the end of the day.

[Fowler]

I just hope you still have all the pics of the guns that have come and gone from your safe along the way holed up in your hard drive somewhere. That book sounds like a wonderful photo essay to keep for years to come.

[bigbrowndog]

Looking at Bowens gallery and workshop photos might give some ideas. Holsters, antler, fur, horn, old useage pics, old cartridge boxes, cigar and whiskey glass, pig teeth, old mule harnesses, cactus, old fishing gear, saddles, mule shoes, little mementos from your rides and travels are all good filler.

Also the American Handgunner glamour shots could give ideas.
Trapr

[Odin]

If the pictures are of family significance, I would be prone to choose "backgrounds" that also hold some level of significance. Dad's Python (my avatar) would look handsome resting on the front of his old Wrangler jean jacket, or his old hunting ruck.

Accessories of significance are good too, but using them sparingly is better than trying to pile ALL OF THEM into a single image. Everything from cartridges to gun leather to an oft-used hunting knife. An old brass compass, well-worn gloves, the old deer drag rope.

Of course this can be more difficult these days as we've moved from leather, wool, and cotton to kydex, polypro and nylon webbing, but my idea of romantic and everyone else's may be different as well.

I've seen an awful lot of super simple backgrounds that look fantastic right here on the forum and I'd unabashedly steal the ideas of others if I liked the result. Barn siding, firewood, scrap lumber, scrap metal, the fender of the old one ton, a swatch of leather or fur, a patch of moss. I wouldn't hesitate to look around these pages and posts and recreate stuff I really like.

[kings6]

Good ideas and points guys! The infamous moss background has to be there and lots of old boards, hides and stuff like that around. Looking at Bowen’s, Mikes and Tyler’s sites is a great idea. Way to stick the knife in it Mike!😄.

Bill I do have pictures of most all of them from over the years so maybe I will do a second section on those, the TLA guns and the USFA guns. Good idea my friend!

[mhblaw]

Go for it Robb! Love the moss shots.

[Odin]

Feb 28, 2023 18:39:03 GMT -5 mike454 said:

Here's one I thought turned out ok. Just thought it seemed like a revolver a gentleman would cary and threw in some other items such a person might have with him at the end of the day.



Another I like

I'm gonna just pop in here and say how much I love the fact that Mike tells a little story with each image he makes (this from an old photojournalist and photo editor). The gentleman's gun. The Croft homage. And his avatar (my favorite), which is a story of beauty AND accuracy. That's a frame I absolutely love, and honestly there's nothing to it.

[magnumwheelman]

I like period items, or items from a theme, like the one pictured, or like the picture in my avatar

[500fksjr]

Do not forget your green moss background that you use...

[jayhawker]

Dead Man's Hand. poker chips, shot glass, coins, period ammo box, ammo, cartridge slide.

[needsmostuff]

If you ty to get creative with stuff in every shot, you soon run out of stuff. That leads to redundant groupings and frankly I've never understood wristwatches and handguns.
I have settled on a simple background of old, weather worn wood. I have a couple of different pieces for if I need a darker or lighter background.
If I have a knife of a matching handle material I will sometimes throw that in.
Here is a couple of random wood textures I use. (plus a fun reason to just pop some random pictures)






But I have also used plain old felt glued on a board so really any texture will do.



In the end you want the gun to be the star of the story so clutter can be bad.

[blacktailslayer]

Robb,

I would look at it from the standpoint of specifics of that particular gun and your journey to get it built. Was the intention of the gun to be used for hunting, EDC or other purposes? Put together a scene that shows that purpose. If the gun has a story before you bought it, tell that in pictures. If it was a special build and the build itself has an interesting story maybe tell that somehow. Tougher than usual to find the parts to complete a build, scatter some parts around the gun, etc.

The number five I built a few years ago; I took pics of it on a barn board with it in the vintage George Lawrence Ranger cartridge belt and holster with the loads that I made special for it because I built it to hunt with and that was the rig and ammo that I planned on using for the hunts. The board was a nice vintage background to go with the theme.

How anybody that can come-up with the builds that you have done and not consider yourself creative is beyond me, come on man! I would be one of the first in line to buy one of your books if you offered them up for sale!


Don D.

[kings6]

You Don, the component thought is one I’ve tossed around, especially since my method of having a custom built often times involved my finding the parts I wanted used sheaf of time. Gnus not only spread the body out but it gave me a sense of involvement in the process and reduced the time spent on securing parts by the builder. With most of my spare parts gone I may have to tap you guys to borrow some prop pieces.