Product Shots - Comments requested please.

[harmsr]

OK guys & gals - feel free to start the stoning

I also own a firearms company that makes aftermarket frames for Glock pistols. Our primary market is competition, law enforcement, and military. Here are a couple of shots that I have done for various purposes. Many others I can not post as they are for various firearm magazines, and the issues are no out yet.

The first two are to illustrate one of the advantages of the product, which is a user replaceable rear grip contour. The last one is an environmental type shot, which concerns me on being a little busy. It is done with my old uniform and police gear. This type of shot is what the magazines seem to ask for with a lot of accessories there.

What I really tried to do was emphasize the feature in the first two shots, and in the last one do lighting to emphasize the company name on the frame . Hopefully the "CCF RaceFrames" name and the stainless frame is what grabs your attention and keeps it.

Please let me know what you think or what you would change and improve.

Best,

Ray

 

[LJL]

Ray,
I think the first two shots work for what you describe. The plex and lighting are nice here. The second one seems a bit flatter looking or something is not popping as much as the other one.

The third shot is interesting. Your description of what the magazines want fits perfectly. I think I would have handled the CCI in post, using this same lighting. In other words, darken most of the rest of the frame by a stop, but so that it looks balanced, and pull the CCI logo up more so that it is accented even more. (The red and blue lights do like they are coming from the "mars bar" on the squad car or someting....nice touch.)

My only other comment has nothing to do with your shots, but more of what I shoot. Been a H&K shooter for a very long time, and have gotten used to their more functional appearance at the cost of being a nice looking gun ;-) But hey, they always shoot, so I do not care what they look like.

LJ

 

[TRSmith]

I think these are very good! The first two remind me of some work I did many years ago for a couple of gun makers in CT. Rifles and shotguns mostly. It was an endless quest for the perfect shadowless background. Most of the stuff I was doing ended up in catalogs and they wanted the guns to float. But they had to look sexy too. It's harder than it looks!

If I had any constructive comment to make it would be regarding the reflections in the glass in the first shot. They're a bit wimpy somehow and I think I wish they were either stronger or not there at all. From that standpoint, I think the second shot works better. And, this is nit picky, but the product has dust on it.

I agree that the last shot works with the colored reflections. Another nitpick about the grubby stuff on the brim of the hat. It's awfully near the main subject and is a tad distracting.

I hope you don't mind these types of comments. Offered with the best intentions and in no way diminish some very nice work on your part.

Tim

 

[harmsr]

LJ & Tim,

Thank you for the comments and suggestions. I appreciate the critique as it always help me see things that I miss.

LJ,

I think you are right on working the file to darken the rest a little.

Tim,

I have to admit that I am terrible at paying attention to dust and have to work on that. Your comment about a little more reflection would help. Suggestions? Again relative to the hat, it was the only one I had and just has those scratches/swirls permanently in it. Maybe, I could get some of that out in photoshop.

Thanks,

Ray

 

[fotografz]

OK guys & gals - feel free to start the stoning

I also own a firearms company that makes aftermarket frames for Glock pistols. Our primary market is competition, law enforcement, and military. Here are a couple of shots that I have done for various purposes. Many others I can not post as they are for various firearm magazines, and the issues are no out yet.

The first two are to illustrate one of the advantages of the product, which is a user replaceable rear grip contour. The last one is an environmental type shot, which concerns me on being a little busy. It is done with my old uniform and police gear. This type of shot is what the magazines seem to ask for with a lot of accessories there.

What I really tried to do was emphasize the feature in the first two shots, and in the last one do lighting to emphasize the company name on the frame . Hopefully the "CCF RaceFrames" name and the stainless frame is what grabs your attention and keeps it.

Please let me know what you think or what you would change and improve.

Best,

Ray

Buy some canned air

First 2 are informative but a bit flat and uninspired.

I'm not a fan of foreign light. The product needs to be studied until it's own beauty reveals itself. I learned this from watching a truly great commercial film director from the UK that I had hired to photograph a new car launch. He just sat there looking at the car for hours ... then galvanized into action and blew everyone's mind with his approach and lighting.

All to often we are quick to jump to shooting. Impatience is not a virtue in Product Photography.

The composition of the last one is also cluttered to my eye.

Not that I can always practice what I preach :lecture: But my real job is as an Art Director ... and that takes precedence every time

 

[harmsr]

Marc,

Thanks for the comments.

I agree on the cluttered, but sometimes you give a photo of what someone wants even though you try to move them in a different direction. It is my product, but the photo was for someone else.

Canned Air - Do you really want to know what is actually more embarrasing? All I would have had to do is grab the air hose on the wall to clean them up. I actually also have a small prototype machine shop in the same building.

I'm not a fan of foreign light. The product needs to be studied until it's own beauty reveals itself. I learned this from watching a truly great commercial film director from the UK that I had hired to photograph a new car launch. He just sat there looking at the car for hours ... then galvanized into action and blew everyone's mind with his approach and lighting.

All to often we are quick to jump to shooting. Impatience is not a virtue in Product Photography.

This comment really hit home. Hopefully, I can take it to heart and learn that approach also.

Thanks,

Ray