2005 MIJ Goldtop.

[MIJvintage]

Toker, looks like we have some of the same hobbies ........ nice spider friend you have there ..........

I took these on Labor Day ........................ crappy digital, of course ........... glad the background was not in focus here; just sidewalk & BS there .......

This shot is about 10 minutes later; notice the wings are completely morphed here

Generally, I actually prefer the subject and the background both in focus; must be because of the work of a photographer that I know of in Austin, TX. All of his work seems to come out with everything focused; it's just sick 8)

I use the digital for eBay crap, and it's ruined me :roll: ; haven't had the Canon out in years.
I used to do a lot of (35mm) lightning shots; some of my best are from the Pensacola/Gulf Breeze, FL area, and a few from around Dallas .............

As for the two gold tops; the Orville (left) is very gold & very metallic but the Greco (right) is greenish & not so metallic.
The shot is a spot on representation of the actual colors, of each respective guitar.
I actually prefer the color of the Greco because it is so uncommon, and very unique ...............

cheers ................

 

[JohnA]

Can we start a new thread under General Discussion? This is really interesting!!

Whatever Togps did to the Gold-top it impressed me!!

Mij. I've got an old Tokai LS80 Goldtop that's got quite a green cast to it, I know what you mean. Looks nice in the flesh (wood?) but I'm sure my photography skills wouldn't convey it too well!

 

[Toker]

MIJvintage,
What kind of bug is that. That is huge.
The camera is a tool. Crappy digital or not. I have an artist friend in Atlanta that buys vintage toy camera's from China & Russia on eBay & take pictures with that. That inspired me.
Just set that crappy digital aperature to the highest aperature number to close down the aperature & your depth of field will increase to get everything clear in the shot.

JohnA.....Yeah, definately need a new thread. I read your camera manual & I'll post some recomended settings for the money shot.

 

[JohnA]

JohnA.....Yeah, definately need a new thread. I read your camera manual & I'll post some recomended settings for the money shot.

Much appreciated, I'll post the results!

 

[CliffsGuitarWorld]

Rich...... **** that's one huge bug.... Have you seen any small children or animals carried off by them?

 

[MIJvintage]

Toker, they are known as cicada; they are all over the southern & mid western US, and in many parts of the globe too ............
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicada
In the dog days of summer here in the US, they can be heard 'chirpping' up in the trees ............

They are also hunted by these guys
http://www.critterzone.com/magazineresource/magazine-article-cicada-killer-wasp-Sphecius-speciosus.htm

 

[marcusnieman]

Toker, they are known as cicada; they are all over the southern & mid western US, and in many parts of the globe too ............
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicada
In the dog days of summer here in the US, they can be heard 'chirpping' up in the trees ............

They are also hunted by these guys
http://www.critterzone.com/magazineresource/magazine-article-cicada-killer-wasp-Sphecius-speciosus.htm

The Cicada is also known as the 17 year locust. The bulk of that life span is spent underground in a larval stage. At the end of that time, they crawl out of the ground and attach themselves to a tree, shrub, house, etc and the exoskeleton of the larva splits open and a winged adult emerges.

They're very vulnerable at the early hatch stage because their wings haven't uncurled and dried yet and birds feast on them. Once they hatch, they spend their time calling for mates (and the buzzing of zillions of them in the trees is most present in the heat of summer - Cicadas always means it's hot outside). Then they mate and shortly after, die.

My cats have a tendency to catch them shortly after they hatch and bring them in the house - many of them get by without being chewed up and we end up with them under the couches, in the blinds, etc buzzing like high tension wires.....the cats then find them again and maul them up. I try to catch them and release them so they can finish up there few days as adults and do a little spawning. Every once in awhile they get the adults in here and they're almost as big a small birds flying around inside.

And the Cicada Killer wasps that hunt them are gnarly, giant wasps. Believe me, it'll take alot to overpower a big 2" Cicada and these guys have no problem doing it.

In China, they eat them.

 

[Anonymous]

they are known as cicada; they are all over the southern & mid western US, and in many parts of the globe too ............

They're certainly big. What would one of those things weigh?

 

[marcusnieman]

Never mind.....

 

[Toker]

JohnA.....Yeah, definately need a new thread. I read your camera manual & I'll post some recomended settings for the money shot.

Much appreciated, I'll post the results!

JohnA,
There are a few Camera setup scenerios. Let's just stick with scenerio 1 for now.
NOTE: Fortunately shooting in full auto mode default settings is excellent with the Sony DHC-S2 according to dpreview. You proved it with your excellent pics. You just have to control the lighting & meter the subject & compose the shot. You're almost there.

My Goldtop money shot was on P (Program Mode Auto). I placed the guitar propped up on the couch with the light from the window coming from the left on a cloudy day (soft diffused lighting). I metered the guitar & composed the shot. You should be able to do the same. Try to place it so that you don't get unwanted weird reflection. Start simple. Prop it up on your sofa or love seat with a black tablecloth as a backdrop or a white sheet or a nice blanket & zoom in tight. With your zoom at 70 to 100mm you will have less distortion & will flatter the subject. Back up if you have to. My setup took me 10 minutes.

Note: Outdoor shots are best on cloudy days because the light is diffused & softer. On sunny days the light is too harsh & nasty & best in the shade of a tree.

Don't be intimidated by all the stuff below. The manual is worse. I sifted through your manual & consolidated what you need to know to get started like an amateur semi-pro. Remember we're just amateurs here so if pro photography snobs chime in don't tear us apart. You can experiment with these controls.

Scenerio 1: Outdoor or indoor by the window.
TRIPOD: For the perfect shot with a slow shutter speed or improvise if you don't have a steady hand. Try Image Stabilization.

Self-Timer: 2 seconds if using a tripod. p23

SHOOTING MODE: P for Program Auto. p33

FLASH: Forced OFF. Pictures too harsh & makes chrome glare & screws up the camera settings. Step 5 in read this first book (seperate book).

ISO: Auto (default) Try this at first. p47
ISO: 100 to obtain a smooth high image quality. p47

SCENE SELECTION: Portrait. Optimizes settings for portraits.
FOCUS METHOD: Multipoint AF (default). p38

WHITE BALANCE: Auto (default) Try this at first. If guitar color is off change to appropriate light condtions. p46
WHITE BALANCE: Daylight. Adjusts for sunny outdoors. p46
WHITE BALANCE: Coudy. Adjusts for a cloudy sky. p46

METERING MODE: MULTI (multi-pattern metering)(default) Divides scene into multiple regions & measures each region. The camera determines a well balanced exposure. Not good if the subject in the scene is the bride in white. In our case the guitar unless you zoom in tight & the guitar is 90% of the scene. p45

METERING MODE: Center Weighted. Change Metering Mode to Center Weighted. Measures the center of the image & determines the exposure based on the brightness of the subject there. Not good if guitar is not in the center of the scene center. p45

METERING MODE: SPOT. Measures only part of the subject. Can you move the Spot Metering Cross Hairs? If you can then position it on part of the subject you want to measure perfectly. Pressing the shutter half way locks the AE/AF (Auto Exposure/Auto Focus) readings. If you zoom in then press half way to lock & zoom out to compose shot will focus be good? I don't know. Try it. My Canon point & shoot camera can lock the metering seperately from the focus. My nikon can point the meter seperate from the focus meter. p45

 

[JohnA]

Toker, that's amazing!! Thank's very much!!! If we have some decent light next weekend I'll spend a few hours taking some pics of my prettiest guitars and post the results.

Convincing the missus to buy a new sofa should be pretty easy :wink:

 

[Toker]

JohnA your enthusiasm inspired me.
If I'm gonna talk the talk I might as well walk the walk. I took these this morning with the cheap Canon point & shoot in P Program AE mode in my dining room. Everthing in auto default mode. 2 second self timer. Overcast day. I even bought a cheap polyester fabric frosted shower curtain/liner at Walmart like the ones you find in the hotels. I really didn't need it today but I put it up on the patio doors anyway.
Leather jackets are hanging on the chair & seat with guitar propped up. Rotated guitar slightly until reflections were minimized. No fancy equipment or furniture. A sheet or blanket would have worked fine.
The Setup

Spot Meter Mode

Center Weighted Meter Mode

Multi Area Meter Mode

On tight shots all the metering modes work because the body is almost 90% of the scene. If the AWB auto white balance was set to daylight or cloudy the color would have been more natural. Should have been more amber like the Spot Meter shot. That mode captured the true color almost. The correct white balance would have improved the color. Now your starting to shoot like a pro. Don't get bogged down with all the fancy features of the camera. I just wanted to demonstrate the Auto Default mode settings with the emphasis on metering & controlling the light & composing the shot on a dime.

 

[JohnA]

Again Toker, thanks heaps!! I promise to post some nice shots at the weekend!! I started a new thread on guitar photography here:

http://www.tokaiforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=11917

I'll continue there!!