braided key chains ,a book mark, and another bracelet

[rawhide1]

Here's some braided key chains ,a book mark, and another bracelet I apologize if the pictures ain't that good. But I didn't want to wait on my wife to take them. Any thoughts on how I can do better would be appreciated. Thanks Mike

[pepin1948]

Pics look good to me as far as lighting goes - but you might want a different background than sofa cushions. I lay my stuff usually on a contrasting background, like you, but something flat and usually at desk or table level. I've been known to put it on the floor if it's something large and I need more distance between me and the item. But flat is good.

[rawhide1]

Here's a picture that didn't load? I think I had to many bites of one kind or another. Another keychain. Mike

[Jordan]

There is a tutorial somewhere on the site (is a link) to make a light box, basically a cardboard box with sides and top cut out, openings covered with tracing paper to difuse the light from a couple of shop lights, made one in about 20 min. worked great and the price was right.

[Beaverslayer]

Very nice looking Mike. How long does it take you to make one of those?

Ken

[Romey]

Very nice stuff!!

Here is a simple light box, A light tent will work fine ,like a white bed sheet. Many things will work a s a light diffuser , its the right bulbs and photo editing that makes a quality photo though.

Notice "daylight" Bulbs. I often get good photos fromJust going outside at about 11 am. Tossing a bed sheet tent over the item im going to shoot and letting the sun be the light source as it DOES have the correct light spectrum. With the sun behind the item im going to shoot, item between camera and sun, one can get suprisingly good photos especially on a bright day..Makes editing alot easier to cause the light is more correct and natural. My 2 cents

Thanks to Sharp by Coop, a professional knife photographer for the set up and photograghy education.

Edited November 22, 2007 by Romey

[Romey]

Here is another cheap light set up. The use of mirrors and reflectors can be used to direct and add emotion to a photography or simply bring light to a area that the lamps arent hittting as well as take shadows out of a shot. Personally I beleive anyone doing a craft like leather work, knifemaking jewlery making will benenfit greatly from high quality photos of work,especially in a detail craft like leather work. Even though my photos are far from professional yet I notice a larger amount of customer requests when I got a decent camera (200$ is allbut options i needed) and took more care in my photography skills.

[rawhide1]

I would like to thank everyone for their remarks and advice. I'll have to try using the lighting techniques.

Beaverslayer I'm kind a slow at it but it takes me about 2 hrs for the key fobs and the bracelets I've shown take anywhere from 6 to 8 hrs depending on the #and length of knots. So maybe damn slow would be a better description.ha!ha! Once again Thanks Mike

[Knotnutz]

I've not introd'ed myself yet, but, here is a great lightbox setup - and even less expensive than the one noted earlier.

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=281524

[HorsehairBraider]

Hi Rawhide1 - nice work!

This is what I can contribute as far as ideas. It looks like you used tail hair for your tassels. I can tell you that mane hair is nicer for these and feels better. If you live near a barn with horses you can usually get bit of mane hair for free, because they have to cut bridle paths on the horses from time to time. I sometimes let my driving horses go all winter (for it is hard to drive short horses in the snow!) and have quite a bit I cut off in the spring. I generally let it just drop on the ground and would gladly give it to anyone who wanted it. (There is absolutely TONS of horsehair at my house so no need for me to save it!)

And Knotnutz, what a great idea for a light box! I love it!

[rawhide1]

Horsehairbraider

Thank You for your comments. You due great work with horsehair and ya must have a lot of patience to work with hair. That is tail hair. And I agree mane hair is so much nicer. Some folks I work with had a horse die so they hacked some tail off and brought it to me for a key fob. And another guy had some tail hair from a favorite horse that had died ten yrs ago. Well I told them that if another one dies to comb out the mane real nice before cutting. In my opinion there's nothing worse than trying to untangle a wad of hair and getting enough to work with. I'll have to see if they do. And thank ya for the offer of hair but we have 5 hay burners here at the house which provide enough for what i do. I do have a ? when I use hair to interweave knots I usually super glue all the hair together on one end. Is there a better way of doing this. Thanks Mike

[HorsehairBraider]

Hi Mike - Superglue! Wow, how space-age! :biggrin: I tie an overhand knot in one end (the end I am anchoring). And then I make sure the anchor goes under sufficient ends to be truly anchored - sometimes even working it back and forth a few times. I do NOT want to have to re-tie a knot because it came untied!

For the record, if I am going to BRAID hair, then I want tail hair. Mane hair is for tassels. In fact, I got so many people that wanted me to braid mane hair, I now charge $250.00 extra per piece! Up front! That took care of those requests! So please tell your friends they did right to save tail hair, if it was braiding they wanted.

[rawhide1]

Horsebraider they brought me the tail hair for tassels on the key fobs. Thanks again for the replies. Mike