doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Photography Question

Especially for Mr. Petrov and SDH.

What method do you emply to hold a gun when taking a full length shot?

SDH, I see in your book the setup looks as though the gun is stood on end with one or both barrels over a mandrel of some type, is this correct?


Thanks, Rob

I use a set of polished steel rods in different calibers that screw into an adapter block on a tripod.

Wow! MP, that is pretty cool.

MP,
Looks like you've put a lot of development into your lighting setup to get the desired effect. Good stuff!

Thanks Michael, that's what I was looking for.

Rob

Here's a photo by Larry Mayer of the Billing Gazette for an upcoming newspaper story shot with a wide angle lens. It's me photographing a vertical M-21. The bore of the gun is placed over a polished steel rod inserted into a large flat wood block. I have a number of rods for different calibers. I was taught this method more than 25 years ago by John Bivins Jr.

The lamps are old style tungsten bulbs (quite hot!) and the semi-circular reflectors are my own contraption. I use 18% gray roll paper for standard background and colored matte board for colors.
Here's a commercial close-up shot with this set-up on gray. (These are low-rez images for fast loading.)

I've been threatening to write a column on the subject for years. Both Michael and I use the superb Nikor 60mm micro lens.
(BTW, MP is about 5' 15 1/2" tall is why everything of his is on full extension!)

Mr. Hughes:

Interesting scope mounts on that double rifle. Did you make them? Are they detachable?

Thanks.

Rem

That is a 1920's vintage Purdey and the detachable scope mount is the invention of Joe Smithson.
http://smithson-gunmaker.com/
I shot much of the product photography.

Mr. Hughes:

Thank you.

Steven,
I find my 60mm Micro-Nikkor to be a great lens for this work as well. The advent of digital Nikons with sub 35mm format sensors pushed this lens into the duty the 105mm Micro line used to take care of.

Another great lens that should do very well for this work is the 35-70mm 2.8 AF-D Nikkor that I recently acquired. It's a discontinued lens but had some of the best glass in it's class and has a macro feature (1:4 magnification). Very low distortion, low vignetting and sharp, with great color rendition. Built with all metal and heavy as a tank from that good glass. Still available for a while and for under $500.