Going to sell a Ithaca NID 4E the gun is close to mint.What background should I use going to have a pro take the pictures. Regards

I use a light blue or pink towel, and take pictures in the bathroom.
Why? The towel breaks up hot-spots
The bathroom is the best lit room in a normal house.

Use a tripod it you need.

Feathers, ammo, etc are nice touches around the picture
if they do not take away from the gun.

Some close-ups are good









Mike

If you use a tripod and or the 2 second shutter delay, you will find your pictures much improved over hand held camera ones.

red background and led light helps...

Thanks

Does a flash create distracting glare and shadows?

Do not use a white background. It will confuse the automatic metering of the camera.

Something I have noticed, and do not care for, is the use of blue lighting when photographing guns. Evidently it enhances something (or hides something), or it wouldn't have become so prevalent lately. I automatically distrust a listing that I see photographed that way. I may be off base with this, but that's just my take on it.

Is natural indirect sunlight preferable to incandescent or LED overhead lights?

Hal, I'm about as far from a photographer as a man could be, but I once read here that in lieu of a professional backdrop and lighting the best bet was photographing guns outside on a cloudy day. I've done that for years and it has always worked well for me.

Any neutral uncomplicated background, that would distract interest in the gun, along with natural diffused daylight, or lighting that can closely replicate that, will give the best results.

Seems like once again I will have to agree with you.

I am far from a pro, and not even a great amature. Paying someone to do it for you that is a pro if they use auto ANY settings send him down the road.

Would rather shoot birds, even with a camera, than guns for sale. Done a fair share of it and it can be difficult to get it right. Hazy days usually give the best results to represent the wood grain IME.

Wait did you say a NID 4E?! No. Yes. No! Well maybe... On the short list but not right now. VA inspector is coming tomorrow morning for a refi on the house though LOL.

Flash is harsh and the finish usually interfers with a clear picture. Bouncing the flash off the ceiling helps a lot, and even then have to usually turn down the power a bit on the strobe. And that is with popcorn ceiling which diffuses light more than modern ceilings. Bright sunlight does it even worse.

Actually won a weekly photo challenge couple of years ago. Challenge was marketing.

Pure white background is usually the best to make your subject "float". Why most marketing pictures are taken with a white light box with lights being diffused at the subject. Leather with a high shine present the same issues that a gun with a finish on it does.



For guns a piece of rough canvas drop cloth for painting on a hazy day is hard to beat for showing detail. And pardon the pun, is a good canvas for a backdrop.



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At least IMO. Which is worth what you paid for it. But no distractions. Just the facts.

I like the idea of the canvas drop cloth Mike. Those Aldens look fantastic.


I’d add to what’s been written here......more close ups and closer than you think.

Is that so bad?

Great pics, and great advice it would seem. Thanks.

Posted for Steve Helsley

He knows best. He is a wonderful contributor, and REALLY knows double guns!

Steve’s photos are absolutely phenomenal! But I’m more of a simpleton. I use a clear 200 watt clear incandescent light bulb in a common shop lamp. Background is a blue shop towel and a iPhone. I adjust the swinging lamp to give minimum light bounce back and snap the photo. Works well for me.



What I like about the clear 200 watt shop light is it doesn’t distort colors. What you see is what it is. Background is my old worn out workbench top.

3 Dimable day light LED bulbs in IKEA adjustable work lights each on its own dimmer and an iPhone 8. Not high art but I feel it accurately represents the gun.
https://www.gunsinternational.com/g...a-pair.cfm?gun_id=101626420&cdn_bp=1

Here are some thoughts on gun photography.
Daryl Hallquist to posted some images for me.

Non-reflective dead black background
No flash
Manual focus/manual metering camera
Understand depth of field
Tripod
Cable release

All were made with an Olympus E-20n – a 20-year old 5mp digital camera
(usually available for $50-60)
All exposures were ISO 100 and f 8 @ 1 second (or very close to it)

Posing stands and background material holders made from PVC pipe

Images were made with photo lights or outside using white poster board
to bounce-in sunlight

Happy to respond to specific questions

Steve Helsley

Great ideas thanks

Your pics are proof that you know what your'e doing. I would have thought a 1 sec at f8 in bright light would be too much exposure.