Stephen, Don, Clive & Duncan, many thanks for your input.
Anyway, as you will detect, I’m still somewhat struggling! (See attached pics). Just thought I’d let you know my experiences so far.
I am using a black background consisting of thick cardboard painted matt black. The base was an old glass kitchen chopping board, again, matt blacked. I’ve also made sides from the matt blacked cardboard.
The attached “efforts” also have a glass sheet laid over the matt black base; (no spare mirrors available, but I’m on the lookout).
If I’m really honest here, my initial thoughts were to take a crisp photo of the piston and then address the background with various tools in PS. Initially it didn’t work with the black background because the reflections on the piston itself were too similar a colour to able to separate, even at a tolerance of 1%! I learnt a lesson though; I thought “I’ll try a different colour”, I tried it with a light blue background and found myself in the same position, although this time with similar shades of light blue! Obvious now I know!
The vertical flash reflection down the centre of the piston I now see as a flaw that in some respects adds a little to the image. Jamie actually stumbled on how to get rid of it as we couldn’t understand why, when bouncing the on camera flash at 90 degrees we still got this line. Jamie held a piece of card along the underneath edge of the flash screen. We found out that the flash still produces sufficient light to create this line from what is emitted from the underneath edge of the flash screen!
I’m not sure but I think the equipment I’m using hasn’t really got the adjustments required; the SB22’s only work at full power on manual settings as I can see, & the only way to limit the output to subject is by way of diffusing to differing levels. I think I may have to look into purchasing the lead required so as to have the main flash “off camera” at the lower than subject level as indicated in the setup pics. Does anyone know the Nikon lead number I require?
I think the “washed out” black background must be down to the power of flash that I can’t limit successfully (yet).
One thing I can say is that I think I’ve “got the bit between my teeth” so to speak, I’m starting to think more of the reflective implications of flash, and, I suppose this has got to be an advantage to have in photography in general. Also, with the keyless chuck pics in mind I’ve got a datum standard to aim for!
Once again, thanks all for the tips and advice, it inspires me to carry on. It’s also a moral booster to know I’m not the only one to utilise items like sellotape, blue tac, Tupperware, (I use a maggot tub lid sometimes), & tin foil etc; etc.
Thanks again,
Al.
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