The Redish Guitar

[Rob MacKillop]

Tried a few more shots of this beautiful jazz guitar by D'Aquisto. Tripod used this time. I don't have any lights other than what is normally lighting the room. I've always found guitars really difficult to capture, due mainly to all the reflections. Quite pleased with these.

First, untouched, straight out of the camera. F8, 2.5".





Same image, with clarity, blacks and shadows boosted in ACR:





A brighter shot. F3.2, 1.6".

 

[Brian Moore]

You've captured them very nicely, Rob. I think I like the last one, best. That reddish look is nice.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Thanks, Brian. Yes, the last one is my preferred one.

 

[Martin Carlin]

I to prefer the last one Rob really brings the red out.
You could pick up some cheap Leds on amazon for about £20 a pop they do a reasonable job Ill try and find a link for them for ya

 

[Pete Askew]

I agree and the progression is interesting. I like the last because of the increase vibrancy but also because the background, especially that red area, is less intrusive. Nice.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Cheers, Martin. By the way, I've just downloaded Lightroom 6 - I feel brave! It has opened on my desktop, and I'm watching an introductory video on the Adobe TV site. I might have questions for you!


Pete - yes, I muted that red spot in Elements. It was bugging me. Well "spotted".

 

[Pete Askew]

I'm sure you'll have no problems. LR is just a fancy front end on Camera Raw (well, sort of).

 

[Martin Carlin]

No Problem Rob get yourself a External hd to store your images on and don't import through lightroom. Set up a folder structure that makes sense to you. Then copy your card into this structure before going into lightroom.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Cheers, Martin. I always use an external hard drive for my images, and these ones were already in a file there. I managed to link Lightroom to that file, and created a Catalogue called Guitars, and placed this image in there. I also went into the Develop section, and made this b&w version, which I'm quite pleased with.




I had a free trial version of Lightroom 4 a couple of years ago, but didn't get on with it. The video I watched (10 Things all beginners want to know about Lightroom) really helped get me going. But I'm sure I'll have questions for you before long!

I can see that it is going to be useful for finding photos in the future, especially if I choose the right keywords.

 

[Martin Carlin]

For cataloging your images Keywording is a important part of the workflow. Make sure you back up your image drives. Lightroom does not touch your images a lot of people think when it say do you want to back up its backing there files up its not its only backing up the catalog data.
Im liking the B+W Version.
You will soon be up to speed with it. Adobe have had a offer on for lightroom and photoshop for the last year or so its aimed at photographers you get both programmes for £9 a month thats the CC versions which I think is reasonable. I have the complete CC package which I might downgrade to the photography as I don't really use any of the other programmes often.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Martin, I'm going to start a new thread devoted to Lightroom, where everyone can offer advice, and future searches will be easier for members.

 

[Martin Carlin]

Yea that would be good.
Not sure if you heard of a website called creative live they are running a photoshop and lightroom week next week they have some good instructors for Lightroom look for a guy called Jared Platt he has pretty much the same workflow as myself and you can watch these classes free live.

 

[Ivar Dahl-Larsen]

I like the first one the most, because of the life it gives me in its shadows etc.

 

[Pete Askew]

First a banjo made out of a gourd and now a guitar made out of a radish. These vegetables are nothing if not versatile!

 

[Rob MacKillop]

The tunings machines are 24 carrot!