Took new pics of my guitar- competing with xssive!

suislidE03

New member
Yes, I got random inspiration to take some pics of my Jackson after I totally cleaned it and replaced the strings. Looks like new again.. I love this guitar! I dont think they will hit the XSSIVE mark.. there is a photo room in the architecture building but I'm not THAT inspired! No photoshop modifications!

Also, which is the best of the last two pics? One is portrait and the other landscape; cant decide which is better.





 
Re: Took new pics of my guitar- competing with xssive!

Thats a great axe brah. I call it Pittbull brown . badass! attack!

Yes, I got random inspiration to take some pics of my Jackson after I totally cleaned it and replaced the strings. Looks like new again.. I love this guitar! I dont think they will hit the XSSIVE mark.. there is a photo room in the architecture building but I'm not THAT inspired! No photoshop modifications!

Also, which is the best of the last two pics? One is portrait and the other landscape; cant decide which is better.





 
Re: Took new pics of my guitar- competing with xssive!

I LOVE transparent black finishes and I love Jacksons!! :eek2::wow:
 
Re: Took new pics of my guitar- competing with xssive!

Nicest looking SLSMG I think I've ever seen.

I'd play that. Nice photos, too. It can be hard to get black stained FM to show up in photos.
 
Re: Took new pics of my guitar- competing with xssive!

glad i can inspire you to step it up a notch when it comes to pics!! as for the last two...the portrait is the better of the two IMO and my favorite of all the ones you posted.

oh and no photoshop? why on earth not...photoshop the snot out of them man, that's what it's made for! you think the pics you look at on websites and in magazines and catalogs came out of the camera like that...LOL...no way. even supermodels aren't that hot when you zoom in on them LOL. as for me when it comes to pics, i have a good eye for angles and am REAL good with photoshop, that's why my pics work (when i'm not being lazy about things). i'm a graphic designer first and a photographer second.

-Mike
 
Re: Took new pics of my guitar- competing with xssive!

I think you'll notice that Mike photographs most of his guitars against a solid background - usually the leopard skin. (Seems a lot of photos have been taken down.) This helps you concentrate on the guitar and not the surroundings. It also simplifies the background so that the trees/sky etc. don't form negative shapes that draw your eye away from the camera.

I've had pretty good success shooting on a muted rug, propping up the neck of the guitar and the boucing my flash off of the different walls/ceiling until I get a pleasing reflection on the body. The key is to bounce the flash around so as to not create harsh shadows or overly bright reflections.
 
Re: Took new pics of my guitar- competing with xssive!

Oh yea guys, dont get me wrong I know how to shoot. Though its mostly architecture models. Glad everyone likes them! Mike, what sort of Pshop things do you normally do? Mostly levels/contrast? Maybe a bit of saturation here and there? I left it alone just to get a natural picture, I may edit the last one in the manner stated just for fun and see how it comes out. Thanks guys!
 
Re: Took new pics of my guitar- competing with xssive!

caprae is right 9 times out of 10 i shoot on a background...like my "signature" leopard or white or grey whatever is needed for the pics. i've done some grass and pool shots also but i always like to let the guitar do the talking and have nothing else draw your eye away aside from a quick glance with the leopard print where you notice...oh it's on leopard, cool...then back to the guitar.

oh and all my pics can be seen on my two sites in my signature.

as for what i do in photoshop, it all depends on the picture. if it's for a magazine ad like some of the Mirabella guitars i shoot i cut the guitar out and put it on a white background so i can do whatever i need to with it later. i also shoot in RAW format a lot now so i can really edit the pics and their color and such. not all cameras can shoot in RAW though so that may not be an option. between, levels, hue and saturation, curves, various clones stamps and brushes, dodge and burn and the list goes on and on...you can do lots with a picture. there's loads of info/tutorials that can be found online to pick up little tips and tricks for photo editing in photoshop. i take out reflections i don't like, remove any dust or imperfections that would draw your eye...like the little white dots on the top in your pics, i'd photoshop them out.

-Mike
 
Re: Took new pics of my guitar- competing with xssive!

I'm not sure I'm too convinced by the leopard backdrop. For me I find it competing with the main attraction in a number of your shots. Personally I find it a little overdone and I'd prefer that the signature element was the undoubted quality of the guitars themselves. I do of course leave myself wide open to criticism of my own shots as it pleases you. :outahere:
 
Re: Took new pics of my guitar- competing with xssive!

it's not for everyone...but nothing in this world is. i just wanted something different for my personal guitar pics that every time a person saw one they'd know i took it and it was my guitar. the leopard seems to work well since it's fairly neutral in that nearly any color guitar looks good on it. yet it adds a bit of spice to the pics rather than a plain white black or grey background but not too much to distract the viewer for too long. all the pics i do of the Mirabella's i do on plain backgrounds, only my stuff gets the leopard since i know when to use it and when not to. for pics posted on my website and the net in general it just adds that signature for me that people have come to know so i stick with it.

at least that's how i feel about it (and we all know that's all that matters LOL).

-Mike
 
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