MOP/Pearl photography

[Dinadan]

Recently there was a thread My first pearl that brought out some nice photos and some interesting discussion about photographing MOP. I think that the topic deserves its own thread so I am starting this one. Of all the handle materials that I have photographed I think that MOP is the most difficult to photograph in a manner that does justice to the material. Lets see your photos, good or bad! And your techniques!

[americanedgetech]

Just an idea... What if you tried multi colored lighting like the cheap LED sets you can buy today or something similar.

I can't wait to see how this thread develops (20 years ago that would have been a pun).

[espn77]

Mel, this should be some good watching

[Quick Steel]

Dinadin: Both your knife and your photo are first class.

[Railsplitter]

I have no idea how this photo turned out like it did. I used the same point & shoot camera that I always use with the dial set on auto and the flash turned off. The photo looks enhanced but it isn't.

The knife is a Mike Alsdorf custom Gunstock Interframe.

[gsmith7158]

Mel, great idea for a thread! This will give me an incentive to sharpen my skills and an excuse to buy more pearl handles.

[woodwalker]

This old broke down mini fired off pretty good this morning with the sunlight coming thru the slats of my window blind on my table. One side of the knife seems better than the other. It's actually my first pearl. Do some pop color better than other pearls? In this old knife one side seems to throw color better. Here are my pics. Thanks for looking.

[americanedgetech]

Mel, great idea for a thread! This will give me an incentive to sharpen my skills and an excuse to buy more pearl handles.

What a GREAT side effect for a forum to have! Everyone is getting smarter, better, and more.

Hint: (There is a logo in there somewhere)

[espn77]

Probably my favorite pearl knife I have. Mostly because of the bolsters.

[gsmith7158]

Probably my favorite pearl knife I have. Mostly because of the bolsters.

Keith that is magnificent! A work of art to say the least.

[espn77]

Thanks Greg.

[supratentorial]

Nice photos, guys

[espn77]

Wow!!! Like the handles, but really like it being a trapper. That's as good as they get.

[FRJ]

What beautiful knives you guys are showing!

Here's a Southington Wharncliffe.
An old Terrier
And a Camillus Stockman

[americanedgetech]

I see you found the thread!

I am a huge fan of that wharncliffe!

[robbobus]

I really liked how this one turned out. I took it with my phone about a foot below a window down at a 45° angle. The pearl Queen used on these in 2004 is exceptional.

[Dinadan]

Very nice Schatt & Morgan, Robbobus.

Joe, the way you caught the fire in the third photo of that Southington is exactly what I keep striving to achieve.

I like that Winchester, Supratentorial. Nice framing on those photos with the weathered wood.

Espn77 - I can easily see why that knife would be anyone's favorite!

Woodwalker - good shots of your knife. There is no question that some pearl handles have more fire and color than others. Every piece is unique. I guess the same can be said about wood or bone, but with pearl I think the uniqueness is more demonstrable.

Nice Alsdorf gunstock, Railsplitter!

[rarreola]

Burnt chimney

[woodwalker]

Thanks Mel! Great thread! Some beautiful pearls being shown!

[wazu013]

I play around with the lighting and the flash to get different results. Using the flash in a dark setting, used in the second and last pics, seems to get the best MOP shots.

[wazu013]

These 2 were taken in fluorescent light and don't show how nice the MOP actually is.

[wazu013]

This one is a salesman sample from the early days of Rough Rider. They went all out on this one. It shows their use of Black lip on one side and regular MOP on the other. It has ringed and pinched bolsters, banded scales plus some file work. Not bad for a Chinese product.

[sunknife]

I posted this pic on another thread a few months back but here it is again. A cheapo but attractive rough rider, with excellent snap. It also is not MOP but I guess it's whats called black pearl. Anyway, I thought it photographed well and was taken outside very early morning about 30 minutes after sunrise using my cell phone camera. I don't have a single MOP knife to attempt to photo but I think this black pearl sure photographs well under the right conditions.

[sunknife]

OPPS, no pics. I'm gonna blame that on a computer glitch and try again.

[gsmith7158]

Trying some different exposures here.