Using props in photos

[Bob Starkey]

When purchasing/ordering a knife I usually have an intended purpose for the knife, although it may never get used. For example, I've love the smaller Cowboy, San Francisco style bowies, and primitive pieces as I'm enamoured with the old west and American Frontier. I've though about having one of my pieces (John White San Francisco style Bowie) photographed with a Ruger Vaquero .45 and maybe a western holster or old style Bourbon bottle/ playing cards etc.

I'm curious what the professional photographers think about using a props when taking photos of knives...like a theme. Do you think it detracts from the knife, or adds a certain appeal?
Bob

[Buddy Thomason]

I get a kick out of using props and would do it all the time except that's not what publication editors want. But as a sideline pursuit, I love using props. If used with care props can make for memorable images.

#1http://www.fototime.com/00AB83B84A416CE/orig.jpg

#2http://www.fototime.com/969F4FE9A83D957/orig.jpg

#3http://www.fototime.com/45D18F12C418646/orig.jpg

#4http://www.fototime.com/A98C804932A6042/orig.jpg

[Buddy Thomason]

Now Bob, see what you started... I will conclude my comments with these images and look forward to other perspectives.

#5http://www.fototime.com/6DFC69DACFBF226/orig.jpg

#6http://www.fototime.com/4FC7B99FB3DF653/orig.jpg

#7http://www.fototime.com/05D82182B68A8C6/orig.jpg

#8http://www.fototime.com/16EC3C80B21F71C/orig.jpg

[Bob Starkey]

Excellent Buddy! Perfect examples of props that certainly enhance the knife, and those would look great framed, hanging on a wall. Please feel free to post away, we never get tired of looking at knives.
Bob

[Lorien Arnold]

#4http://www.fototime.com/A98C804932A6042/orig.jpg

Holy crap! I LOVE that picture!!!

[Buddy Thomason]

Me too! It was easy to shoot. Just had to be strategic about the highlights as that's what makes the image work:

http://www.fototime.com/1775A7E25CF89DF/orig.jpg

[David Darom]

Excellent Buddy! Perfect examples of props that certainly enhance the knife, and those would look great framed, hanging on a wall. Please feel free to post away, we never get tired of looking at knives.
Bob

I agree with Bob, Buddy. Examples such like these that you posted
would display beautifully when enlarged and framed. But also if displayed
as single full page illustrations in a magazine.

When I began planning my first book on Modern Custom Knives in 2001,
I realized very early on that using props in pictures displaying knives
will be very confusing, if used on many pages and especially in pages
belonging to different sections in the book.

In making the final decisions I considered visual originality, being concerned
about creating a visual language which would not confuse the viewer.
Since in those days Custom knives were mostly depicted on elaborate backgrounds,
surrounded by confusing artifacts. I decided to show the knives alone - something
like showing the beauty of a great painting on a plain wall, letting it "sing" for itself
without any surrounding distractions.

This demanded from me over 800 hours of computer work (per book), carefully
pulling images from their original backgrounds, combining several knives into
one illustration and enlarging various sections to show, in detail, what this art
is all about.
The "manipulated" backgrounds were created so as to compliment the beauty
of the knives, and a different hue was chosen to lead the reader in and throughout
the various sections in every one of my books.

Here is a two facing page example from my next book "The World of Art Knives".

All the best,
David Darom (ddd)

http://www.fototime.com/{CF81466D-BDE2-40A7-8E41-756604E1B38E}/origpict/Picture-1.jpg

[Kevin Jones]

Me too! It was easy to shoot. Just had to be strategic about the highlights as that's what makes the image work:

http://www.fototime.com/1775A7E25CF89DF/orig.jpg

That's some set-up Buddy.

[Jerry Manuel]

I like props in some photos too Buddy . I wish I had the equipment and the "know how" to use a couple I have with a knife or two . One is a 1873 Winchester cabine and the other is a engraved Schofield revolver . Enjoyed the photos