Thought I'd post one of my carbines

[browningautorifle]

Your camera is fine, but I always thought if the background was light, like a bed sheet or large towel it makes a big difference. And always photograph with as much natural light as possible. The carbine looks great! I remember in the early 70's in the Vancouver BC area there was a plethora(?) of pawn shops and second hand shops. You could get a carbine in whatever shape you wanted with whatever features you wanted for about $125 CDN. They were all there. Any maker, any feature. And we went through them all. And we have none of them today. Who knew?

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[rondog]

Very nice carbine!

Your camera is fine, but I always thought if the background was light, like a bed sheet or large towel it makes a big difference. And always photograph with as much natural light as possible. The carbine looks great!

This isn't a bad idea, but it can backfire on you if you don't understand cameras and light metering. Camera light meters are calibrated to adjust to an 18% gray average. This is recognized as the best light balance for human skin, so camera meters are calibrated to make people shots look good, since most folks take people shots.

What this means is, pure white in bright light will typically come out dirty-gray looking, because the camera is adjusting for an 18% gray balance. This really shows up when taking photos outside in the snow. This can be overcome by setting a camera to manual exposure, and metering against a "gray card" so you can fool the camera with a scene that's already gray.

Adjust it for that, and the snow in your photos will be white. Same with white backdrops in gun photos. Beware of using too harsh of a light source too, diffusers are handy.

[three0three]

I was going after an M1 carbine orginally but ended up with my M1917. I reallt like the little rifles, its still on my list. thats a good looking model you have there LeagleEagle

[three0three]

Very nice carbine!



This isn't a bad idea, but it can backfire on you if you don't understand cameras and light metering. Camera light meters are calibrated to adjust to an 18% gray average. This is recognized as the best light balance for human skin, so camera meters are calibrated to make people shots look good, since most folks take people shots.

What this means is, pure white in bright light will typically come out dirty-gray looking, because the camera is adjusting for an 18% gray balance. This really shows up when taking photos outside in the snow. This can be overcome by setting a camera to manual exposure, and metering against a "gray card" so you can fool the camera with a scene that's already gray.

Adjust it for that, and the snow in your photos will be white. Same with white backdrops in gun photos. Beware of using too harsh of a light source too, diffusers are handy.

your post wasn't meant for me but thanks, helped me understand something I did not.

[rondog]

your post wasn't meant for me but thanks, helped me understand something I did not.

My post was meant for everyone. That info about light meters is something that most people don't know. Yet everyone has had photos that were too dark, and wondered why. I'd bet that most people who've taken photos on a ski trip were disappointed in them.

This is a gray card. Pros will use one of these to take a light reading off of, with the same lighting that's falling on the subject, then set the camera's exposure manually to where it says the exposure is right while reading that card. When you go to take the photo of the girl against the snowbank, the camera meter will then say you're grossly over-exposing the shot, but it will actually be perfect. Snow is white and skin tones are just right. Can't do this if the camera's set for automatic exposure though, it will just readjust itself after you move the card.



Sorry for the thread drift, photo lesson's over! Back to the lovely carbine of the OP.