Steve invited me to lunch so that we could meet and talk photography and PhotoShop, and yesterday we did. I thought it was kind of funny that he was concerned that we would have a hard time recognizing each other when we met, and then I reminded him that I had just posted my pic about a week ago. Steve is one heck of a nice guy and I learned quite a bit. Steve has a kind of interesting habit, when he asks a question he then proceeds to tell you all he knows about it. It was a little different when I had the same discussion with Gene Lee on the same subjects. Gene would ask me a question and then listen and ask a follow up question. I have a feeling Gene came away with more than Steve did. I also think I learned more than Steve did from our conversation. I learned how and why he takes the pics he does and how he managed his winning entry. For me it’s a lot easier to work with someone like Gene who is newer to photography than Steve. Gene had no bad habits and nothing to unlearn. I do know that both are dedicated to becoming great photographers and just winning contests here isn’t the ultimate goal. I’ll be the first to admit I never was a great photographer after 25 years of taking pictures the best I achieved was a competent professional. If there’s anything I feel that I’m really good at it would be taking something that seems complex and making it easy in as few words as possible.

I really enjoyed meeting Steve and I’d love to hear his comments here on our conversation and to find out just what he came away with? Steve said he’d be sending me an e-mail with additional questions and I asked that he post them here with the hope that others may have the same questions and that we could discuss them more openly with everyone adding to our combined knowledge base. I did admit to Steve that my motivation to adding to the discussion here is purely selfish on my part, I prefer to look at good or great pics of knives than bad ones. I don’t make my living with a camera any more and there’s nothing I consider to be a trade secret. Will helping a maker take better pics of his own knives hurt the Pros? I don’t think so, it may raise the bar a little bit, but everyone benefits from that.

This forum here is now the first Knife Forum I check. Unfortunately traffic here is still kind of slow and I try to point people over here every chance I get. That should be Job #1 for all the regulars here.

Steve, thanks again for lunch.

As it happened my lunch with Phil was an eye opener. I was very interested to meet someone as well versed in PS as Phil is, and also willing to share this knowledge. We had a very pleasent lunch filled with questions and answers. I couldn't understand how someone of his talents in photography wasn't putting them to use, but he explained that for many years he did make his living at photography and now he's moved on. If money was involved he would get out his equipment.
I must admit that I would have liked to have a recording machine so that I wouldn't miss anything. We discussed his setup for knifephotography and I promptly set it up last night and VOILA I got good results.
Phil was explaining how to make an element of a pic look like it stands out in a 3D way, but I can't read my notes. (I write like a doctor on a prescription form) Phil can you repeat that for me and us?
Really enjoyed our lunch as Phil is most amiable. I will follow up with Phil's setup and a few pics using it.
Phil thanks for meeting me and I'm sorry if I talked too much.

Steve you didn't talk too much it wasn't supposed to be a lecture just lunch.

I took some time today and did a little PS/PD Tutorail for you and I hope everyone enjoys it.

Here is one of the things Steve wanted to know on how I do some of my illustrations in Adobe PhotoShop, you can do most of the same things in PhotoDeluxe, but not all.

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=254126&a=12915247&p=51118145&Sequence=0&res=high
#1 is the picture I was sent by the owner of this knife.
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=254126&a=12915247&p=51118173&Sequence=0&res=high
#2 all I’ve done here is to Erase the background. There are many ways to remove the background I’m just used to using the Erase Tool. I start with a large eraser at 100% and work my way up to 1600% and a very small eraser. Total time less than 5 minutes.
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=254126&a=12915247&p=51118189&Sequence=0&res=high
#3 I added the leather looking rectangle and rotated the knife.
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=254126&a=12915247&p=51118240&Sequence=0&res=high
#4 here are all the elements. Notice the Drop Shadow on the knife, you can aslo do this to the leather rectangle. You can do this in PD with Special Effects or in PS by going to the Layer menu > Layer Style > Drop Shadow. I did paint in the tip of the knife and the bolster. Not hard just work on a seperate layer and take your time.
http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=254126&a=12915247&p=51118370&Sequence=0&res=high
#5 to finish up it’s all the same techniques and all from the Layers menu. I selected the Leather Layer, Layers menu > Layer Style > Bevel & Emboss > SAVE. Back to the Layers menu > Layer Style > Drop Shadow > SAVE. Repeat all the same steps with the Text Layer, sorry you can’t do it in PD.

That’s it , really kind of easy and no real Artistic ability needed.

Phil,
I still find it a bit mystical, but thanks again and I promise to practice.
Enjoyed our meeting immensely, but the time went by too quickly.

Phil add ons like "eye candy" work in Photo Deluxe?

ghostdog

Folks, I just want to publically say what a great job I think Phil did on this picture. The knife in the pic is my first Pronghorn by Ed Fowler and it is my daily carry here on the farm.

Several months ago I read some great comments by Phil on BF concerning Ed's knives and Phil was later kind enough to give me Ed's email address. The rest as they say is history.


Recently I saw that Phil had posted some awesome pics that he had taken and then enhanced of he and Ed at the Blade show. When I saw those pictures I couldn't think of a more wonderful way to preserve and share a special memory!

Phil does a truly professional job on his work and I am very lucky that he took the time to creatively enhance what would have been just another boring knife picture! Thanks again Phil.

Phil,

Boy ... that's expert work!

Alex