Grandfather's Pocket Watch

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Bill D
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Grandfather's Pocket Watch

Post by Bill D »

I have posted on another forum that I would like to learn microphotography. I thought I should post something here to show what I have been doing. I shot a series of pocket watch photos recently. Here is one of my favorites:

Image
Bill

Ken Ramos
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Post by Ken Ramos »

Wow, amazing Bill how all those gears and springs work together so accurately and to be so small. Really a nice shot, we don't see to much like this, just every now and then. Really a sharp photograph with good details. Thanks! :D

Mike B in OKlahoma
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Post by Mike B in OKlahoma »

An attractive old piece of machinery, and nice change from the nature shots that dominate here. Do you know what the S and F refer to?
Mike Broderick
Oklahoma City, OK, USA

Constructive critiques of my pictures, and reposts in this forum for purposes of critique are welcome

"I must obey the inscrutable exhortations of my soul....My mandate includes weird bugs."
--Calvin

Bill D
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Location: Raleigh, NC
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Post by Bill D »

Your comments are to kind. Thank you both. The "S" and "F" stands for Slow and Fast. You pivot the black, needle like arm one way or the other to adjust the speed at which the watch runs.
Bill

Bill D
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Post by Bill D »

Here is another from the series. My other Grandfather's watch:

Image
Bill

Mike B in OKlahoma
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Post by Mike B in OKlahoma »

Your first grandfather had better taste in watch interiors! :lol: But the second one is nice too, and well-photographed.
Mike Broderick
Oklahoma City, OK, USA

Constructive critiques of my pictures, and reposts in this forum for purposes of critique are welcome

"I must obey the inscrutable exhortations of my soul....My mandate includes weird bugs."
--Calvin

Ken Ramos
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Post by Ken Ramos »

Another interesting photo of a nice time piece :D . I remember Waltham watches and I think they are still manufactured today, of course its been a longtime since I have seen one and most pocket watches are quartz these days, although you still find a few here and there with fine mechanical movements. I used to have an old mantle clock, a Regulator I believe, and I would sit quietly in the house and all you could hear was the "tick, tock" of that old clock. Got it a an antique shop, brought it home cleaned it up with some furniture polish but left everything else as it was, it was in really good conditon, you wound it with a key. Many a nap was taken listening to that old clock. :D

rjlittlefield
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Post by rjlittlefield »

Bill,

These images are luscious -- very crisp and beautifully lit to show off the textures! Got any more where these came from? :D

By the way, that word "microphotography" is not the best description of what you want to learn. Strictly speaking, microphotography refers to making tiny photographs (as opposed to making magnified images of tiny things). I think what you want is "photomicrography", that is, taking pictures of subjects seen through the microscope.

(Even more complicated, what you've done with these watches could be called "close-up" or "macro photography" (two words) or "macrophotography" (one word) or "photomacrography" (also one word), depending on who's doing the calling. See this posting and other discussion in the same topic, but only if you're into etymology and philosophy. :wink: )

Personally I'm happy with "takin' pictures of little stuff", and it looks to me like you're already pretty good at it for watch-sized subjects. I can hardly wait to see what comes through the 'scope.

--Rik

Bill D
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Post by Bill D »

Rik- Microphotography is what I want learn. You see, I got a bunch of itty, bitty, little frames that I need pictures for... Actually, please correct my terms. I am very new to "photomicrography" (is that correct?) and need all of the help I can get! I hope I don't offend anybody with my ignorance! Thanks for the comments regarding my images. I have some more of the watch pictures. I need to find the time to PP them.
Bill

rjlittlefield
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Post by rjlittlefield »

Bill,

Not to worry -- the crew here seems to run on a policy of "mutual non-offense", even when we disagree with each other!

Let's see, itty bitty frames...yep, you can use your microscope to fill those! Just run the thing in reverse -- focus carefully, then stick a piece of film down where the slide would normally go, put your subject above the eyepiece, and let the light shine down instead of up! Hey, it works for the semiconductor chip industry, why not you? :lol:

I'm looking forward to more watches & suchlike. What camera/lens/lighting do you use for those, anyway? And, uh, what does "PP" mean?

--Rik

crocoite
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Post by crocoite »

Hi Bill

Really nice shots. But can you please reduce the file size in future :?:

puzzledpaul
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Post by puzzledpaul »

<< And, uh, what does "PP" mean? >>

Had me intrigued for a while :) ... post process?

Nice job with the pics, btw.

pp

Ken Ramos
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Post by Ken Ramos »

Steve replied:
Really nice shots. But can you please reduce the file size in future
You know I had not really noticed that. :-k Being as I have DSL the files come up so quickly, our file size limit is 200KB there Bill but not to worry, we all mess up or forget from time to time. :wink:

I still cannot get over the images though, the craftsmanship of true watch makers is really a dying art it seems but I have a feeling they will be around for a good while longer. :D

Bill D
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Post by Bill D »

I save web image files as PNGs. I reduced them to 800 pixels on the longest side. But, PNGs contain more info than JPEGs. Sorry!!! I will check my file size before I post anything again!

Yes "PP" stands for post process. I only shoot digital now. I set my camera to save as Large Fine JPEG. I then PP in PS (PhotoShop).

Thanks for all of the help everybody!
Bill

Ken Ramos
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Joined: Thu Jul 27, 2006 2:12 pm
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Post by Ken Ramos »

Quite alright Bill, there are so many different formats that one can use, it gets confusing to me. I did not know what a PNG was used for, I guess it is sort of like a TIFF? Anyway you learn something new around here everyday, if I were to win the lottery I would not know it until I logged on here. :lol:

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