Comments on: How clueless, photography-challenged people can take good typewriter photos in three easy steps

By: olivander

olivander — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 02:24:15 +0000

Your camera must be too high-quality for typewriter photography. I’ll trade you.

We demand to see the evidence!

By: duffymoon

duffymoon — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 02:02:17 +0000

Okay, Alan. I gave it a shot. I did my best. Used my wife’s new Nikon D40 (gift from me, given with the expectation that periodically she’ll let me use it for typewriter fetish porn shots). Tried it under the lights we use to start seeds indoors (basically two “cool” and two “warm” flourescents). Also tried it outside in the sun.

Honestly? You completely rule at this. This is way harder than you make it sound. First of all, there are things the lens sees that I swear are completely invisible to the naked eye. I stayed up late the night before, putting a shine on my two glossy black typers (while, admittedly, distracted by “Red Dawn” which was being broadcast in all its Wolveriney glory). But the shoot revealed every scratch and nick, every bit of dust somehow clinging to those machines.

Plus the lighting is all funky. Granted, I haven’t tried any in-computer alterations. That’s a little beyond what I can do at this time.

But my point is: your shots are awesome, and I’m newly aware of how skilled that means you are at this.

By: olivander

olivander — Thu, 07 May 2009 20:01:43 +0000

They sell those things at the local Ritz. I made my own using a translucent plastic storage container, printer paper, and a table lamp.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/olivander/306068840/in/set-72057594102383239/

Actually, I have a few different ones of varying sizes. The one in the above picture is the smallest.

By: Mike.Speegle

Mike.Speegle — Thu, 07 May 2009 19:56:30 +0000

Whoops. HTML no worky. Try this: http://www.thinkgeek.com/electronics/cameras-photography/a205/

By: Mike.Speegle

Mike.Speegle — Thu, 07 May 2009 19:55:44 +0000

Good advice! I am about two seconds from breaking out the Pledge and my wife’s Ott-Light.

On a similar tip, have you guys seen these things?

By: duffymoon

duffymoon — Thu, 07 May 2009 18:31:37 +0000

But but but my VTech Kidizoom camera (I mean, naturally, my daughter’s VTech Kidizoom camera) can put one of those funny Big-Nose-With-Mustache-and-Glasses things on the typewriter. That is so funny! Not sure I can give that up.

Thanks for the tips, Olivander. I shoulda asked a long, long time ago.

By: mpclemens

mpclemens — Thu, 07 May 2009 17:02:23 +0000

I’d also like to throw in my vote for free image editor The Gimp (http://http://gimp.org/) I learned Photoshop ages ago from some tutorial thing, and so picked up Gimp right away. It’s free and open-source, which scores extra Cool Points with the geek contingent like yrs trly. (Not that you were fishing for my approval, mind you.)

By: olivander

olivander — Thu, 07 May 2009 03:24:22 +0000

Faustgleich, you may want to check out free Web photo editors Photoshop Express or Picnik. Photoshop Express is a little easier to use and more versatile, but then Picnik has some features that Photoshop Express doesn't. BTW, folks, you don't need special light bulbs. I happen to have these daylight-replicating bulbs because they help with my seasonal depression. They happen to be good photography lights because they're already close to white light (regular fluorescent tubes have a green cast), but by no means necessary.

By: Strikethru

Strikethru — Thu, 07 May 2009 02:54:29 +0000

AWESOMENESS. No more totally crappy typewriter photos for me… I hope.

By: faustgleich

faustgleich — Thu, 07 May 2009 02:00:45 +0000

I had sat down this morning to email my request for this same information when something distracted me. I have an unworthy camera, no photo editing software that I’m aware of, and an aquarium light.

I don’t give finals, so I’ll be mucking about as soon as I find a white background.

Thank you