CSM101

The german version:

http://books.google.de/books?id=JXerop9 ... 9&dq=sanjo

Uwe G.

Hello Ken,

Thank you very much.

To give you just another idea for display and light I have 2 pics added. The first is from the ´99 Fujishiro-Exhibition in Solingen and the other from 2002 "Selected Fine Japanese Swords" in Solingen, too.

Uwe G.

PM sent.

Uwe G.

Hello Veli,

Do I agree? You will get a definitevely maybe. First of all I don´t bring the light to the blade but the blade to the light. I have a small table and I rotate it until I have that, what I want to see. Whether it is Hamon or Hada. Don´t forget, what the people had in old Japan. Only the sun and candlelight. That was all. And so I say that the sun is more than enough. As you can see in the most pictures when a flashlight is used, you have only a small part of the hamon then. To get a whole picture from a katana then would need 30 stichted single frames. And the outcome is more than questionable.

But before you do something like that, try the Fujishiro-Way. Whatever blade he took a picture from, he only had a small part. Something between 10 or 15 cm. But he had all the details. Nie, Utsuri, Hada, you name it. There are two real famous pics. One is Yamadorige (or Sanchomo) and the other one is a tanto by Norishige. Try to aim a picture like that. A small part with all the details. When you have somthing like that, you can go for bigger parts. And someday you will have the whole blade.

And by the way, the method of polishing plays no role at all.

Greetings

Uwe G.

The first reply was more about equipment and the right light. Now we go on with the right technique.

The problem is: when you are too close you only see the details in a certain part of the blade and when you are too far away you only see the blade but not the details.

Fortunately we are no longer in the BD*-times.

So, the magic word to do it right is:

PANORAMA

The reason is very simple. You can be close and then you can stitch the pictures together. And then you will have all the details and the blade as a whole.

I got 4 different computer programs for panorama pictures. The most important point is, that you have to stitch the pictures manually. All programms do it automatically.

But the outcome is very different. A katana is suddenly 10 cm long. Trial and error at it´s best.

PTGUI is the most advanced and only for professionals. Panorama Studio is good for landscapes. Then, of course Photoshop CS or Elements 8.0 and higher. Photoshop has Photomerge.

But hands off. To explain why is too technically. So you just have to believe me.

I use Panorama Factory. It´s the best programm, when you want to stitch manually.

The rest is very simple then. Cut out the blade, change the background to black and you are on the same level as every Japanese sword dealer.

To be honest, you are then still miles away from a Fujishiro-picture or now Ron Bingham.

The only thing that helps is practice, practice, practice. And the right idea in a special moment.

There is just another picture from the Masao. As you can see I stitched 4 pictures for 29 cm.

I think, that`s the only way for a good picture.

I wish you Good Luck and I hope it will help you to improve your pictures.

Uwe G.

* Before digital

Hello,

Here are some basic rules for you and I hope it wll help you to improve your pictures.

1. A GOOD PICTURE TAKES TIME!

And I don´t mean 10 min. or one hour. I am talking about a week or more.

First the light. Normal daylight is more than enough. Don´t use any bulbs or flashlights. The blade will be too bright. You can see perhaps a few inches. But no more.

2. USE A TRIPOD!

I recommend a Manfrotto 190XPROB. So you can take the picture right above the blade. Take a look at all those pictures from the Japan sword dealers. There is no angle at all.

Or look at this: http://www.ronbingham.com/sword_photography.htm

Or you just grab a Meito Zukan. There are pictures so beautiful I just want to cry.

3. MAKE IT BLACK & WHITE.

The human eye can only see 32 different shades of grey. So it is easier than a color picture.

As an example I have some pictures from a Minamoto Masao Tanto.

I hope I could help you.

Uwe G.