Mantetsu - photography practice

[Lareon]

Thought I'd share a Mantetsu I picked up earlier this year. It was one that I had some issues importing but it's in my possession now.

 

Thought it would be a good opportunity to get the camera out and take some photos.

 

The blade is almost perfect, the mounts have some scratches and a dent. Overall nice and replaces my older Mantetsu that was in poor condition .

 

@Bruce Pennington

 

 

 

[Bruce Pennington]

Thanks Tony, Spring 1943, HI 624.  This is one of the last Koa Isshin blade series of the war.  I only have 7 others later (3 - 1943; 4 - 1944) on file.

[Michaelr]

Great sword. Thank you for sharing   

  MikeR

[Bruce Pennington]

Tony,

I am the worst guy to be speaking about photography, but I know there have been some discussions on the various forums on how to do it well. My first attempt looks very similar to yours! Seems like one of the keys is to have a dark background with a very single bright light shining on the subject.

 

there are some examples and discussion on this thread:  

there are a few guys that have it down, the only one I can recall though is @Ray Singer, But I know there are more.

[Bruce Pennington]

I don’t know who posted it, but I remember a guy showing his photography set up with a neutral gray background and a bright spotlight behind him. That seem to work well too. I’ve tried the gray blanket method, and it seems to work a little bit!

[Lareon]

Hi Bruce. Yeah I'm in the thread you linked with a few examples from older styles I've tried before. I've been trying a new style with the dark photography. I guess it doesn't look so good if you're pointing me towards other styles!

 

I use a similar technique to the one you posted for the actual blade itself. Only diffuse lights and long exposure that works well and pulls out the blade details. 

 

The style I used in these is purposely dark but maybe it isn't doing it and looks bad.

I will experiment more!

 

 

[PNSSHOGUN]

Hi Tony, promising photos but definitely on the darker side which obscures things a little too much. As you have no doubt already discovered taking good photos of swords is a diabolical business.

[Ontario_Archaeology]

I have been trying to take good pictures for a while now, I like the black background, the issue I find is lighting. For my set up I bought 2 umbrella lights for 100 bucks and they allow me to adjust the lighting on the sword to perfection. I also have the same issue with alot of pictures coming out dark, but with photoshop you can always edit the lighting after quite easily. 

 

Attached is one of the pictures of my mantetsu that I took, with two different light sources you can really make certain qualities pop. 

 

 

[Bruce Pennington]

Ok, I see what you're going for, now.  It does have a cool look.  It works for me on the tsuba and menugi, but maybe, like John said, too dark for other things like blade and saya.  But then, art is in the eye of the beholder!  Nice work Matt, and a good hobby complimenting your collection.

[Kiipu]

On 7/28/2022 at 4:05 PM, Lareon said:

Thought I'd share a Mantetsu I picked up earlier this year. It was one that I had some issues importing but it's in my possession now.

 

Tony, your sword is the last one made in 1943 so far.

44th Series ヒ五九一　　昭和癸未春 1943 Spring.

44th Series ヒ六二四　　昭和癸未春 1943 Spring <-- Your sword.

44th Series ヒ一一五五　昭和甲申春 1944 Spring.