Spy Shot 1

[Flybye]

What I'm trying to achieve here is a shot similar to the spy photos you would see during WWI-WWII.

I've been experiment a lot with B/W and this is the first RAW image I've tried anything interesting with. Throw everything at me, please. Suggested lighting, background, flooring, angles, contrasting, mechanical subject pieces, you name it.

[LeeIs]

I had to google spy photos of WW1 and 2, and nothing. So, I don't really know the direction you wanted to go. sorry.

As far as the photo I wish you had something reflecting some of that light back to the object to fill in a litte in the dark area on the bottom right.

I'm assuming the noise is part of the old photo look and won't comment on that. Also a cool looking machine u got there.

[Flybye]

... Also a cool looking machine u got there.

Thank you. I'm trying not to say what it is to see if someone recognizes it.

This is the type of feel I was getting. Of course, there are always smoother and sharper pics of WWII, but this was the feeling I was trying to get.

[OldClicker]

Thank you. I'm trying not to say what it is to see if someone recognizes it.

Turbine of some sort? - TF

[Dylan8i]

looks like a rotary engine.

i wasn't sure what effect you were trying to get, but after seeing your example, i think your pretty close. it seems like those kind of shots are never properly exposed though (notice the blown out highlights in the top of airplane)

[readingr]

Too sharp to be anything but modern. Spies would have been operating in a covert way and would probably be using limited light and small cameras with film. Sharpness is the killer for me if the spy theme is what your going for in WWi/II.

However, saying that I do like this a lot.

Roger R.

[Flybye]

LeeIs: Thank you. It is one of my car hobbies.
OldClicker: Dylan8i got the answer!
Dylan8i: You got it! It is out of a late 70s RX-7. I have a 93 RX-7 and am a major fanatic. I yanked this engine out of the junk yard a few years ago, had it powder coated and is now a conversational piece in the house.
readingr: Thank you. I played around with it in PS and you are right. Softness helped to give it a more vintage spy look, too.

[daq7]

I like it. I think the comments about fill light to work out the dark is probably correct, but not strictly necessary. The highlights all have nice texture in them and the overall graininess is very good. Maybe not as grainy as the spy shots, but this is good.

[photophorous]

It's not too sharp; it's too uniformly sharp through out the entire photo. A WWI-WWII spy would have been shooting on film that is larger than a cropped DSLR sensor, with a lens that isn't sharp in the corners until you stop down, and he would have been shooting it at a wide aperture. IOW, there is too much depth of field. That's the bad. The good is the black and white conversion. I think the high contrast and tones look very much like B&W film...you could even go with a little more contrast. With fast black and white film you expect to have black shadows, blown highlights, and good detail only in the midtones. The texture of the tile almost makes it look grainy too, but that is actually kind of deceiving. To repeat this look you may need to add grain.

Overall, I think you did a very good job!

Paul

[Flybye]

Thanks for all the comments, guys. I'm working on DoF tricks. I had it at f2 on the camera, and it aint going to go lower than that. I'll keep working on it in the next few days to see how I can improve it a bit.

[photophorous]

Thanks for all the comments, guys. I'm working on DoF tricks. I had it at f2 on the camera, and it aint going to go lower than that. I'll keep working on it in the next few days to see how I can improve it a bit.

Just curious, what camera are you shooting with?

[Flybye]

Sony Cybershot DSC-F717 P&S
5MP (Raw & JPG)
f2-8
30–1/2000 s
38–190 mm
ISO 100, 200, 400, 800

I have completely juiced this camera to all that it can give. I'm hoping to finally get a Cannon SLR this year.

[Flybye]

I do believe I have a better example now. What do you guys think?

[Flybye]

Bump. Am hoping to get a few more feedbacks to see how I did with the focusing.
First time on the B/W and first time on PS depth of field tricks for me.

[MilesOfTexas]

I like it!!!

As a thought, perhaps a shot with a $15 Holga would help with the effects you are looking for?