kenw

There's no quick answer to photographing guns, or any other small reflective object with various shapes and angles, effectively and consistently. Each gun has a different shape, and techniques for lighting and shooting angle will vary almost between individual guns. As a start, don't ever use the flash attached to your camera. A broader, softer source of light will reduce reflections and even out the lighting. You can shoot available light outside if the sky is overcast, or if the sun has set down below the horizon. A couple of pieces of white foamcore are to reflect some light back into the dark areas. One of these http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=p3907.m38.l1313&_nkw=shooting+tent&_sacat=See-All-Categories is a great first step to understanding how lighting specular surfaces works. A lighting tent creates a soft and broad light source close to the subject, and generally makes reflective objects look just fine, and the larger ones are big enough to include various surfaces and backgrounds in your shots. Add in a decent tripod and a couple of cheap desk lamps for a light source, and that should cover 99% of firearms photo situations. Put the camera on a tripod, point the lamps at the walls of the shooting tent and move them around until the you like the lighting. Set the camera for tungsten light balance, put it on aperture priority, set the f-stop at around f/22, frame and focus, and gently press the shutter release. The camera will automatically set the correct shutter speed and produce a good starting image. Move the lights around to experiment with different angles and lighting ratios. Keep playing until you like the final image. Do any final adjustments (color balance, sharpness, saturation) in a photo editor program. K

I have the NRA Cert. I'm not really in any hurry. Besides being a lazy dolt, I'm still wrangling with myself about the whole out of state CCW thing. It seems so defeatist to go that route when I can't just do it here like they do in America. I don't go out of state very often, and I'm not even sure that I would carry if I could, but I think I'd like the feeling of being free to do so if I wanted to without becoming a criminal for exercising what should be my rights anywhere. Besides, if I get the permit, then I have to go shopping for an appropriate gun. Oh, wait. That's a good thing. K

I'll do that. Crap. Another Ken. As if I wasn't confused enough already. I may have Alzheimer's, but at least I don't have Alzheimer's

Ken, after the last one I had sent a note to KenA and he emailed me today. That form on their website probably just forwards to some email boxes so fill it out and add some notes in there that you can't attend or something and want notified for the following one. That or he can chime in an tell you what to do. Will do. Thanks.

Ken, Welcome to the group. I'm probably going to miss this one, but want to do it in the future. Are the seminars regularly scheduled? I didn't see a list of future dates on your website. Do you know when the next one will be? Thanks. Ken

That's funny... even when he's swearing, it's all about the food.

Oopsie. :oops:

Since this is the "official" thread for the event, I have some "official" news from the RO at Cherry Ridge. We can bring a grill if we want to. There are picnic tables scattered around the property, and it's fine with them if we make a day of shooting and eating. We just have to clean up after ourselves.

I really like shooting at CR in the evening. The place just feels different. Went yesterday (Thurs.) after work with Jordan and Lynn, and met Mark there. Stayed for about 1 1/2 hours and three of us blew up nearly 2 boxes of birds. It was Jordan's first time, and he had fun. Lynn did her thing on the handgun range, and got some private shooting tips from the RO's there. If any of you CR RO's are visiting the forum, thanks. You guys do a hell of a job there, and we appreciate it. K

I usually just buy new ones when they get that bad.

I have the opposite problem... arms like a friggin' orangutan. I had to put on a recoil pad just to make the stock longer by an inch or so. Helped a lot.

Wolfy, It may be time to start a new thread for the event. I know it's way early, but you could at least gauge interest before you start to expend any resources or effort.

Cool. It's starting to sound like the beginning of a plan.

Looks like they have a pretty full weekend schedule. Are there any fields available for casual shooters, or is everything booked for scheduled events?

On a lighter note, one of my all-time favorite bumper stickers:

There's no embarrassment among friends. Just as long as Troy doesn't want to shoot for money.

http://www.cjrpc.org/ It's in Jackson.

Let's do it. Maybe in October? Set it up. I'm in.

I never agreed with the guy's politics or his odd vision of what America should be, or even with the reverence the Kennedy clan received as a whole, but the man spent his entire life in public service, trying to help this country in his own questionable way. I'm certainly not going to miss his particular brand of progressive politics, and I always cringed when he would open his stupid bloated piehole and some ridiculous crap would come spewing out, and I'm hoping that his seat will be occupied by someone more rational and less extreme (not bloody likely), but I think celebrating his death is in very poor taste (and besides, reveling in someone else's misfortune is bad Karma).

Nope. Not at CR. Just informal shooting. BYO thrower, set up, pull and shoot from the line. Other ranges around here have formal courses (Shongum, Hercules, Hudson Farms) but this isn't one of those.

"What are they doing now?" "Making a left turn." "and now?" "Making a left turn. Exciting stuff. Not a fan. I used to like you..... :cry: Okay fine. I'm trying to think of something positive to say about NASCAR. Give me a minute.... Some of the chicks (the ones with teeth) are pretty hot.

I'm planning to go to the range after work on Thursday with Jordan. He hasn't experienced blowing up clays yet, and I need more practice. Anyone care to meet up there at around 5:30? I think I can go. I have to make sure the car repair guy doesn't want my truck back this week and I think I'm good. I can't take it back wed and I'm leaving Fri but I'm pretty sure i'm going to punt this vehicle. After $1000 in timing belt, serp belt, tranny service and 02 sensor in early June...a new code popped up. I got that one fixed for $300 bucks and now the Catalyst Monitor in the OBDII won't come on. I took it to a guy with the tech tool today and the 02 sensors before and after the catalytic converter are reading the same. In other words they aren't working. The left one is only 800 bucks and the right one is 1100 bucks. :roll: I should have done what Dan did and get it crushed into a box for $4500. Now I'm seriously just junking it for $100. Perfectly usable vehicle. Has new shocks, new tires and wheels, completely serviced and can't pass NJ emissions unless I put another 2k into it. Oh man, that SUCKS! I hate planned obsolescence. On the other hand, hope to see you there.