lordsorril
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since April 2020
Posts: 926
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Post by lordsorril on Jul 18, 2020 11:17:36 GMT -5
Hi All, I have been rock tumbling for almost 2 years now. I've had quite the learning curve for the first year before I found this forum:  I made this thread to show some of the tumbled rocks I produced. Since I find a lot of types of tumbled/polished rocks are kinda plain subjects by themselves: I will add one of my ball pythons as a subject for each photo. Information regarding Ball-Pythons can be found at this address: Ball Python Wiki Info (Note: some of the care info is wrong on this website) I breed ball pythons for the pet trade, and I do not sell to the public. As life is short: Unless stated otherwise-each rock I tumbled and each snake pictured will only be shown once. I'm pretty casual with my hobbies as I spend most of my discretionary money fixing my giant haunted house that had been left abandoned for many years. Thankfully I'm not cursed with the desire for perfect stones. I do enjoy some character in the rocks I tumble, but, if I dislike the way a stone looks I will grind it into dust before I decide to polish it. I do produce flawless stones in every batch, but, meh... As for the material in the photos: I'm not a rock expert. I couldn't tell you what all the rocks are that I buy/collect/tumble. Some of them are obvious. I will just leave them unlisted and if you would like more info I will be happy to provide it. I noticed in some of the photos I took there are a couple of non-matching rocks that managed sneak in--I'm too lazy to bother retaking the photos. I will try and add a photo every few days/week or so...I'm rather busy as I currently work in the medical field... Enjoy! Photo#1  |
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RWA3006
Cave Dweller 
Member since March 2009
Posts: 4,625 
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Post by RWA3006 on Jul 18, 2020 11:22:24 GMT -5
What kind of lighting did you use to take that photo? Interesting ...
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lordsorril
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since April 2020
Posts: 926
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Post by lordsorril on Jul 18, 2020 11:24:37 GMT -5
What kind of lighting did you use to take that photo? Interesting ... Dark room, flash photography, Vantablack cloth is in use. |
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,722
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Post by Fossilman on Jul 18, 2020 11:40:02 GMT -5
Following!
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Jul 18, 2020 15:33:22 GMT -5
Very cool picture. The snake looks like he's protecting his treasure!
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lordsorril
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since April 2020
Posts: 926
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Post by lordsorril on Jul 18, 2020 19:19:54 GMT -5
Very cool picture. The snake looks like he's protecting his treasure! Thank you, some of my snakes are not partial to posing/flash photography and I do take a few bites every now and then...so in effect they are defending their 'treasure'. Luckily even an adult ball pythons teeth will will barely pull a few drops of blood and I can laugh it off. My cats on the other hand...they are the reason I keep gauze and band-aids stocked in the house...  |
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pizzano
Cave Dweller
Member since February 2018
Posts: 1,390
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Post by pizzano on Jul 18, 2020 20:20:28 GMT -5
Just thought I'd ask.......:
Lens and camera type.....?
Use a tripod....?
Flash composition......?
Appears you've been at this awhile.......really nice contrast and balance.......waiting for the next one..!
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Post by jasoninsd on Jul 18, 2020 21:10:21 GMT -5
That is an unbelievable picture! Very very cool!
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kyoti
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2020
Posts: 542
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Post by kyoti on Jul 19, 2020 8:39:17 GMT -5
Great composition! I especially like the exposure. Your python looks a bit...irritated. I'm guessing this was one of the biters?  Looking forward to seeing your other prints. I know what you mean about cats. Surgically sharp. |
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lordsorril
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since April 2020
Posts: 926
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Post by lordsorril on Jul 19, 2020 9:28:57 GMT -5
Just thought I'd ask.......:
Lens and camera type.....?
Use a tripod....?
Flash composition......?
Appears you've been at this awhile.......really nice contrast and balance.......waiting for the next one..!
Never hurts to ask questions! I don't mind because I don't have to answer them (if I don't want)  Camera type is an Olympus TG-5 Handheld. I went with the Tough handheld because it is waterproof and shockproof and I like to squeeze through caves and I've shattered or drowned every other camera I've owned. I don't really tinker with the settings other than to set up time lapses when thunderstorms roll through (the camera has 299 frame max time lapse limit-which is disappointing). I've had the camera for two years. With the amount of hits its taken I would totally buy another one without a second thought if it stopped working today. Thankfully it is still going. I don't use a tripod. Usually the snake is moving around so much that I have one hand hovering over them as I snap the photo with the other. For every photo I will post with a snake there about 30 photos where I am struggling with the snake or getting pure white-out from reflection on the stones...it is a juggling act. I don't know much about flash composition. I do know that I can't get good contrast if the room is brightly lit so I have to take the photos in the dark. The Vantablack absorbs so much light that depending upon the type of stone I have to use small LED flashlights arranged around the edges to add light. The only thing I've been doing for a long time is breeding ball pythons--everything else I'm still learning... |
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lordsorril
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since April 2020
Posts: 926
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Post by lordsorril on Jul 19, 2020 9:37:22 GMT -5
Great composition! I especially like the exposure. Your python looks a bit...irritated. I'm guessing this was one of the biters? Looking forward to seeing your other prints. I know what you mean about cats. Surgically sharp. Thank you! This ball python pictured is actually in a pretty docile pose. If the ball python has its head faced directly at the camera (so the infrared heat pits on their nose are faced forwards) then you can safely assume that they were not happy and wanted to make that clear. Most of the time the strike is a just a bluff and they have no intention of connecting. |
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lordsorril
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since April 2020
Posts: 926
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Post by lordsorril on Jul 19, 2020 9:39:34 GMT -5
That is an unbelievable picture! Very very cool! Thanks, not all of my pictures are great. Like all things: some of them are better than others... |
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Wooferhound
Cave Dweller
Lortone QT66 and 3A
Member since December 2016
Posts: 1,432
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Post by Wooferhound on Jul 19, 2020 10:00:42 GMT -5
Great composition! I especially like the exposure. Your python looks a bit...irritated. I'm guessing this was one of the biters? Looking forward to seeing your other prints. I know what you mean about cats. Surgically sharp. Thank you! This ball python pictured is actually in a pretty docile pose. If the ball python has its head faced directly at the camera (so the infrared heat pits on their nose are faced forwards) then you can safely assume that they were not happy and wanted to make that clear. Most of the time the strike is a just a bluff and they have no intention of connecting. I bet the Infrared Focus Lights on the camera are confusing the snake a bit.
Cameras are not so good at flash photography, I avoid it except when necessary. But the lighting can not be Soft/Defused if you want to show the reflections on the rocks. For best results use small point source lights that easily reflect from the rocks. My preferred method is to take the pictures outdoors in Full Sunlight, the ultimate point Source lighting. Plus like you, I use a black background to make the rocks stand out. Using a white background will generally fool the camera into using using a Dark Exposure.
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pizzano
Cave Dweller
Member since February 2018
Posts: 1,390
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Post by pizzano on Jul 19, 2020 11:50:29 GMT -5
Just thought I'd ask.......:
Lens and camera type.....?
Use a tripod....?
Flash composition......?
Appears you've been at this awhile.......really nice contrast and balance.......waiting for the next one..!
Never hurts to ask questions! I don't mind because I don't have to answer them (if I don't want) Camera type is an Olympus TG-5 Handheld. I went with the Tough handheld because it is waterproof and shockproof and I like to squeeze through caves and I've shattered or drowned every other camera I've owned. I don't really tinker with the settings other than to set up time lapses when thunderstorms roll through (the camera has 299 frame max time lapse limit-which is disappointing). I've had the camera for two years. With the amount of hits its taken I would totally buy another one without a second thought if it stopped working today. Thankfully it is still going. I don't use a tripod. Usually the snake is moving around so much that I have one hand hovering over them as I snap the photo with the other. For every photo I will post with a snake there about 30 photos where I am struggling with the snake or getting pure white-out from reflection on the stones...it is a juggling act. I don't know much about flash composition. I do know that I can't get good contrast if the room is brightly lit so I have to take the photos in the dark. The Vantablack absorbs so much light that depending upon the type of stone I have to use small LED flashlights arranged around the edges to add light. The only thing I've been doing for a long time is breeding ball pythons--everything else I'm still learning... Thanks for the info.....better buy another one soon, Olympus is getting out of the camera business. My son owns an older version of that model for shallow diving photo's. He still uses it now occasionally, but not for diving any longer. He's looking for another Olympus, I believe a TG-6, now that they could be hard to find new. He, like you, loves it. Great outdoor, roughing it, point and shoot camera.
Good work without a tripod.......I know the feeling with the multi shot taking and I use a pod when ever possible for stills. Nice thing about digital shooting, it can be done rapidly and easy to toss the dislikes.
Ya, contrast can be an issue with digital.....I have that problem all the time........lol.......you do well with that LED and background set-up.......!
Thanks for sharing......
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lordsorril
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since April 2020
Posts: 926
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Post by lordsorril on Jul 19, 2020 20:02:43 GMT -5
Photo #2 Two types of stones used.  |
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Post by hummingbirdstones on Jul 19, 2020 20:20:38 GMT -5
These pictures are way cool. What do you do first - arrange the stones or the snake? How long does it usually take to get the snake and the stones to behave to get a good shot?
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saxplayer
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since March 2018
Posts: 1,327
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Post by saxplayer on Jul 19, 2020 21:35:19 GMT -5
Crazy neat lol. I'll stick with my stones solo.
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lordsorril
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since April 2020
Posts: 926
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Post by lordsorril on Jul 20, 2020 6:45:21 GMT -5
These pictures are way cool. What do you do first - arrange the stones or the snake? How long does it usually take to get the snake and the stones to behave to get a good shot? Thank you, I arrange the stones first and then add the snake. Ball pythons are inherently slow and calm snakes, but, they do not like being in the open. If they are on your arm they are fine because they feel secure. If they are on a flat platform in the open they are very uncomfortable and instinctively want to flee to the nearest hiding spot. Every individual is different, but, I usually only have a window of 5-10 minutes at best before the snake becomes highly irritable. Males of the species definitely lose their tempers before the females do. I try to snap as many photos as possible before they panic and focus all their energy on escape/defense. Sometimes I get 100 photos and I pick one. Sometimes I get 5 photos and I pick none. Side story: The other day I was trying to take a photo with over 100 carefully placed garnets, it took me about 30 minutes to set them up in a geometric pattern. The snake that I was using for a subject was gravid (carrying eggs) so she was a bit cranky/uncomfortable and in the first 5 seconds of gently setting her down she immediately thrashed around in protest and knocked all my carefully placed stones everywhere on the floor. I ended up just loosely making another circle with the garnets and tossing in some sea jasper and imperial topaz for a bit of color... I'm not certain if I like the final photo---Total time spent: 2 hrs (including planning). Photos gathered: Maybe one--Maybe none.  |
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lordsorril
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since April 2020
Posts: 926
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Post by lordsorril on Jul 20, 2020 6:51:03 GMT -5
Crazy neat lol. I'll stick with my stones solo. Thank you, I know right. In 2001 I got my first ball python. I was terrified of snakes and thought it would be a good way for me to conquer my fear. It was winter and snowing outside and the pet store owner said that the best way to take it home was to carry it with me so that it would have my body heat. So I was thinking I would hold it. Instead the pet store owner opened up my heavy coat and stuck the snake in my inner breast pocket and then zipped my coat back up. I stood there frozen in sheer terror unable to move for like five minutes as the snake wiggled around freely inside the pocket in my coat. It was a long ride home... |
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Post by knave on Jul 20, 2020 7:05:18 GMT -5
VERY nice!! Thanks for all the hard work and all the beautiful pictures.
Evan
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Looking forward to seeing your other prints. I know what you mean about cats. Surgically sharp.
