7) Photograph Your Knife

Knife photos can be challenging because the blade and other metallic surfaces are reflective.  Flash photos can make your knife appear one dimensional and may not capture the knife well due to glare.  Contour changes of the blade are not always well defined for a flash photo so experiment with external lighting if it is available.  This can be a shop light softened by positioning it behind a shear fabric or bouncing the light off a bright white surface to shine towards your knife.   Set your camera on aperture priority setting to ensure a long exposure for the shutter.  The camera will need to be on a tripod to guard against camera shake resulting in a blurred image.


When strobe or external lighting is not available, consider taking the photos outside in the early morning light or late evening.  Direct sunlight is not desirable but an overcast or cloudy day can offer soft light conditions for taking great photos of your knife.  In addition, the outdoor backdrops often compliment the knife and add interest to the photo. 

Experiment with angles for both the position of the blade and the lens.  It can be difficult to find a position where the blade does not reflect the image or outline of a nearby object, but with a little patience you can display the blade with good lines and contour.