@jamesstaddon, my grandma gave it to me, actually! I don’t know if there’s any family history behind it (in which case, it’d be an even better antique!).
I shot this in the dark with a single flash off camera to the right (autofocus was super painful to get right—I was using a flashlight and handholding my camera!).
Maybe I’d like to see a little fill-light on the left so the accordion design is more noticeable? Maybe it would help “lighten up” the heavy dark area on the left?
I want to say I actually had a reflector on that side to bounce back my flash… or maybe I didn’t… I can’t remember. That said, post processing could help there a little.
Also, the camera is pointing downward ever so slightly, which gives the impression that the viewer is looking down on it (which is true), which is the normal perspective we have on most things like this, so it’s not exactly a “unique” angle. I’d perhaps try getting more level with it, if not slightly looking up at it.
I love this piece of advice… I’ll definitely be keeping it in mind next time. I once read someone say that the shots of professionals are of the same locations and items that everybody else photographs but from an angle that no one else thinks of…
perhaps in post-processing, the round, metal circular thing above the lens is reflecting light and pretty bright, so maybe toning that down so it’s not as bright?
Ah, yes, the round metal circular thing… I actually toned that down about a stop already in post processing. Looks like I could give it a little more…
Thanks for the critiques!