Category: Tips

It’s a pleasure to work with a model that knows how to pose, and photographing the Bergara B-14 Ridge Rifle for my review in Predator Xtreme magazine was a pleasure. The gun’s a pro, both in front of the camera and on the firing line.
Maybe it’s just me, but the white/gray specks on a traditionally profiled black synthetic stock look very nice in photos. It’s better in person, take my word for it.
https://vimeo.com/252535259
Inspect that matte-blue finish on the barrel (threaded by the way) and receiver. It’s not uncommon to get guns in for testing, photography and magazine review that are blemished and scarred, but this one’s finish is crazy uniform and gorgeous. Of course, I’ve grown to expect that from Bergara, even when it sends a modestly priced model.
You can’t blame manufacturers for sending mechanically sound “seconds,” especially right now. Guns are selling fast, and you practically beg for models in an editor-requested chambering.
Competent gun writers also torture gear. That’s done out of respect for the hard-earned cash readers spend on gear. Final reviews should always indicate whether the product is a long-term investment, or a short-lived trend waiting to break. I’ve trashed more stuff in testing than tantrum-throwing toddlers in fine China shops.
Outdoor Backdrop
I’m probably alone in this, but I get tired of photos that have obviously been shot in the “studio. So, a lot of my lead photos are outdoors, where I cannot control everything. It’s where owners will be running their guns most of the time, anyway.
Obviously, when I was photographing the Bergara B-14 Ridge Rifle there was a lot of stuff I wish I could have moved. Those leaves at the bottom of the photo? Well, they’re distracting for sure. They were there, though, so they stayed even though Photoshop can remove them. And what about that stick to the left of them?
This image wasn’t quite good enough to send to the editor, but I still think it’s fun. The problems are some of the reasons we do not see a ton of photos photographed outdoors. Then add this year’s bumper crop of mosquitoes and ticks. I’ll spare you those horror stories during my headlamped stay in the woods.
B-14 Approach
After inspecting for snakes, I set up the rifle and camera tripod and ceremoniously doused myself in ineffective insect repellent. The camera was attached and height adjusted for this angle—not nearly as glamorous as the subsequent perspectives.
The final photo is a merge using the layering technique I described in this blog. Getting it done is more of a challenge outdoors, though. Tripods and guns move slightly between takes, settling into the leaves and dirt during the process.
Pocket Wizards triggered the flashes remotely. What you see above is more than two dozen images and I deleted another dozen because of that movement/shake/settling/mosquito swats.
Was it worth all the effort? I sort of think so, but let me know what you think. Should I just delete this photo or hang onto it?