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Jeremiah Swanger




Location: Central PA
Joined: 20 Feb 2004
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Posts: 556

PostPosted: Tue 28 Sep, 2004 11:48 am    Post subject: Good review: Templar         Reply with quote

I really enjoyed the review of the Templar by Albion Armorers. Is it just me, or does the sword look much better in the review than it does on Albion's website?

The point looks longer, the blade looks slimmer, and the fuller looks better-defined...

Anyway, I can say that I eagerly anticipate these reviews with the monthly updates. Most of them seem to be objective and stringent without being snobbish or degrading to the manufacturer's efforts.

This site is easily one of the most useful, in terms of new sword buyers, what to expect, etc.

"Rhaegar fought nobly.
Rhaegar fought valiantly.
Rhaegar fought honorably.
And Rhaegar died."

- G.R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire
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Nathan Robinson
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PostPosted: Tue 28 Sep, 2004 11:51 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Jeremiah, thank you so much for the comments.

You hit a few things on the head there. Your mention of being "objective and stringent without being snobbish or degrading to the manufacturer's efforts" is exactly the line I'm trying to walk. It's an interesting thing publishing these reviews.

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Patrick Kelly




Location: Wichita, Kansas
Joined: 17 Aug 2003
Reading list: 42 books

Spotlight topics: 2
Posts: 5,739

PostPosted: Tue 28 Sep, 2004 12:07 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Thanks for the feedback Jeramiah.

As I've said before, half the fun of this hobby is sharing it with others. It's really nice to hear that our readers find value in our efforts.

"In valor there is hope.".................. Tacitus
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Chad Arnow
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PostPosted: Tue 28 Sep, 2004 12:11 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Jeremiah,
Let me add my thanks for the kind words as well. I have to give "props," as they say, to Nathan for making my photos look as nice as he makes them look. Happy The Templar is a cool sword for sure!

Happy

ChadA

http://chadarnow.com/
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Jeremiah Swanger




Location: Central PA
Joined: 20 Feb 2004
Likes: 1 page

Posts: 556

PostPosted: Tue 28 Sep, 2004 12:49 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Chad Arnow wrote:
Jeremiah,
Let me add my thanks for the kind words as well. I have to give "props," as they say, to Nathan for making my photos look as nice as he makes them look. Happy The Templar is a cool sword for sure!


For sure! I think the Templar is the most elegant Xa/XI I've ever seen. Everything about its lines just "work"... I can't think of any other way to explain it...

As for Nathan and Patrick, you guys have put forth what is probably one of the best-orchestrated efforts on the web to educate new sword collectors and practitioners. I've cited this website virtually every time I get into a discussion with one of my friends about antique and reproduction arms and armor.

"Rhaegar fought nobly.
Rhaegar fought valiantly.
Rhaegar fought honorably.
And Rhaegar died."

- G.R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire
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Roger Hooper




Location: Northern California
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PostPosted: Tue 28 Sep, 2004 1:23 pm    Post subject: Re: Good review         Reply with quote

Jeremiah Swanger wrote:
I really enjoyed the review of the Templar by Albion Armorers. Is it just me, or does the sword look much better in the review than it does on Albion's website?



Albion's photos are pretty good, but in general, sword photos on sellers' websites are somewhat lacking, which is too bad, considering that we seldom see them in the flesh before we buy them. They are better than they used to be.

However, no one comes close to Nathan's efforts in photographing a sword in all its clarity.
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Gabriel Stevens




Location: St. Louis
Joined: 02 Oct 2003

Posts: 145

PostPosted: Tue 28 Sep, 2004 4:46 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Yes this site have been wonderful. Wish I had more to contribute but I'm glad I can come here to learn and admire....
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Chad Arnow
myArmoury Team


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PostPosted: Fri 01 Oct, 2004 2:29 pm    Post subject: Re: Good review         Reply with quote

Roger Hooper wrote:
Albion's photos are pretty good, but in general, sword photos on sellers' websites are somewhat lacking, which is too bad, considering that we seldom see them in the flesh before we buy them. They are better than they used to be.

However, no one comes close to Nathan's efforts in photographing a sword in all its clarity.


Yep, Nathan is truly the photography master around here. I thought my photos in the Templar review turned out pretty well (especially after Nathan's color and brightness corrections), but I'm still way behind Nathan's ability to turn out top-quality photos. Light years behind, in fact.

Some day I hope to take photos like his......

Happy

ChadA

http://chadarnow.com/
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Patrick Kelly




Location: Wichita, Kansas
Joined: 17 Aug 2003
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PostPosted: Fri 01 Oct, 2004 2:51 pm    Post subject: Re: Good review         Reply with quote

Chad Arnow wrote:
Roger Hooper wrote:
Albion's photos are pretty good, but in general, sword photos on sellers' websites are somewhat lacking, which is too bad, considering that we seldom see them in the flesh before we buy them. They are better than they used to be.

However, no one comes close to Nathan's efforts in photographing a sword in all its clarity.


Yep, Nathan is truly the photography master around here. I thought my photos in the Templar review turned out pretty well (especially after Nathan's color and brightness corrections), but I'm still way behind Nathan's ability to turn out top-quality photos. Light years behind, in fact.

Some day I hope to take photos like his......


Consider yourself lucky. I'm still stuck in the stone age with the 35mm. It took me two rolls of film to come up with decent pics for my latest review. My photos look embarrassing next to Nathan's. I have to get a digital!

"In valor there is hope.".................. Tacitus
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Chad Arnow
myArmoury Team


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PostPosted: Fri 01 Oct, 2004 3:02 pm    Post subject: Re: Good review         Reply with quote

Patrick Kelly wrote:
Consider yourself lucky. I'm still stuck in the stone age with the 35mm. It took me two rolls of film to come up with decent pics for my latest review. My photos look embarrassing next to Nathan's. I have to get a digital!


I hope you get a better digital than mine. Happy It's a couple of years old now, and wasn't top of the line even when it was new. It works okay, but not as well as I'd like sometimes.

By the way, just when I thought I had my photo lighting situation pretty well in hand, one of my lights crapped out. Not the bulb, the whole light. Cry

Happy

ChadA

http://chadarnow.com/
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Jean Thibodeau




Location: Montreal,Quebec,Canada
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PostPosted: Fri 01 Oct, 2004 8:37 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Yes you can do a lot to bring out the best in a picture with photoshop (What I know well, at least the older photoshop 5 version, still trying getting used to photoshop 7)

It's a bit Like CSI finding & enhancing the information that is already there. Naturally a good pict to start with helps a lot.

If you want good results photographing swords avoid flashes if you can as the results will be totaly a question of luck.

Soft lighting is the way to go: Think of it as painting with light.

Oh, and the reviews are very much appreciated. Thanks Chad.

On a personnal note: My 84 year old mother is in the hospital and any good thoughts or prayers would be appreciated!
My appologies for bringing forward a personnal problem, thanks all.

You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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Brian M




Location: Austin, TX
Joined: 01 Oct 2003

Posts: 500

PostPosted: Mon 11 Oct, 2004 9:15 am    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Great review of the Templar.
I also think Albion would benefit by re-shooting some of their swords. Some of the pictures are excellent as they are, and some are not. The Regent, for example, is not done justice by the pic on the main catalogue page.

I do hope your mother recovers, Jean.

Brian M
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Jean Thibodeau




Location: Montreal,Quebec,Canada
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PostPosted: Mon 11 Oct, 2004 6:55 pm    Post subject:         Reply with quote

Brian;

Thanks for the the good wishes, she has an overactive thyroid and it seems that she will recover, thankfully all the other stuff they tought it might be, like cancer, turned out negative. She is still weak and will need some therapy to build up her strenght.
Note: I realise that this forum is not for this type of personnal stuff and I appreciate any prayers by people who read my earlier post, but It is not nescessary or usefull to clutter up the forum with replies. I will assume that all those reading about my Mom at least had a good passing thought about it.

BACK ON TOPIC: I also think that better quality photos would do better justice to the Albion products: Have any of you noticed that "Mercenarys' Taylor" photos definitly don't do the product justice, there is one photo of the "Conical Spangenhelm" that looks different and much better than the rest of the photos, it makes it look much more appealling than the other photos!

I suspect that the entire product line looks this good when photographed the same way. (Better lighting with a warm grey cast.)

You can easily give up your freedom. You have to fight hard to get it back!
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