The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Custom Shop

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #301  
Old 10-23-2018, 04:40 AM
Mark Hatcher's Avatar
Mark Hatcher Mark Hatcher is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Green Mountains
Posts: 4,858
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by ruby50 View Post
Mark

Your work is stunning, but a close second is your photography. Care to share any tips?? Camera? Lighting?

Thanks for the thread

Ed
Thanks Ed,

I don’t know where you are now experience wise so I’m going to be general with my photo tips. First, any automatic feature used when taking guitar photos is your enemy: auto focus, auto exposure, white balance, jpeg files, and auto flash control all want you to take mediocre pictures. Turn it all off and do everything manually. Never, ever use an on camera flash. Always use a tripod and a polarized filter.
Look at pictures you really like and figure out how they did it, especially the composition, field of focus, and lighting. The biggest challenge I find is digital cameras have a very small range of acceptable exposure. The range is too small to handle a light spruce top and a dark rosewood side so you either light those surfaces separately or decide which one you want to expose correctly or worst case scenario, try to fix it in post.

I hope that’s helpful!
Mark
__________________
Mark Hatcher
www.hatcherguitars.com


“Let me make the songs of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws.”. Andrew Fletcher
Reply With Quote
  #302  
Old 10-23-2018, 05:00 AM
ruby50 ruby50 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Eastern Shore MD
Posts: 579
Default

Mark

It is - thanks

Ed
Reply With Quote
  #303  
Old 10-23-2018, 09:53 AM
Carey Carey is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Los Osos, CA
Posts: 840
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Hatcher View Post
Thanks Ed,

I don’t know where you are now experience wise so I’m going to be general with my photo tips. First, any automatic feature used when taking guitar photos is your enemy: auto focus, auto exposure, white balance, jpeg files, and auto flash control all want you to take mediocre pictures. Turn it all off and do everything manually. Never, ever use an on camera flash. Always use a tripod and a polarized filter.
Look at pictures you really like and figure out how they did it, especially the composition, field of focus, and lighting. The biggest challenge I find is digital cameras have a very small range of acceptable exposure. The range is too small to handle a light spruce top and a dark rosewood side so you either light those surfaces separately or decide which one you want to expose correctly or worst case scenario, try to fix it in post.

I hope that’s helpful!
Mark
Thanks for this post. Very helpful.
Reply With Quote
  #304  
Old 10-23-2018, 11:03 AM
SJ VanSandt SJ VanSandt is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Posts: 2,124
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark Hatcher View Post
I thought I should bring a base priced small jumbo. It will give me something to point at when I talk about what my base price gets you:

Wow, base price gets you a whole lot of gorgeous! I agree with everyone else about your photos being as beautiful as your guitars, Mark. One day I'll get up there to see your art work in person.
__________________
Hatcher Woodsman, Collings 0002H, Stella Grand Concert
Reply With Quote
  #305  
Old 10-24-2018, 05:05 AM
Mark Hatcher's Avatar
Mark Hatcher Mark Hatcher is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Green Mountains
Posts: 4,858
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by ruby50 View Post
Mark

It is - thanks

Ed
Quote:
Originally Posted by Carey View Post
Thanks for this post. Very helpful.
Great! Glad that was helpful. I forgot to say guitars are excellent models and can sit still for long periods of time while you work out the details

Quote:
Originally Posted by SJ VanSandt View Post
Wow, base price gets you a whole lot of gorgeous! I agree with everyone else about your photos being as beautiful as your guitars, Mark. One day I'll get up there to see your art work in person.
Thanks SJ VanSandt, it’s an ongoing process deciding what to include or not include in my base price. I think it’s important that my guitars are recognizable as Hatcher Guitars but, at the same time I’m quick to change up traditional trademarks like headstock and bridge styles. Also, as time goes by, I find certain models should just come with particular features so Josie comes with a sound port, Penelope comes with an elevated fretboard. I decided to use other features to hold the look of Hatcher Guitars together so there are a lot of features included in the base price. It’s like bands. Good bands can play a pretty wide variety of songs but, great bands can play a lot of variety yet, somehow, they do this without losing their identity.
__________________
Mark Hatcher
www.hatcherguitars.com


“Let me make the songs of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws.”. Andrew Fletcher
Reply With Quote
  #306  
Old 10-24-2018, 03:12 PM
Zandit75 Zandit75 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: Penguin, Tasmania, OZ
Posts: 1,253
Default

Everything's already been said Mark, these guitars are simply stunning!!
__________________
1995 Maton EM725C - Solid 'A' Spruce Top, QLD Walnut B&S, AP5 Pickup
2018 Custom Built OM - Silver Quandong Top, Aussie Blackwood B&S, Fishman Matrix Infinity Mic Blend Pickup
2021 Faith Neptune Baritone - Solid Englemann Spruce Top, Solid Indonesian Rosewood B&S, Fishman INK3 Pickup
2022 Yamaha SLG200S Silent Guitar
Reply With Quote
  #307  
Old 10-25-2018, 08:02 AM
Mark Hatcher's Avatar
Mark Hatcher Mark Hatcher is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Green Mountains
Posts: 4,858
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Zandit75 View Post
Everything's already been said Mark, these guitars are simply stunning!!
Thanks Zandit75, I’m all packed up and will be driving down to Woodstock shortly. I’m looking forward to the reaction I get from a new audience and catching up with a lot of friends.

Mark
__________________
Mark Hatcher
www.hatcherguitars.com


“Let me make the songs of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws.”. Andrew Fletcher
Reply With Quote
  #308  
Old 10-25-2018, 09:18 AM
ukejon ukejon is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Milwaukee
Posts: 6,603
Default

Have a great time and post some pics.
__________________
My YouTube Page:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ukejon



2014 Pono N30 DC EIR/Spruce crossover
2009 Pono koa parlor (NAMM prototype)
2018 Maton EBG808TEC
2014 Hatcher Greta 13 fret cutaway in EIR/cedar
2017 Hatcher Josie fan fret mahogany
1973 Sigma GCR7 (OM model) rosewood and spruce
2014 Rainsong OM1000N2
....and about 5 really nice tenor ukuleles at any given moment
Reply With Quote
  #309  
Old 10-25-2018, 09:33 AM
Guitars44me's Avatar
Guitars44me Guitars44me is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Mountains east of San Diego
Posts: 7,370
Smile Have a BLAST

Have a great time and may you sell them all! They certainly deserve it!!!

Thanks for the photo tips. And I agree about guitars being very patient models.

We might be in a hurry but they can hold still as long as needed.

All the best in Woodstock!!!

Paul
__________________
3 John Kinnaird SS 12c CUSTOMS:
Big Maple/Cedar Dread
Jumbo Spanish Cedar/WRC
Jumbo OLD Brazilian RW/WRC

R.T 2 12c sinker RW/Claro
96 422ce bought new!
96 LKSM 12
552ce 12x12

J. Stepick Bari Weissy WRC/Walnut

More
Reply With Quote
  #310  
Old 10-25-2018, 09:40 AM
Guitars44me's Avatar
Guitars44me Guitars44me is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Mountains east of San Diego
Posts: 7,370
Smile What Zandit75 said....

"]Djhddthbdxghhsbfwscskstgzjdidjdbwffsjhvggdndidn"


Sorry, just wiping the drool off my keyboard!!!![/QUOTE]


No kidding! Egads and GADZOOKS...

So beautiful

Cheers

Paul
__________________
3 John Kinnaird SS 12c CUSTOMS:
Big Maple/Cedar Dread
Jumbo Spanish Cedar/WRC
Jumbo OLD Brazilian RW/WRC

R.T 2 12c sinker RW/Claro
96 422ce bought new!
96 LKSM 12
552ce 12x12

J. Stepick Bari Weissy WRC/Walnut

More
Reply With Quote
  #311  
Old 10-25-2018, 02:54 PM
Mark Hatcher's Avatar
Mark Hatcher Mark Hatcher is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Green Mountains
Posts: 4,858
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by ukejon View Post
Have a great time and post some pics.
Thanks ukejon, I’ll take some pics but, I don’t think I’ll be able to post them until just after the show.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Guitars44me View Post
Have a great time and may you sell them all! They certainly deserve it!!!

Thanks for the photo tips. And I agree about guitars being very patient models.

We might be in a hurry but they can hold still as long as needed.

All the best in Woodstock!!!

Paul
Quote:
Originally Posted by Guitars44me View Post
"]Djhddthbdxghhsbfwscskstgzjdidjdbwffsjhvggdndidn"


Sorry, just wiping the drool off my keyboard!!!!

No kidding! Egads and GADZOOKS...

So beautiful

Cheers

Paul[/QUOTE]

Thank you Paul!
__________________
Mark Hatcher
www.hatcherguitars.com


“Let me make the songs of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws.”. Andrew Fletcher
Reply With Quote
  #312  
Old 10-26-2018, 07:18 PM
mikealpine's Avatar
mikealpine mikealpine is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 6,107
Default

I was fortunate enough to play the Woodstock guitars today. Each is wonderful in its own way. The biggest surprise to me was the olive wood guitar. It was small, not my usual cup of tea for that alone. Sometimes small guitars either feel like they are not quite a "real" guitar, or they simply feel too cramped for me to be comfortable, in spite of my 5' 5" in height and trim build. And I like a bold sound, which I have not found to be typical in smaller instruments. The olive wood guitar was none of that. It was much louder than I expected, easy to get some good volume without having to beat on it. It was sweet and full sounding. And it was very comfortable, enough that I could get lost with that guitar on a couch for hours and not get tired. I mentioned this to Mark and he explained much about the design, the elevated fretboard allowing for a different kind of geometry that gives the player some elbow room. Whatever it was, it was terrific. I also loved the base-model Josie, but the standout for me, my playing style and my voice was the spruce-topped Penelope. I found myself saying I could play and sing with that guitar all day. It had great bass, really lush and clear trebles, just enough in the middle to let you know it was there. I sing in the middle, and didn't feel like I had to compete with the guitar to be heard.

It was great to see Mark and his wife, both very special people. Easy conversation, an education on some of Mark's design/build philosophies and easy laughter.
__________________
---------------------------------------

2013 Joel Stehr Dreadnought - Carpathian/Malaysian BW
2014 RainSong H-OM1000N2
2017 Rainsong BI-WS1000N2
2013 Chris Ensor Concert - Port Orford Cedar/Wenge
1980ish Takamine EF363 complete with irreplaceable memories
A bunch of electrics (too many!!)
Reply With Quote
  #313  
Old 10-27-2018, 07:47 PM
Mark Hatcher's Avatar
Mark Hatcher Mark Hatcher is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Green Mountains
Posts: 4,858
Post

Quote:
Originally Posted by mikealpine View Post
I was fortunate enough to play the Woodstock guitars today. Each is wonderful in its own way. The biggest surprise to me was the olive wood guitar. It was small, not my usual cup of tea for that alone. Sometimes small guitars either feel like they are not quite a "real" guitar, or they simply feel too cramped for me to be comfortable, in spite of my 5' 5" in height and trim build. And I like a bold sound, which I have not found to be typical in smaller instruments. The olive wood guitar was none of that. It was much louder than I expected, easy to get some good volume without having to beat on it. It was sweet and full sounding. And it was very comfortable, enough that I could get lost with that guitar on a couch for hours and not get tired. I mentioned this to Mark and he explained much about the design, the elevated fretboard allowing for a different kind of geometry that gives the player some elbow room. Whatever it was, it was terrific. I also loved the base-model Josie, but the standout for me, my playing style and my voice was the spruce-topped Penelope. I found myself saying I could play and sing with that guitar all day. It had great bass, really lush and clear trebles, just enough in the middle to let you know it was there. I sing in the middle, and didn't feel like I had to compete with the guitar to be heard.

It was great to see Mark and his wife, both very special people. Easy conversation, an education on some of Mark's design/build philosophies and easy laughter.
Thanks for stopping by yesterday Mike! It was great to catch up and see you again. I thought you would lean toward the Ebony guitar because, well, I knew you liked Ebony guitars but, I now have a better understanding of why. The Ebony guitar is stronger in the highs and lows compared with the Olivewood guitar which stronger in the mids and fundamentals. Same guitar model different woods and voicing strategy. People very quickly gravitate to one or the other. Usually their playing style seems to determine which way they will go. With you it’s what matches with your singing.
It’s been educational for me to see/hear so many different folks in rapid succession playing my four very different sounding quitars and sharing their preferences. What I find so interesting is the guitar that sounds best to me when an individual is trying all four in a row is usually the one that they like the best too.
Lesson learned might be, be slow to take advice from someone else about how a guitar sounds unless you know first that their playing style is identical to yours!
__________________
Mark Hatcher
www.hatcherguitars.com


“Let me make the songs of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws.”. Andrew Fletcher

Last edited by Mark Hatcher; 10-28-2018 at 05:12 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #314  
Old 10-28-2018, 09:56 PM
CoolerKing's Avatar
CoolerKing CoolerKing is offline
FKA matthewpartrick :)
 
Join Date: May 2013
Location: North Havana
Posts: 5,344
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by SJ VanSandt View Post
Wow, base price gets you a whole lot of gorgeous! I agree with everyone else about your photos being as beautiful as your guitars, Mark. One day I'll get up there to see your art work in person.
I second that emotion!
Reply With Quote
  #315  
Old 10-29-2018, 03:12 PM
Mark Hatcher's Avatar
Mark Hatcher Mark Hatcher is offline
AGF Sponsor
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Green Mountains
Posts: 4,858
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by matthewpartrick View Post
I second that emotion!
Thanks Matthew, Back home now and back in the shop. The show was wonderful!




My wife Karen was in there helping me out. She was getting her guitar talk chops down. Friday night we attended a get together for a Lifetime Award presentation to Linda Manzer. Karen was very taken with the wonderful sense of community in the room and now has a better understanding of one of the many ways I love being a luthier.
__________________
Mark Hatcher
www.hatcherguitars.com


“Let me make the songs of a nation, and I care not who makes its laws.”. Andrew Fletcher
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Custom Shop

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:28 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=