Oriental Carving

[Fogey]

I've been playing around with the camera, using light from an Ipad together with a very slow shutter speed to get different effects.

This carving sits in a sealed glass cabinet and It took a deal of post processing to remove the reflected light from the cabinet glass.

 

 

[Denis]

I think your hard work turned out well Jeff, it looks very impressive

[Fogey]

Thank you Denis. 

I often sit and admire this carving, although it wasn't until I examined the photograph I realised the detail of the original as this is double the size.

[Clicker]

I  really like this Fogey ... what is it carved from ? I can imagine the  problems you will have faced with the glass so well done on solving  them with your processing .... I wonder if you would venture to show us what it looks like in the  sealed case and with something relative  to show  show the size that it is .. I think that may make the way you have overcome the challenge even more impressive . It really  is such a beautiful delicate piece of work.

[Kobione]

Beautiful carving Fogey, and your method shows it off really well.

[Fogey]

I have no idea what it's carved from, Polly.  I shrink from the thought of ivory, but at a guess I would say some wood indigenous to either China or Japan.

Upon closer examination the trees appear to have been carved separately, as does the pagoda and island it sits on.  Nevertheless, I stand in jaw dropping awe of the skill of the artist that carved this. 

[Fogey]

1 hour ago, Kobione said:

Beautiful carving Fogey, and your method shows it off really well.

Thank you Kobione.
The lighting turned out to be very interesting, as it depended on how close to the subject the light was and how many passes I made with the I-pad.  The resulting effects were in my mind's eye only, as the ambient light remained very dim throughout the exposure.
 

It was only when the exposure was finished could I see the effects of the cumulative lighting.

[Fogey]

4 hours ago, Clicker said:

I  really like this Fogey ... what is it carved from ? I can imagine the  problems you will have faced with the glass so well done on solving  them with your processing .... I wonder if you would venture to show us what it looks like in the  sealed case and with something relative  to show  show the size that it is .. I think that may make the way you have overcome the challenge even more impressive . It really  is such a beautiful delicate piece of work.

Here is the carving in its cabinet.

[Clicker]

Thanks Fogey ... it all adds context for me ... it is, as you say, a stunning feat of craftsmanship and probably pretty delicate too so the sealed cabinet is ideal to keep it in ... mint condition eh?..
 Sorry ...couldn’t resist that

[Clicker]

It's the way I  tell 'em......

A bit of research shows it may well be  carved from wood from the cork tree... I just googled oriental  carvings in sealed glass case ... I thought it may be soapstone at first  but it does look like there are, what may be,  knot  hole markings . The ubiquitous  eB*y have got a number   for sale ... 

[Fogey]

I think you've hit the nail on the head there, Polly.

[Clicker]

That's lucky then ..I usually hit my thumb !