Macro shots of Knights armor - Updated with more pics

I'm in the UK & Paris for a month and today we went to Les Invalides, the Military Museum and Tomb of Napoleon. It is without doubt the most extensive military museum I've ever been to ranging from knights up to present day uniforms.

As I was wandered around, it struck me how extremely detailed all the knights stuff was which got me thinking.. Macro shots on all the minor details which you kinda just easily gloss over and walk past.

Go easy on me.. these are straight out of the camera and no post.. straight raw-jpg.. This was a tough shoot.. all very dimly lit with next to no lighting and through glass.. pretty much all the shots are @ 25600 iso/f4/20th sec..

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*cue Game of Thrones theme song*

Number 1 is my favourite only because of the eagle being center of focus.

2 & 3 would've been better with more symmetry.

 

yeah... they all need a good post to clean them up but all things considered, not bad straight out of the camera..

I do have no 2 as a more symmetrical but liked it better off centre...

 

They put so much detail into them. Wonder if they had 2 sets ( one ceremonial and another less ornate set for battle )

Thanks for sharing them

 

ISO25600?!

Curious at a 100 crop on one of the details.

 

the only memory card failure I've EVER had was after spending the morning at Les Invalides, and up the Eiffel Tower

 

And some more... very quick edit in lightroom on a netbook so colours may be totally wrong..

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Vladdo your shots are wonderful. I'm no expert or even an amateur photographer. I just point and shoot things I like.

I visited the Les Invalides in 2011 but all I had was a cannon Ixus 80 which, did what I needed it to do but your shots for me, really bring out the beauty and workmanship of each piece.

Thank you for posting these for others to enjoy.

Cheers,

 

Nice photos - definitely some intricate detail there!

I've always liked this one, from the Tower of London. King Henry the 8th was a modest chap - lol

 

The level of detail worked in to the pieces is outstanding..
Good photo work, considering the conditions.

 

Incredible amount of detailed and highly skilled craftsmanship, especially for something which was just going to end up being belted with a lump of steel by some unappreciative buffoon on the battlefield.

Pretty sensational photos given the conditions.

 

Wow, I'm really impressed. I really had no idea that there was any detail like this in armor. I always assumed it was just plain.

Nice job, under the circumstances and ISO25600, that's impressive. My camera would have exploded at that ISO.

 

Lovely set. Really love the details in them. I'm guessing most of these are ceremonial armor. So they won't see any combat. The high ISO isn't really apparent in most photos except for a few photos. Most visible in photo 9.

 

Echoing the amazing detail comments!

I'd imagine this level of detail was only affordable to the elite few.

 

You would really want to hope so. Imagine being in the middle of a fight and getting a dent; 'Mate, watch the filigree do you mind, that's quality craftsmanship there, now I'm going to have to get that beaten out thanks a lot for nothing'.

 

THanks all for the nice comments.. As soon as I saw the detail in the suits, I knew I had to try to capture that very essence. Sadly I have only a slow lense with me, a 24-105/f4 so its not really suited to low light but made do with what I had..

You cannot believe how many suits of armor they had in the gallery. There must've been 100+ suits, all like it was made yesterday and in pristine condition.

And yes, Gibbon.. that suit of henry the 8th at tower of london is a laugh.. No wonder he had 6 wives, probably wore them all out with his constant wood..