[motteatoj]

Prepping a photo light box for some high-res detailed sax pictures, I am wanting to solve what may be an 'age old' question....

What ways can you prop a saxophone so it is the least blocked by stands, the floor/table, the 'lean on something', etc?
I envision a way a sax can essentially 'stand up' on its own (or look as close to that as possile).
OK, straight saxes - solved essentially, all others, not so much.

What I am currently designing/trying....
I am thinking about a system of four small, adjustable tension bungee cords going to the corners of the light box pole suuports, with fishing line to the sax itself near the neck to hold in "balance", vs. some sort of stand or base. Using the adjustable bungees might help keep just the right amount of tension in each direction to keep things stable for the shoot.

What have folks tried, what works, what doesn't? ... if anything

 

[turf3]

Monofilament fishing line.

 

[Dr G]

Monofilament fishing line.

... tied to a sky hook.

 

[pontius]

use the force

 

[Dr G]

use the force

Nah, magnets don't work.

 

[Guto]

Monofilament fishing line.

Yes! look at how usahorn uses a fishing line looped around the neck screw to hang their saxes for pictures. That's probably the least blocking picture you can take.

 

[Dr G]

I miss saxmanpete’s images of vintage Selmers balanced on a balcony handrail. That was some exciting stuff!

 

[AddictedToSax]

It would be easy to clone out a monofilament fishing line in Lightroom, Photoshop or any other photo processing software.

 

[Reet McVouty]

USA Horn has been doing this for years. USA Horn, Inc.

 

[datsaxman]

Problem solved!

 

[Dr G]

Problem solved!

Several times - posts 2,6, 8, and 9.

This message brought to you by the Department of Repetitive Redundancy Department - soon to have a new acting Secretary.

 

[motteatoj]

So I am clear, I use one strand of monofilament fishing line for each response?

 

[Guto]

use one to hang the sax, the other three to build a safety net under it. good luck!

 

[Dr G]

So I am clear, I use one strand of monofilament fishing line for each response?

That depends on the strength of your fishing line, and whether you are happy with the angle of hanging it from a single point.

Looking forward to seeing your horn art!

 

[motteatoj]

My plan is not to hang but to support straight up and down and let the floor support the majority of the weight, as I doubt the photo box can support anything above an soprano mid air.
As soon as they send me the parts that were MISSING! in the box I can get my act together and start snapping some pics.

 

[AddictedToSax]

In that case, use some of that putty people use to prop up plates. In my part of the world they call it earthquake putty.

 

[Mark Fleming]

Here's a picture from U.S.A. Horn were you can see the fishing line. It is hung from the neck screw, which on "The Martin" is actually on the neck crook, not the main body of the saxophone. Kind of a scary situation to be torquing on the neck screw like that, but then it's on a "The Martin" and not one of Martin's better models.

Mark

 

[motteatoj]

In that case, use some of that putty people use to prop up plates. In my part of the world they call it earthquake putty.

View attachment 5353

I would worry the moment arm force of larger saxes would get the best of this putty, but this is cool stuff for another project I have, thanks!
I like the fishing line idea. My first idea was 4 lines to each corner post of the photo box, but now I will go up instead like USA horn, but allowing the horn to rest on the bottom/floor and only needing the fishing line to stop the tipping forces.

 

[DavidW]

I've seen plenty of school saxes that set up just fine. You just need a large enough dent in the bottom bow

 

[soybean]

Whatever you do, don’t use flash.