New to marbles, already in love

[sprchik]

Hi there all!!

 

This might be a weird story, LOL -- on how I just became interested in marbles. I was on YouTube, and came across a video of marbles racing downhill on a sand track. With commentary like they were race cars. 🤣 I LOVED it! I went to the person's channel, and there was a WHOLE SERIES of marble racing, and marble Olympics, LOL, it was all quite entertaining actually! I really liked watching the sand racing. 

 

And as I'm looking at these racing marbles, I'm thinking "Man, some of those are really kinda pretty!" and so I start looking up marbles, marbles for sale, marble forums, marble-making on YouTube... and holy cow, they are just SO GORGEOUS! Like mini works of art.

 

Handmade ones are really neat, and I think it's super cool to see them being made... but I've fallen for the machine made marbles. I just cannot stop looking at them. 

 

I don't have any marbles in-hand yet... but I've ordered some. Half vintage, half modern. Whatever looked super petty to me, looked like I could stare at them for days on end. 

 

And browsing eBay was a mistake. 🤣🤣🤣

There are SO MANY GORGEOUS MARBLES out there!!! I have like 4 bids in on individual marbles right now... I don't care if they are actually vintage or not, I am in love with them, LOL! 

 

Have been browsing this forum (and other sites) the past 3 days, trying to learn how to ID. But I think I'll definitely have to invest in a few books soon! And hopefully go to a nearby-ish show to see awesome marbles in person and learn what I can from others.

 

Anyhoo... thus begins my love affair with marbles I guess. 🤣 

 

sprchik ("superchick")

[Steph]

Hi superchick!

You probably saw Jelle's youtube channel.  He sometimes posts here. @YellowMarble

Welcome to our world!  

[sprchik]

Yes indeed it was Jelle! Sorry I intended to mention that, LOL. I subscribed to the channel, I really love it. 

 

And thanks! 😀

[Mikie_T]

Welcome!

Lots of beautiful marble pictures here. I love to to browse through the threads in "Steph's study hall"..... Some real beauties there!

Mike

 

[sprchik]

5 hours ago, Mikie_T said:

Welcome!

Lots of beautiful marble pictures here. I love to to browse through the threads in "Steph's study hall"..... Some real beauties there!

Mike

 

Thanks! And ooooh heck yeah, I'm absolutely loving the study hall!! Those "Mostly pix" threads have me drooling. 

[sprchik]

After 3 days of wondering what the heck "HTF" means, I think I just finally got it from context clues -- someone please confirm for me it means "Hard To Find"??? 

[Steph]

Yes.   

[sprchik]

Thanks for the confirmation Steph!

 

I should be getting my first marble mail in a few days. Looking forward to getting pics and sharing -- and likely asking for help with IDing some. 

[Mikie_T]

15 hours ago, sprchik said:

 

I should be getting my first marble mail in a few days. Looking forward to getting pics and sharing -- and likely asking for help with IDing some. 

I'm not even beginning to say you don't know how to take pictures....BUT.... make sure you get a good clear picture you can blow-up so the detail of your marbles show really well. When the experts put "the chicken eye" on your marbles, they will need good details for a positive ID.

(Just my $.02 on that subject...... I know I have a hard time getting good pictures with my phone. I need to use a good camera with a good macro setting more often than I do now)

Mike

 

[sprchik]

5 hours ago, Mikie_T said:

I'm not even beginning to say you don't know how to take pictures....BUT.... make sure you get a good clear picture you can blow-up so the detail of your marbles show really well. When the experts put "the chicken eye" on your marbles, they will need good details for a positive ID.

(Just my $.02 on that subject...... I know I have a hard time getting good pictures with my phone. I need to use a good camera with a good macro setting more often than I do now)

Mike

 

Haha, I understand. I've seen a lot of frustrating pictures posted online already! If I can't get a clear, focused picture, I won't post it. Y'all won't get any pics where it's focused on the background under the marble from me. 

 

And I recall reading that a macro lens/setting might not be the best for photographing marbles? Because it'll focus on one part and leave the rest of it out of focus? 

 

I don't have a macro lens, but I do have a macro setting on my camera (Canon EOS Rebel SL1) -- but honestly I'll be trying my phone (Samsung Galaxy S8) first, because my only computer is an ancient laptop that runs SOOOOO SLOOOOW..... and I probably haven't opened it in about a year now. But hey, I will pull that laptop out if I'm not satisfied with my phone's pictures. 

 

I really like how jeeperman sets up his pictures, I'd like to try something similar to that.  I know I could do that on my computer, not sure about my phone though... don't think I can eliminate a background on my phone...

 

I appreciate and totally understand your concern.