Yesterday I was fortunate enough to photograph a restored Steinway piano for a friend. What was supposed to be an hour session turned into a 3.5 hour shoot. I find musical instruments fascinating and I wish that I had even more time to explore some different angles and views with the piano. The instrument was in a corner and I didn't want to move it. Also, next time I need to bring a macro lens and some continuous lights. I used a 25mm extension tube on my 70-200 zoom for close-ups which is not ideal because of the limited focusing range.
Finding beauty in all things is an exercise I continuously practice. It is particularly significant when I can find beauty in man-made objects. The fact that this piano is capable of producing beautiful music does in fact suggest that its beauty is inherent, and reflects those who have designed, constructed, and maintained it's form. This piano was restored by Paul Deaux who is a master craftsman and Steinway specialist. He lovingly removed the keyboard so we could see the individual hammers, and explained how he completely dismantled every piece during the restoration, taking over 600 hours for the process. Amazing.