How do you like to see models presented?

[Guest]

Most, if not all now, of my WIP pictures are taken with my iPhone or iPad. I do have two constant light soft boxes and a flash softbox to use with my Nikon D3300 but it is such a faf setting them up. Once I get back to a better standard of modelling then I will go down the studio shot route for final pics.

[Guest]

Setting up a little 'studio' for taking pics is much easier than it seems. Any digital camera will do the job provided that you can have some control over how much is in focus in the picture. D of F (Depth of Field) relates to the aperture used on the lens. The higher the number the more in focus.


I f you can make the adjustments, then I'd suggest:


ISO 800 or 1600


An aperture of at least f8 (f11 or f16 will be better in most cases)


NO flash. (Pros can do this, but if you were a pro, you'd have skipped past this post )Use daylight. Put a table by a good north facing window if possible, ideally with a net curtain to soften the 'sunlight' OR, a good quality day light bulb in a reading lamp or two.


For backgrounds I'd start with plain. NOT white, it upsets the camera metering. Beige, mid blue or mid grey PAPER rolls (go to the Art store and buy an A1 sheet of sugar paper and roll it to avoid creases).


Pin the paper so that a gentle curve rises above your model and under it. Move the camera until no distracting other background intrudes, light to avoid harsh shadows (tissue paper over the lamps if it's too bright) and snap away.

[stona]

There's some good points that I can take on board above. No more white backgrounds for a start!


Rather than tissue paper over a light I use a parasol inside the conservatory 'over' the sun


Cheers


Steve

[Guest]

Yep!!! what a hell


This is my diorama........ :P :P

[Guest]

i always do my best to take good pictures but i do struggle......i always use a white background cos i agree with others that a plain background is best, i still get people complaining cos my pics are dark.....or too white......i always try to use natural light but thats not always possible, especially at this time of year....at the minute i just do not have the room for a proper set up, once had one of those light cubes and found it too much trouble (and the cat loved to hide in it lol)

Here is the setup I used to produce the recent pictures of my Rusty Box:








It took about 35 secs. to set up. The paper is A4 photocopying paper, the back one propped up against various modelling tools, the front one just laid on top. The lamp is my desk lamp, 11 W flourescent. My camera (hand held) is a fairly high quality compact point-and-shoot (no adjustments needed), 5 years old. I am sure my wife's equivalent compact, much cheaper, could do as good a job.


A plane or tank might need four pieces of paper, probably sellotaped on the back to keep in position. Add another 75 sec. to the setup time. Making a cup of tea takes longer.

[BarryW]

My photography is a real weakness for me, for one thing I only use my iphone and for another I have never got to set up a decent background. Perhaps when I am settled in the new man-cave I will do something about it.

[Guest]

Sorry I am guilty of the washing machine (with and without soap powder) the lounge (with sofa or chair) the garden (with assorted garden furniture) in fact I'm guilty on all counts. Personally I always like a model on some sort of base or background, in my defence I do (or have recently) tend to build large subjects so not so easy to have a clear background, I do try to photograph my finished models with more care, and tend to used my dslr for that, whereas I use my phone camera for the wip shots, will definitely put more thought into my background now though, thanks for pointing out what I suppose should have been obvious really.

[stona]

Here is the setup I used to produce the recent pictures of my Rusty Box: It took about 35 secs. to set up.

Take away the light and use a piece of A3 paper and that's exactly how I took the second Fw 190 photograph in the original post. As you say, it took less than a minute to set up. Obviously setting up with a base and scenic backdrop etc takes a little longer, but still only a few minutes.


I believe that having spent weeks (or months ) building a model spending a few minutes trying to take some decent photographs of it is a justifiable use of my time.


Cheers


Steve

[stona]

Sorry I am guilty of the washing machine (with and without soap powder) the lounge (with sofa or chair) the garden (with assorted garden furniture) in fact I'm guilty on all counts.

Guilty? They are your models and you can photograph them upside down in a telephone box if you want


I hope the thread will help us all to take some better photos, just with a little time and thought and definitely without fancy and expensive equipment, but it's up to each individual. Of course if you fancy the telephone box........


Cheers


Steve

[spanner570]

As Steve points out Ken, they are your models to do as you please. In fact, I find it very interesting seeing what washing powder people use


Good call on the telephone box Steve - as long as whoever goes in there uses the directory as a backdrop.........How's that for showing my age?!

[Guest]

As someone new/ just returning to model building I like the studio style shot (clear white background) as I can see the skills you use/I'm trying to recreate rather than my eye wandering off into the scene.

[flyjoe180]

For backgrounds I'd start with plain. NOT white, it upsets the camera metering. Beige, mid blue or mid grey PAPER rolls (go to the Art store and buy an A1 sheet of sugar paper and roll it to avoid creases).

Some great advice coming out of this conversation. I use an off-white background; I started using white but as you said John it upsets the camera, no two shots are the same.

[Guest]

As someone new/ just returning to model building I like the studio style shot (clear white background) as I can see the skills you use/I'm trying to recreate rather than my eye wandering off into the scene.

Welcome to the forum Stuart. Lots of friendly talented people eager to help.

[Guest]

Interesting...


I'm a bit of an amature photographer (https://500px.com/pablo2008jedi) never got in to still life stuff, but I plan to use my built mobels to help prictice that art.

[Guest]

Interesting...
I'm a bit of an amature photographer (https://500px.com/pablo2008jedi) never got in to still life stuff, but I plan to use my built mobels to help prictice that art.

A lot of very good photos there.