carytheone wrote:Lighting is what I'm currently fighting. I wanted to make the background go away like your pics but then I found the figures were way to dark.
And everytime I adjust the lighting I have to fiddle with the camera settings.
I'm using a very cheap rig right now. A couple desk lamps with two layers of parchment paper over them to soften it up a bit.
I've found that having lights at a very wide spread and even with the figures gives a very nice even lighting.
I was just using the desk lamps but then I found that having an overhead light really helped. Of course I had to adjust the camera.
I'm still learning the camera by feel and I'm not real familiar with the correct terms yet.
As far as feedback on what's posted: first two. Look great (I'm loving that background), the next two are just a little dark and I think the last one looks good as is. Well maybe a little more lighting on the front of the figure.
I'm considering more lamps or maybe try and build some sort of a light ring. I snapped a pic of my ghetto rig on my collection page if anyone is curious.
I'll try and add a pic tonight and state what I like and don't like about it.
ScottyP wrote:Despite having (most) of the needed equipment, and a Flickr Pro account that keeps renewing, I haven't taken diddly squat for pics in ages. I should get back on that.
Edit: holy crap, well over two years. I am suddenly ashamed.
I'll post of few "recent" ones because I'd like the critique.
Camera: Canon EOS Digital Rebel XS
Lens: EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS
All taken at 100 ISO, other stats with pics.
My eyes have a hard time noticing reds, so in this first one - how do I make a white background less "red"? Yes, lighting, but outside of that how should I account best for it? (f 10.0, focal length 18mm, exposure time 0.8, no flash)
Roadfire! Pub1 by Scott Putnam, on Flickr
This next one I actually like quite a bit, but the edges of the figure are a bit blurry. Too much light? (f 8.0, focal length 18mm, exposure time 0.4, no flash)
Beast Hunters Dreadwing by Scott Putnam, on Flickr
Focus on the edges again an issue here. Focal length problem? (f 6.3, focal length 23mm, exposure time 0.3, no flash)
Grim 1 by Scott Putnam, on Flickr
MarcusCole1978 wrote:I have been trying to improve my photography skills for showing off some of my custom painted figures, using a cheap light box (amazon special) and 2-3 daylight LED lamps
most shots are taken with my micro 4/3 olympus e-pl1 with either
25mm prime lens f11 auto ISO and relatively slow shutter speed
or
14mm wide angle prime lens f11 auto ISO and again relatively slow shutter speed
I have found that setting up the camera on a cheap tripod (£2.50 bargain on ebay) then using the 2 sec time delay feature on the camera allows for sharper images.
Where I still struggle is knowing how to set the focal point of the image and how to light it effectively.
carytheone wrote:Here is my setup.
I've got a little parchment paper strapped on those lamps to try and tone down / soften the light.
Counterpunch wrote:I think your lights are too far away from your source. If the overhead light stays on during the shot, then your primary source of light is the overhead lighting and the sides are doing close to nothing.
You need to more setup like this:
Are you using a tripod? I found that and a 2 second timer combined with manual focus is the way to go. Auto focus can bounce around at the last second.MGrotusque wrote:Id like to try and get more focus for a cleaner shot. Beast Wars figs have a lot of interesting detail that with a better camera could really pull out some of it. I like this one but sadly it's just not sharp enough.
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