The Perfect Photo

[Zeemax]

How do some of u guys get such good close photos.

Do u need a flash?

When i dont use flash they become fuzzy and hard to view.

Im goin to take all my pics again but i want clear ones.

Any suggestions

[netsmithUK]

Hi Newbie,

The best photos I find are taken outside on nice sunny days, then you don't need a flash.

Make sure the background is plain as possible nothing distracts from the model you are shooting.

Being further away and zooming in also works (blurs the background more while keeping you model in sharp focus)

If you have to take from inside you can still do it but try to light it with just sunlight through the windows if possible. If you can't do any of the above and have to use a flash again get a good distance away from the model (at least 1.5 - 2 meters) and zoom in. If you are too close you will bleach out the image everytime. Even if the flash doesn't over expose the photo, it will be too harsh on the image.

If you want to get really close then I would never use the flash (unless you have a really great studio type system) - just wait for the right day to come along when you can use the sun.

It helps to use a Macro function if you camera has one too.

And finally in this day and age of digital photography don't be afraid to take loads of photos. If I take 10 - 20 and get a good couple I count that as a result.

And before anyone points it out - i know the photos in my showroom do not all follw these rules - but sometimes I have to rush like everyone else.

[Zeemax]

Thanks Chris Re done some of my Photos!

[netsmithUK]

its worth the time and effort.

a good photo can make a regular runner look nicer than a new built with a bad photo.

[mr_lister999.]

really helps on Ebay as well to have a great photo. I did one recently in a hurry and looked very bad. Did not sell it even though it was a reasonable reserve.

[lunchbox]

couple of good tips there lad's !.

cheers

jeff

[PandaBear]

Really sunny days (we're talking pure Oz sun here, maybe UK is different) can create flat pictures with harsh shadows... definitely no pix should be taken during noon hours. Overcast skies usually yield better pictures.

Indoor pix must have sufficient light; digicam CCDs are usually pretty sensitive and will compensate, but you'll know its too dark when the pix come out yellow & fuzzy.

On-board Flash will usually not make good close-up "macro" pix as it'll be at a wierd angle and you'll get wierd flashspots from reflective parts.

But snapping Tamiyas indoors is still easy as you can just round up every single tablelamp you can get and use those instead... approx 200-300W total is good lighting. You may also want to set your digicam to 'incandescent' lighting to reduce the yellow cast; default setting is usually 'daylight' as per film.

Last but not least:- "Photoshop cures many ills"...!

[PandaBear]

Here's some bad pix...

Way too little light (but how else to show lights??):-

[PandaBear]

Noon time = very harsh light, not pleasant:-

[PandaBear]

Ultra-closeup indoors, ambient lighting without flash:-

[PandaBear]

Indoor, no window... just on the limit of CCD's sensitivity (note the yellow cast from incandescent lighting):-

[PandaBear]

Indoors, no window USING FLASH... but have to trial-n-error a lot to get the right angle to avoid flashspots, especially on the flat white shiny surface:-

[PandaBear]

Same setup as red Modena above, but this time added some extra white flourescent lighting... not bad now:-

[DJTheo]

Willy, have a feeling you created another showroom here

http://www.vintagetamiyarc.com/

[PandaBear]

No no NO!! Nah, can't reuse those, as obviously (1) I didn't take those and (2) you guys have seen it all before, right??

[PandaBear]

quote:...am waiting now for your Mounty wedding pics...

id=quote>id=quote>

Mountys were all part of a grand train... am still trying to wrestle the pix from the ENGAGEMENT from 2 yrs ago from my friendly photographer. (Tip being... the Pajero MTW starred in it. ) When I finally get it, no doubt it'll be shared.

[SJoerD]

Now we now why PandaBear! has so much posts.

About the pics, I here mine are nice, on www.tamiya.tk .

They are all 800x600, JPG, 65% compression. Hope you like it! Can anyone of you 'lend' me a SS or 3-speed? I want to make pics of those as well, but get to have these first... Any volunteers?

I love Sand Scorchers, but I don't have one... Please help this poor collector...id=size1>

[PandaBear]

Nice site, Sjoerd. Bro did a nice job on the pix... like the Hotshot "basket case" too! Which reminds me...

Ok now, we present: Willy pix tip #1207

[netsmithUK]

Notice no one as talked about action shots yet - all too scared to run your cars?

[DJTheo]

In action shots, you have to move the camera with the cars motion not to miss it or it to be blurred, also you should focus before at a similar distance by usually halfpressing the button, so no time will be lost for focusing, will add later some SS action pics...

http://www.vintagetamiyarc.com/

[Jimbo]

I found when taking action shots I kept droping the transmitter

And then I woke up! and it was all a dream

Edited by - Jimbo on 08 Oct 2002 20:16:01

[DJTheo]

They are good enough for Tamiya Guide books, great!

http://www.vintagetamiyarc.com/

[netsmithUK]

You want action shots?

Took this last year, by strapping my very expensive Sony digicam onto the top of a QD Monster Beetle minus shell of course and then chasing my mystery car around a car park. With hind sight this might not have been the brightest thing i ever did - but it was quite funny at the time. We later christened the camera car the TamCam, planning a series of mini movies... as yet this was the one and only one to get made.

Its a 5mb quicktime movie, so those of you with slower connections might want to give it a miss.

http://www.netsmith.co.uk/small.mov ( you might be better off right clicking and selecting 'save target as...' )

Don't forget to turn the sound up loud.

Biggest problem was the fact that the QD just couldn't keep up. The other car was fast.

This all would have probably looked even better if filmed on a sandy beach somewhere, but the closest one to us is about 100 miles away.

[Jimbo]

Great music Chris

And then I woke up! and it was all a dream

[netsmithUK]

like i said it was just toooooo fast as versus a QD.