Ah, so you were just posing them for the sake of showing us your models? Hmm.BattlerBritain wrote:For my photo's above I just wanted to get some pictures of my figures and post them in this thread.
Then I'll comment less on the terrain, and more on the models.
Very nice models!
Items that I note on my "ooh, he's doing good stuff" list:
- Exhaust stains. I see them in particular on the T-34s and the Sturmovicks. Nice.
- Crews. I've decided that I just LOVE seeing crew in open-topped micros. I had done a couple myself over the years, but it was really seeing it done in photos here that kicked me into gear for that. I now have FAR too many units waiting to get re-furbished with crewmen.
- Vehicle numbers and national insignia. I admit I'm a bit of a snob on this. I don't use decals. I paint my insignia and numbers. Well, OK, maybe I'm not a snob so much as a coward. After 20 years I've learned to paint stars and numbers well enough, and I'm just afraid I'd hash up the decals. But I still love to see them!
- I really like the paint scheme you've chosen for the Sturmovics. I gotta go put some yellow rudders on MY Red Air forces. But one word of counsel ... even though it seems to be popular with companies that make models or decals, the Soviets generally did not put red stars on their upper wing surfaces during the GPW. Only on the sides and tails.
As to the camera ... you probably have more capability in that camera than you think. I've got a fairly old 2mpel digital camera. I've seen what a good 5mpel camera with a macro lense can do, and I do plan to upgrade soon. But even with my set-up I am managing to improve my ability to show my models.
If you want to show them, take as close a shot as you can, and then CROP, baby, CROP! You're 2mpel camera is taking 1800-2000 pel wide photos, and you really only need a 800- wide photo to fill one of our forum windows, and can do just as well with a 400- to 600- wide image. So crop it down using any of the popular (and sometimes free) photo editing software.
Here are some examples. A platoon of my U.S. TDs from Tunisia:
If you want to go even closer, you can crop even more. Here is a scout section:
If you want retain at least some "interest" in the terrain, don't be afraid to focus on the models and allow the terrain to fade into the background a bit. Don't have your felt-cloth terrain (which may be "adequate") overpowering your models (which are beatiful). This is usually done by uncluttering the terrain a bit, and getting a bit farther back and using the zoom on your camera (which restricts the focal depth more). Then again, you crop.
Here is an example of modern French armor:
Or a U.S. WW2 armored unit:
Finally, if you really want to "tell a story" using the terrain, you might still consider using a closer shot (by cropping) that still keeps the viewer's eye focussed on the micros. Also, if you angle downward from an overhead view, and CROP, you can avoid the distraction of seeing the cluttered-up remains of your hobby room along the skyline of your photo.
Here is an example of Soviet KVs advancing towards the battlezone:
And now, after all that long-winded bullsh!t, the most important commentary I can give is: POST MORE PICS! Yes, we LOVE 'em! Show us yer stuff!
