Two 1967 Secret Weapon Kitbashes and my Photophobia

[Vanvlak]

This is a project I started several weeks ago - and it's 50% ready. Earlier this year I bought a largish model kit from someone on LAF (YOU know who you are  ) which I had intended to kitbash as a WWWIII vehicle. Thinks didn't work out as planned, and the kit ended up in two halves which form the basis of two vehicles. I have always loved what I call the race-to-the-moon period look on vehicles, and the first one ended up looking a bit like a flying wing project. The second one - well, you get to see work-in-progress pics.

But first I have to conquer my photophobia.

I have to confess I am using the word incorrectly. I do get the real thing when I have one of my bad migraines, and it's one great pain. 
But here it incorrectly implies a fear of photography.

I have a reasonably good camera. But I never seem to get it right, and I spend hours fiddling about and trying to get my pics to look good, never seeming to get a good result. And thanks to my job, hours are a luxury I do not have - I get one hour painting and modelling a week, on good weeks.

I tried macro settings and different lighting and backgrounds... nope.
The thing is I am rubbish at taking photos unless there's an aeroplane fixed to the camera. I used to work on a remote sensing project, and some of the pics taken vertically down from an aeroplane are grand. Seeing that I cannot get a plane stuck to the camera in the house - and that a model plane stuck to the camera will not work - I am rubbish.

Even so, if I manage to overcome what has now become a phobia I can at least show vaguely decent images which at least give an idea of what I'm trying to build, so in a way, this thread is intended to help me overcome my fear of photographing my models (that should have a real phobia name).
Lets see if this works.....

[dampfpanzerwagon]

I'm no specialist but here goes;

Macro setting and in in-direct sunlight - This means not direct with strong shadows, but when the sun goes behind a cloud or in the shade. But it has to be very strong sunlight.

I use the screen rather than the view finder and try to fill the screen with the image.

Hold the camera with both hands and wedge your elbows into your sides. Even better, use a table to support your elbows.

Take a deep breath and hold then press the shutter button.

If all else fails take three (at least) images of each st up.

Nothing technical here just some tips that I find work for me.

Tony

[Vanvlak]

I'm no specialist but here goes;

Macro setting and in in-direct sunlight - This means not direct with strong shadows, but when the sun goes behind a cloud or in the shade. But it has to be very strong sunlight.

I use the screen rather than the view finder and try to fill the screen with the image.

Hold the camera with both hands and wedge your elbows into your sides. Even better, use a table to support your elbows.

Take a deep breath and hold then press the shutter button.

If all else fails take three (at least) images of each st up.

Nothing technical here just some tips that I find work for me.

Tony

Thanks for the help. 

I am using a tripod, which has improved matters on the whole as regards support.
Sunlight - do you take pics outside then?
Over here we get wind, rain, or sun with no clouds....! I guess I need a cloud machine.

[Predatorpt]

The best way to conquer Photophobia is to post the pictures Take my example - 99% of the times I just use my phone camera (no macro, low resolution) and until today no one complained about it.

Can't wait to see the model

[former user]

it is sometimes even better if you have clouds - full sunlight makes harsh contrasts
but natural light is the trick. I don't want to say that it is not possible to make good pictures without natural light.
but the sunlight helps a lot with the fun, because it is less effort and much more rewarding.
I know the problem with the migraine, You only realise this when people start to ask you why You have the curtains shut most of the time....

[Constable Bertrand]

I like to have 2 light sources when I take photos. That give the scene enough light to take a good photo and also softer shadows as the lights come from different angles.

If you have a table near a window for sunlight (not in the direct sunlight) then set up a desk lamp to light the other side a bit more. Then take a photo from your tripod, or rest the camera on the desk, raised by a book or something. That keeps it nice and still for the longer exposures you will need.

I do my photos with a desk lamp and overhead room lamp, and on a sunny day, in the dark corner of the room, because I have nowhere else I can physically take a photo! we manage with what we have hey

[dampfpanzerwagon]

In reply;

Yes I try to take images outdoors.

If this is not possible then indoors with light from a north facing patio window and one other light source - ussually a daylight light overhead.

A tripod is a great thing - I use one of those small (just 20cms tall) ones, but sometimes think it gets in the way - for example when taking Portrait images the tripod gets in the way.

Good luck.

Tony

[Vanvlak]

Gentlemen, thanks for the advice and the kind words. As you can see from the samples below, I have tried to follow your collective advice.
I had to take the pics inside as the wind would have swept the lot away today.
I switched on the light, and used a south-facing window (the best lit room has no windows facing north) since it was providentially cloudy. Let's see how things went.

And - former user, how you're not a migraineur too. 

And now the pics:

1 IN ANOTHER THREAD.... are pics of a VSF conic cannon I took some weeks back, just to psyche myself up on the photo business - posted these yesterday, and now I added another new one. Link to the thread here: http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=54497.0

2 CTHULHINI - tiny Cthulhi from London, easy and fun to paint. Kemal is from the Foundry Crimean War range and is kindly providing scale. These pics were a lead in to the 1967 stuff, as the Cthulhini are very nice and friendly.



Should have gone in closer, and from a shallower angle.

3 The 1967 XB





The payload...


Forgot the scale....




This thing is too heavily armed with very long range stuff to be really useful, so it will serve as scenery or an objective.

4) X ARC - the work in progress monstrosity.






That's all folks.

The XB and X ARC are by the way the two offspring of the model I mentioned in the first post in this thread.

[Mitch K]

Glad you got the photos to work - well worth waiting for. Both of the 1967 bits look very "in time"

[Vanvlak]

Glad you got the photos to work - well worth waiting for. Both of the 1967 bits look very "in time"

Metal finish and loads of warning sign transfers help.... as a re-viewing of Men in Black III, oart of which happens in 1969, same period.
The X ARC is still far from being finished, and needs a lot of work to get the look...

[Cypher226]

Love 'em. Have thought about a game set on the moon in this period, but I'd want to build a full moonbase and stuff!

[Constable Bertrand]

Smashing photos Vanvlak!

They are big beasties aren't they. And a beauty of a kitbash from a trade federation tank Did I spot gluesticks?