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All Forums >> RC Cars, Buggies, Trucks, Tanks and more >> 1/16th, 1/18th, Mini & Micro RC Cars >> Tips for taking GOOD photos
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Tips for taking GOOD photos - 2/1/2007 1:18 AM   
The_DDub


 

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Status: offline 		Ok, I see lots of BAD and BLURRY close-up shots of RC vehicles. I know everyone is anxious to show off their work or their creation and I am just making this post to help you out.

MACRO MODE
On all digital auto-focusing cameras is macro mode. Macro allows you to take real close up shots of items and have good clarity in the pic. If you look at some of your blurry close up shots, especially those with far backgrounds, you will see that the backgrounds are usually more in focus than the item you are trying to shoot. This is because you are not in macro mode and the depth to field is set to focus on the far away objects.

Macro mode is enabled by pressing the button that has a icon of a little flower next to it. This puts the camera in macro mode and will allow you to take those awesome close up shots (less than 1 ft away from the object) of tiny things and they will fill the frame nicely. You ever see the flickr pics of people who take cool bug photos? - all in macro mode. http://www.flickr.com/photos/bail56/50583616/ See how the foreground (subjects) are in focus and the background is out of focus? Macro takes care of it for you.

Also if you are in macro mode, let the camera auto-flash too. This will get you the best pic unless you are really a master at lighting and can control it.

I hope this helps you take cool shots.

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RE: Tips for taking GOOD photos - 2/1/2007 2:12 AM   
Mini_Me



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Status: offline 		Good thread. Should note not all digital cameras have a macro mode. If you in the market, make sure it has this AND is a optical zoom versus digital.

Lighting. Take shots outdoors with the sun behind you. Not in front as the vehicle will be lost in shadows.

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RE: Tips for taking GOOD photos - 2/1/2007 2:48 AM   
carmatic1



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Status: offline 		use a magnifying glass.... the autofocus works brilliantly thru the magnification, even when your own eyes cant make anything out... but you have to turn off the flash otherwise the light will bounce back from the magnifying glass, plus it always looks prettier when you have proper lighting anyway

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RE: Tips for taking GOOD photos - 2/1/2007 3:59 AM   
Doahh



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RE: Tips for taking GOOD photos - 2/1/2007 3:44 PM   
CadillacDTS2001



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RE: Tips for taking GOOD photos - 2/1/2007 10:19 PM   
annie_himself



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Status: offline 		Whenever you take pics of your truck on rocks or on top of other RC's then make sure you take it under the truck, it looks alot better and gives your truck the dominating look.

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RE: Tips for taking GOOD photos - 2/1/2007 10:29 PM   
fastmax



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Status: offline 		When shooting close ups in macro mode, be sure to try and keep the camera as still as possible. Use a tripod if you have one, or rest the camera on a hard surface and adjust the zoom, and the object until you have the view you are looking for.

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RE: Tips for taking GOOD photos - 2/2/2007 1:43 PM   
abjones413



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Status: offline 		Use a plain, neutral colored backdrop, whether it be a piece of printer paper or a towel or blanket. This makes your subject really stand out with no distractions. Also, use as much available lighting as possible to override the auto-flash. If you open all curtains and shades and turn on all the lights in the room your shooting in, it will produce a much more natural picture. Often flashes wash out the picture, even in macro. When a camera is set to macro, the flash is automatically reduced, but washouts still occur. On occasion I will even remove a lampshade or point a light at my subject.

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RE: Tips for taking GOOD photos - 2/6/2007 3:20 AM   
raptornut



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quote:

ORIGINAL: fastmax

When shooting close ups in macro mode, be sure to try and keep the camera as still as possible. Use a tripod if you have one, or rest the camera on a hard surface and adjust the zoom, and the object until you have the view you are looking for.


wally world sells a mini tripod for cameras for under 20 bucks I believe they are in the tools section where the lazer levels are.


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RE: Tips for taking GOOD photos - 2/7/2007 5:30 AM   
abjones413



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quote:

wally world sells a mini tripod for cameras for under 20 bucks I believe they are in the tools section where the lazer levels are.


They're actually in the electronics section with the other tripods and cameras or just outside it near the film and camera cases. I got a really nice one a while back for about $15. Great item to have, but in a pinch you can definitely just rest the camera against something stable.


Also, 2 more tips:

1) Breathe in before shooting. Let your air out nice and slowly and gently depress the shutter during the exhale. GENTLY depress. Hard presses make the camera move, A.K.A "Shutter Shake".

2) Set the self-timer for 2 seconds. Most cameras have a 10 second and a 2 second timer. Some even have one you can set yourself, like my Canon SD400. Anyway, when you set the timer for 2 seconds, it allows you to press the shutter then steady the camera to avoid the all-too-common "shutter shake".

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RE: Tips for taking GOOD photos - 2/7/2007 10:31 AM   
raptornut



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Status: offline 		Most of us have all been there, hopfully everyone will read this forum who adds images, there are a lot of blury ones.


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RE: Tips for taking GOOD photos - 2/8/2007 9:14 AM   
xjbebop


 

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RE: Tips for taking GOOD photos - 2/8/2007 2:18 PM   
Doahh



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Status: offline 		Yeah... what a concept... a picture in focus.

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RE: Tips for taking GOOD photos - 2/23/2007 8:53 AM   
fugadude


 

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1. good indirect lighting
2. pick lowest ISO mode for clearest picture (if apperature control use a small apperature like a 6 or 8 to ensure clarity of the whole car)
4. set camera's self timer or use remote switch (do not hold camera for shots)
5. post pictures at least 800x600 pixels.

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RE: Tips for taking GOOD photos - 2/26/2007 2:53 AM   
carmatic1



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quote:

ORIGINAL: fugadude


2. pick lowest ISO mode for clearest picture (if apperature control use a small apperature like a 6 or 8 to ensure clarity of the whole car)


use the lowest 'ISO sensitivity' , so that the camera actually has time to make out the finer details... at high sensitivity mode it actually 'guesses' the exact colour of whatever your trying to take a picture of since the light receptors dont have time or light to get exposed properly, and since its all guesses it gets pretty random and fuzzes the picture up
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Film_speed#Digital_camera_ISO_speed_and_exposure_index

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RE: Tips for taking GOOD photos - 2/28/2007 6:49 AM   
storytime


 

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Status: offline 		Photography is just like this hobby in the sense that your gear makes a big difference. It's my expensive hobby, but this is starting to add up.

Some quick tips for shooting with a digicam

1) You can control 3 variables in your camera with a given amount of light - shutter speed, aperture (aka f/stop) and ISO. Use a larger aperture number (like f/8) and a slow shutter speed if you can find a tripod or table top (you usually can't handhold it slower than 1/60th of a second). If handheld, up the ISO, but ideally keep it low if possible. The larger the aperture number, the more of the picture will be in focus, and vice versa. The closer the camera to your subject, the more important a large aperture number is (why landscapes are all in focus and shots of your face with your hand out tend to be blurry).

2) Add more light: go outside, next to a window, or turn on lights.

3) Flash - Ideally don't use it, but if you have to use the camera's flash, put something in front to diffuse it (or else you get that bright reflection), even a kleenex, anything that will disperse the light.

4) Experiment - It's free, try some different settings and see what happens!

This is simplified...and as with cars, the more capable (expensive) the gear, the better the results (in proper hands of course).

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RE: Tips for taking GOOD photos - 3/1/2007 3:57 AM   
carmatic1



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quote:

ORIGINAL: storytime

The closer the camera to your subject, the more important a large aperture number is (why landscapes are all in focus and shots of your face with your hand out tend to be blurry).


quote:

ORIGINAL: fugadude


(if apperature control use a small apperature like a 6 or 8 to ensure clarity of the whole car)



hmm so who is right? large aperture, small aperture?

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RE: Tips for taking GOOD photos - 3/1/2007 4:54 AM   
jalvarez


 

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RE: Tips for taking GOOD photos - 3/2/2007 5:36 AM   
storytime


 

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quote:

ORIGINAL: carmatic1


quote:

ORIGINAL: storytime

The closer the camera to your subject, the more important a large aperture number is (why landscapes are all in focus and shots of your face with your hand out tend to be blurry).


quote:

ORIGINAL: fugadude


(if apperature control use a small apperature like a 6 or 8 to ensure clarity of the whole car)



hmm so who is right? large aperture, small aperture?



we both are!

The size of the aperture (the opening in the lens that lets the light in) is inverse to it's "number", or f/stop. A large aperture number, like f/8, is a small opening. I used number in my post, as it's counterintuitive that to make the aperture smaller you make the f/stop number bigger.

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RE: Tips for taking GOOD photos - 3/2/2007 6:12 AM   
carmatic1



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Status: offline 		drat... didnt catch the word 'number' ... i hate being too sleepy!!

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RE: Tips for taking GOOD photos - 3/27/2007 11:07 PM   
sapper ion


 

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RE: Tips for taking GOOD photos - 3/27/2007 11:20 PM   
sapper ion


 

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Status: offline 		This is what photoshop can do to a fairly decent picture

All I did is redo the color levels.

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RE: Tips for taking GOOD photos - 3/28/2007 12:32 AM   
carmatic1



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Status: offline 		yeah, thats what they probably do to the pics on the online shops, make it look all rich and lush, instead of flat and cheap

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RE: Tips for taking GOOD photos - 4/29/2007 2:16 AM   
Frozen72



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Status: offline 		Hey what would you rate my shots?
Here are some action pictures that me and my friend got. I took all of the Mini-T ones. (The orange car) My friend took all of the Micro-T pictures. (The blue car)

Oh yea they were taken with my 1 megapixil camera so the quality is not perfect.










For action shots like these set your camera to "sport" of some kind of action mode to help reduce blur. It is not need but really helpful, I did not use it for the pictures because I don't have it on my cellphone. And the next thing is TIMING, TIMING, and TIMING for most digital cameras they have a short sometimes long delay to when you press the button and then it takes the shot. Also don't worry if you don't get it right for the first few shots, Those are the best ones out of about 100 that day.

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RE: Tips for taking GOOD photos - 5/23/2007 11:36 PM   
Revo Racer 16


 

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