The DIORAMA Thread; Tips, Tricks, Tales, Pics.

[Nessy]

Real cool pics AMG. 👍

 

[Sonygamer455]

Thanks, Sonygamer - you are too kind; I'm glad you're enjoying the show.
Now that I have your attention - I recall you telling me that you use your PSVita for taking your photos, and I can understand why you are struggling to get the quality you want.
Not really easy with handhelds like that - but here's something you can try - increase your lighting. Place your cars on a bright windowsill for instance, and then check the results you are getting. In fact, take a couple of cars, and move around your home trying out various locations till you see the Vita pick up the detail you need. Also - try taking a few different 'distances' - as in try taking the shots from a foot away, then two feet, then maybe try 6 inches away, etc.
I am very confident that your photos will improve - I have seen many a member on here whose photography has improved tremendously by keeping at it and focusing on what they want to get, and finally getting it.

Your welcome Photonrider! I must admit you are one of the best photographers i have ever seen!👍 Thanks for the tips!👍 To be honest the part about moving around different places in my house, i already started doing that just before you mentioned this to me, you noticed my most recent shots are where on my pool table in my basement instead of all the locations i regularly use. Thinking about making a diorama sometime soon, just my luck my dad works for a company that makes cardboard, so i think my card board grows on trees.

Now as for these action packs, for diorama loving photographers like you, i highly recommend these for you and anybody else who likes photography. They were released in the mid 90's and are rather collectible now. Each of them sets come with a vehicle or two and a few acessories. All of them are really awesome and great for dioramas. Im just dying to see what you plan to do if you get one.

 

[MatskiMonk]

Given that I recently bought some new car models and photography is my main hobby I thought I'd give this a go too.
Above is my first IRL car in scale 1:18.
With the help of a Dymotape machine I was able to recreate the correct Licence plate we used back then in NL.
Next step was to visit scour the net for background photographs. This one is used for scale H0 model trains.
It's rather large and perhaps next time I'll buy a smaller one. From the same shop I bought some bushes.

I was pondering what to use for the road and realised I still had 2 spare slate tiles lying around (30/60cm).
So put these on the cardboard box and cleaned off the dusty tiles. Set up the camera and reflector and took some pictures.
When I looked at the end result on my screen I realised the wet look enhanced the photographs.
Do pay meticulous attention to the whole set. it pays off in the end to get your end result as realistic as possible. It's good fun too.

Specs: Aperture priority mode, 20 seconds, 57mm, ISO 200, f18.0 for good DoF.
Specs: Aperture priority mode, 18 seconds, 57mm, ISO 200, f18.0
Camera set to 2 second delay to eliminate vibration.
Reflector to bounce back some light on the subject. You can use alu-foil as a cheap alternative.
No flash used.
Some White Balance adjustment and slight cropping applied in Lightroom.

Interesting set-up. Question though, why use such a small aperture and long exposure, how does this help the photo? I'm curious?

 

[photonrider]

Matski, I guessing that the ISO is because of lower lighting conditions, and the long exposure/small aperture is for detail, and DoF. However, we should let The Master speak for himself, so I'll be interested too as to the thinking behind it. I must say that the shots are absolutely stupendous, and I'm glad that we have a pro in here, whose brains we can now pick.

'Gamer - you flatter me again. :blush: I'm sure pros everywhere must be banging their heads on the wall! Actually, I pretty much break every rule, written and otherwise, when it comes to my art. My friends call me the Monet of Photography - I'm just an eye. I'm always chasing an 'impression'. Don't do as I do - do as I say.
I'm glad you got in here to discuss your photography, though, since I saw vast improvements in your shots in the collector's thread. I can see that you will be eventually on par with the rest of us, as you start to master DoF, and Lighting.
At this point I would now advise you to try to work on making your hands as steady as possible when you shoot. Read up the whole thread/discussion when you have the time - there are a lot of tips in here that should bring out the best in you.
Passion is the motor that drives success - and you have it. Now to crank it up.
Hopefully Santa will send you at least a point-and-shoot this Christmas - and you will be stunned at how much the camera will do for you. Today's cameras take a lot of work out of the business of capturing what we see.

And then after that . . . we shall all discuss composition.

Well - got to go for now - dinner awaits. BBL. Regards to all in here.

 

[AOS-]

Based on my little experience, I'd say low aperature was ideal for this photo because you wouldn't want to focus on a wallpaper that's supposed to mimic a distant background. I think if AMG pulled the car further away form the bushes, he could've blurred out the bushes a bit so it looks more convincing that it's a real-life setting.

 

[a6m5]

I thought that VW was a real car.

I really did! I thought maybe the pic was taken at some indoor auto show or something.

 

[AOS-]

Actually I looked at it again and I have to agree. It was pretty convincing. The bushes are what gave it away for me and I noticed those almost instantly.

 

[AMG.]

couple of fork-lifts

http://www.modelenium.co.uk/models/models.aspx?Search=forklift
But I didn't check scales for you.

I thought that VW was a real car. I really did!

So did I when I saw the result. But yes bush is a dead give away.


Ok so how did I get to the results posted earlier.
The scene:
1. It's winter and there is crappy weather - not much natural light coming in to the room where I set up the shot. Result time shoots up by seconds.
2. Using a low(ish) ISO value gives very good quality pictures but your time increases by a factor 2 compared to ISO 400 and by a factor 4 when using ISO 800.
3. Small aperture - to get a lot of DoF, but that too increases time.
4. because of 1,2 & 3 a tripod was used.
In general I use the lowest possible ISO value I can get away with. I do this as I regularly print my photographs 30/45 cm and the largest ever printed
was 180 by 120 cm (6/4 feet) AND I hate grain (except in black and white).

The 'set up' shot was taken days later.

For those that have made it so far in reading this ...

Some tech stuff.
Your camera works out a proper exposure based on 3 items. ISO, Aperture & Time (Shutter-speed).
If you set your camera to Auto everything you have no creative control over how it records the end result. You need to learn what the other settings do.
Yeah but I already hate school and learning and stuff. Well ..... TOUGH!
This may be scary at first but once you get the hang of it you will never go back again. That dial can rotate - check your manual if you don't believe me.

The difference between two full values is referred to as a stop (of light) and applies to Aperture, Time & ISO.

For ISO
Common values are 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600
Of course there are intermediate, higher and lower values available too but for the purpose of this discussion I'm leaving them out.

ISO 100 -> 200 equals 1 stop
ISO 200 -> 400 equals 1 stop
ISO 100 -> 400 equals 2 stops
ISO 100 -> 800 equals 3 stops
ISO 200 -> 50 equals 2 stops

An increase in ISO increases the 'graininess' (is that English?) in your photograph.

For Aperture (Av on Canon):
Common values are 2.8, 4, 5.6, 8, 11, 16, 22
Av 2.8 -> 4.0 equals 1 stop
AV 11 -> 2.8 equals 4 stops

The higher the Apt value the smaller the aperture. It may sound strange but that is because long ago they dropped the 1/22, 1/2.8 part
as there wasn't enough room on lenses to print that .... and Apt 22 is easier to say than Apt 1 divided by 22.

Examples
A fire hose = large Aperture (e.g. 2.8)
A garden hose = small aperture (e.g. 16)

Hello, you still there........ good read on.

For Time (Tv on Canon):
(limited list) Common values are 4, 2, 1, 1/2, 1/4 ..... 1/125, 1/250, 1/500 seconds.
Tv 4s ->2s equals 1 stop
Tv 2s -> 4s equals 1 stop
Tv 1/30 -> 1/60 equals 1 stop
Tv 1/30 -> 1/1000 sec equals 4 stops

Rule of thumb: If your shutter speed drops below 1/'focal length' of your lens (when handholding your camera)
a> don't shoot
b> use a tripod
c> amend Aperture or ISO.

1 divided by wut??? The focal length of your lens. Your lens is the nifty fifty.. ok so don't go below 1/50 second (1/60 on your camera settings)
You are using a badass 500mm lens, don't drop below 1/500 second.
An example of that can be found here scroll down to pic #8.
[/self sponsoring]
Get it?!

Example setting:
You manually dialled in ISO 200 on you camera BUT set the rest to Auto everything (the green square on Canon dial)
It a nice day outside and your model is in nicely lit environment and your camera tells you that with ISO 200 it will use Av 2.8 and 1/2000th second.
(This is just an example!!!)
Result a correctly exposed photo but a crappy small depth of field, just about everything is unsharp except where your focussed.

In this case your model is a female and you focussed on her eyes - she will love the result, its very pleasing.
But hold on ... we're shooting model cars!
Oops, ok shoot again same settings as above and focus on the A pillar. Result your A pillar is sharp and the rest is unsharp.
Ok so don't bother uploading it in this thread, it's better off in the "guess this car" thread instead.

To get more sharpness in your picture you need to move away from the 'auto everything' setting. Yes I know it's scary but give it a try.
Focus on the A pillar again but now dial in a smaller aperture (remember we started on 2.8), try something in the middle like f5.6 or f8
(yeah that's the proper way of writing it) and take a picture. Do it again but now with a small aperture e.g f16 or f22.
Keep your focus point on the A pillar DO NOT MOVE IT!!!!.

Now compare the f2.8, f8 and f22 shots. See how they are all properly exposed (given that it didn't cloud over between pictures).
Notice the sharpness change in your pictures. f22 sharpness > f2.8 sharpness.

You still here?
Ok, good.

Given the above you started with
ISO 200 and the camera set Apt to 2.8 and speed to 1/2000.

You rotated the dial to Aperture priority, Congratulations and dialled in
Apt f8, lo and behold the camera worked out it now needed to decrease the speed to 1/250th of a second.

For your 3rd photo
You dialled in Apt f22, lo and behold the camera worked out it now needed to decrease the speed to 1/125th of a second.

Every full stop you change (in Apt, Time of ISO) you either halve or Double the amount of light that will reach the sensor.
Given that your camera was happy with ISO 200 f2.8 and 1/2000th second YOU can interfere and change this to the same amount of light but increase DoF.
So from f2.8 to f8 is +3 stops, your camera will decrease time by three stops 1/2000 to 1/1000 to 1/500 to 1/250 is -3 stops.
Result SAME amount of light reaches the sensor but you have gained DoF.

Congratulations 👍👍 to you if you now grasp this explanation.

DoF

Depth of Field is controlled by three things (yes all good stuff comes in threes)
1. Distance to subject - (your girlfriend or your (future) Mother in law
2. Aperture - hosepipe, garden hose
3. Focal length of your lens nifty fifty or the 500mm prime

Yeah, but what is DoF? It is the amount of acceptable sharpness you can see in a photograph.

The closer you get to your subject the less amount of acceptable sharpness you get in your photo.

The larger your aperture (f2.8) the less sharpness you get.
The longer the lens used the less sharpness you get.

For the Golf I had a 28-70mm zoom lens set to 57mm on a 1.3 crop Canon.
Given that I picked f22 as my aperture the amount of sharpness this resulted in was between 20cm in front of my focus point and 32 cm behind my focus point.
I probably could have used f11 and still get away with what I wanted.

So back to my Golf. I didn't have a lot of time to experiment and I will do so over the Xmas holidays and I just shot a couple of pictures at various Apertures.
I liked the f18 f22 shots and posted these on the web. I unfortunately deleted the others otherwise I would have posted these up here to clarify further.
I may do that at a later date, and I'll see if I can also get my 'greenery' a bit more out of focus too.

In conclusion, if you've made it this far and I have not confused you go forth and multiply ...... shoot some more pictures, focus on one point and vary your aperture.

E.g.
Focus on 1 spot, shoot at f2.8, f8 and f22 and compare the results. No need to use ALL available apertures. You can always shoot again within a smaller range
to get the right amount of sharpness you're looking for.



P.S. Why focus on the A pillar - well its roughly 1/3 down the length of your car and there will be front and rear sharpness encompassing your car measured from your focus point. Why bother getting 1/3 sharpness in front of the headlamp...... you see?

 

[Nessy]

Thanks AMG. The ones on the top row are awesomely detailed , but too big a scale and way too pricey. The ones further down the page are quite reasonable (price wise and detail), but are too small a scale. Thanks again for bringing them to my attention though. 👍

Came up with another idea for a diorama. Was thinking a (1/64 scale) oil refinery.. obviously nothing too big, just a few tanks, stairwell/ladders, railings and pipes etc.

 

[MatskiMonk]

Photography Lesson

Excellent post AMG, I appreciate you taking the time to post it. Personally, I'm aware of how the things relate to each other, and how my 60D controls them/I control my 60D... however it really helps knowing what/why/how that achieves/affects the end result.

 

[ForceMotion]

Great pictures AMG. I have some new things coming up soon

 

[a6m5]

Thanks for the photography lesson, AMG. 👍

Now I know why I take crap pictures, and why I just live with the results. Not that I can input much of that stuff on my cheap camera anyways.

Fantastic photos, fantastic model. 👍

 

[VspecZR1GT2RS89]

That was a excellent writeup AMG! Thanks for the info. 👍

 

[photonrider]

Okay, guys, that's enough. Cool it. Any more compliments and AMG's head is going to explode and there'll be no AMG in here. And what the hell is the big fuss anyway?

*checking AMGs post.

Oh! ma gawd......!!! AMGeeeeeee!! Holy freaking canaloni! What a great post! Yahhh! This is what we want. Well laid out, so informative, this is the kind of input we need. Great lesson there - MOAR! And of course, those shots of the Golf are so damn good. Impeccable photography. It's quite obvious that you and the camera are one entity. This is inspiring no end. Great work - and thank you so much for joining us in here.
Well - we ain't going to leave you alone now are we?
I did something similar, too, awhile back - but in no way does the car look as realistic as yours. There is something about the way you have taken that shot that easily fools a viewer at first glance.
I intend to throw a link to that post in the OP - and also one of your shots ASAP.
Alright. I'm done screaming now.
Here's the pic I was talking about that is similar, somewhat, to what you have done:

Apok - haven't forgotten you - unless you throw me another shot, I'll pull one that you have in here and throw it into the gallery presently.

Great work guys. This workshop is finally taking off - and it's nice to see the gallery build up.

 

[AOS-]

I'm actually surprised there was a sudden boom to this thread.

If you guys want, I can give you guys pointers to creating studio lighting and how to get a lot out of nothing more than LED flashlights.

 

[AMG.]

.

.

.

Thx, and you're welcome

.

What are you using - make/model?

Here's the pic I was talking about that is similar, somewhat, to what you have done:

I think the reason why people were initially fooled by the Golf is partly because of the "wet road" and it is a car we see on a regular basis IRL.
Had I put an exotic down there most would have realised it to be a model immediately.

Wrt your photo - it's a very good effort too, good low angle but the model reeks of plastic (e.g. rear spoiler) and therefore a dead give away.

If you guys want, I can give you guys pointers to creating studio lighting and how to get a lot out of nothing more than LED flashlights.

We want, we're here to learn from each other, there's a positive vibe in this thread so go to it.


Okay just to illustrate my earlier post.

ISO 200, 70mm focal length, Apt f2.8

ISO 200, 70mm focal length, Apt f8.0

ISO 200, 70mm focal length, Apt f22

Setup

This time slightly different, and I couldn't bother removing the yellow cast from the artificial lights. I shot these just now and the sun has loooong gone.

So the f2.8 photo very shallow DoF
The f8.0 photo hmm yeah DoF looks ok
The f22 photo lots of DoF but as you can see the green bush now looks totally fake.
So it's a matter of what you like most but at least now you can see the differences between the shots.

 

[a6m5]

What are you using - make/model?

Cannon PowerShot SX130IS. It's a good camera for $130, and it actually let you adjust this & that, but it's all in Greek, and only very little English instruction I've found on it so far.

 

[Nessy]

Damn, i wish i had a proper camera (use to have some old Pentax SLR many years ago). Great tips AMG 👍. Do you ever take any pics of your cars in B&W?

 

[AOS-]

Funny you mentioned B&W.

I started collecting hot wheels with the intention of taking photos, but then it just turned into a hobby of collecting only. I should change that before the end of this year.

 

[Nessy]

Funny you mentioned B&W.

I started collecting hot wheels with the intention of taking photos, but then it just turned into a hobby of collecting only. I should change that before the end of this year.

Back when i had my SLR, B&W was the only way i took pics, used to develop the pics as well (at college). I actually have a (pretty worthless) GCSE (qualification) in photography (only C grade though), i'd love to get back into it some day.

 

[AMG.]

Cannon PowerShot SX130IS. It's a good camera for $130, and it actually let you adjust this & that, but it's all in Greek, and only very little English instruction I've found on it so far.

Here is one in English and from what little I can see in the picture, the dial on top should have Av & Tv modes.
See page 90.

Great tips AMG 👍. Do you ever take any pics of your cars in B&W?

Thanks, no, but that may well change over the coming weekend and days off.

 

[photonrider]

Cannon PowerShot SX130IS. It's a good camera for $130, and it actually let you adjust this & that, but it's all in Greek, and only very little English instruction I've found on it so far.

A Greek Cannon? Sounds like a Trojan to me, a6m5. Better have a look inside that thing.

Had I put an exotic down there most would have realised it to be a model immediately.

You had to throw me that challenge, right?

Wrt your photo - it's a very good effort too, good low angle but the model reeks of plastic (e.g. rear spoiler) and therefore a dead give away.

Absolutely my thoughts on it, AMG. You not only have a good eye, you have an experienced mind. 👍

We want, we're here to learn from each other, there's a positive vibe in this thread so go to it.

Yes, we have kept this discussion - though slow and steady - very cheerful, very positive, and very encouraging. Not really had the 'You-suck-I can-do-better brigade in here, yet. Learning and having fun at the same time, and feeling good about what we're doing as we improve our skills is practically the theme of the thread. And because it's mostly about learning photography from the 'Pros' (read: people who make money from it) is why we're here in the Photo Forum and not in the Rumble Strip (which is more of a 'Lifestyle Choices' area.) Of course, one doesn't really have to be a 'Pro' to be credible; quite often there are talented amateurs out there who can also inspire us.
To reiterate - yes, there is a positive vibe to this thread, and hopefully we can keep it that way. 👍

Okay just to illustrate my earlier post...............

.................So it's a matter of what you like most but at least now you can see the differences between the shots.

These are valuable posts you are making, AMG - and I'm indebted to you for taking the time and effort to lay this out on the table for us. I'm sure everyone here is greatly benefiting from it. As you can imagine, I have a ton of reference materials on Photography, and have taken probably in excess of a hundred thousand photos, as well as having being a Creative Director in a Ad Agency in my time, have also scanned thousands upon thousands of photographs - from Cibachrome to B&W - but hearing the technicals over again, and put in your unique way is very refreshing.
Once again - thanks for joining us, and taking this interest. You have added much value to this thread. 👍

Rushing in and out of the office today - and getting snagged into looking at GTP - but shall be back later to complete the various editing I have to do in the thread re: OP, etc.

Cheers,
Harry.

 

[Sonygamer455]

'Gamer - you flatter me again. 😊 I'm sure pros everywhere must be banging their heads on the wall! Actually, I pretty much break every rule, written and otherwise, when it comes to my art. My friends call me the Monet of Photography - I'm just an eye. I'm always chasing an 'impression'. Don't do as I do - do as I say.
I'm glad you got in here to discuss your photography, though, since I saw vast improvements in your shots in the collector's thread. I can see that you will be eventually on par with the rest of us, as you start to master DoF, and Lighting.
At this point I would now advise you to try to work on making your hands as steady as possible when you shoot. Read up the whole thread/discussion when you have the time - there are a lot of tips in here that should bring out the best in you.
Passion is the motor that drives success - and you have it. Now to crank it up.
Hopefully Santa will send you at least a point-and-shoot this Christmas - and you will be stunned at how much the camera will do for you. Today's cameras take a lot of work out of the business of capturing what we see.

And then after that . . . we shall all discuss composition.

Well - got to go for now - dinner awaits. BBL. Regards to all in here.

Yea im glad to have found this thread! Honestly i was thinking about creating a thread like this if there wasn't one, just so i can see your awesome shots! But i see that has already been done. As for the camera, i have been able to steady my hands very well since i happen to have steady hands anyway.

To be honest, lighting has been one of my biggest problems lately, the reflections is what has been ruining it for me. One thing i did do when i made this of the Dune Daddy was i held my hand over the light abit so that way the flowers on the hood would be visable, otherwise it would be blocked out by the reflections.

See for yourself:

Edit: Reuploaded since I no longer need Photobucket.

 

[photonrider]

Hi 'Gamer. Are you still using that Vita? Golly. I would never be able to get even that good a shot if I was using a handheld gaming toy. When I look at the problems that beset you it seems like you may sometimes have too much light (which causes overexposure and therefore blurring,) or shakey-hand (again which causes blurring) or too large an aperture (no control over that on a Vita, I guess) which also can cause blurring - depending on the depth of field you are getting at the distance you are shooting. At this point your composition (and artistry, in terms of colour-balance, POV, etc) are already there within you - so it only seems like you have to get your lighting and detailing right. Very hard I would think with a gaming handheld. I can only imagine how much your photography would improve with a real camera. Don't worry about blurring (for now) in terms of hand-shake - a tripod can fix that in half a minute. If you can find something to prop the Vita on - stack of books, cushion, bean-bag, etc, the shake will go away. I see that you are experimenting with the lighting now - that's good - experimentation is very healthy and you will find all sorts of new ideas and ways of seeing things, than in the usual cliche way that comes out of books or University-bred teachers, who have to teach an entire clump of people in a homologous way - so that everybody's photos come out cookie-cutter perfect and is gradeable. Find your own eye.
As you have discovered; sometimes blocking the light a bit can bring out the detail - because you are lessening the overexposure. And sometimes moving the object around or the Vita around can catch more light (if it's too dark) so that again you will catch more detail.
There is something we term ISO (or ASA for others of us ) that also adds or detracts from the 'blur' or 'graininess' of the image. I doubt the Vita (I don't have one, surprise! since I have most gaming equipment!) gives you the opportunity to adjust ISO - generally the lower the number, the more fine detail you can get - the higher the number the more 'grainy' (blurred, screenish effect) that the picture will have. How this effects your taking the picture is that when the number is low - you will need more light to get a better picture. The higher the number the less light you will need.
There are other factors about ISO - AMG's post covers it very well. But all that may not be compatible with the Vita.

One more thing - and the most important thing, if you wish to become an artist as well as a photographer. Photography today is getting more and more 'automatic'. Focus is automatic, aperture and shutter-speed settings are automatic, and if you place yon regular camera of today on a tripod and shoot something - you can't go wrong. You can close your eyes and take the picture and it will be picture-perfect - as detailed, etc, as a 'picture' can be.
However - you must remember that we don't 'look' in real life that way. Which is why sometimes the more clear and detailed a photograph is, the more 'fake' it looks - because we don't really see that way in real life. Unless our eye is nothing but a giant fovea centralis. We only see a part of an object in detail at a time. When our eyes move rapidly around an object is when we see the detail. In real life you just see one little part, of what you are looking at, in detail, the rest is all blurred because we see the rest only with our peripheral vision. The impressionist painters understood this. The would 'blur' the whole picture - yet masterfully direct the viewer's eyes to a certain 'spot' (the 'hook') in the picture - so that when the viewer's eye hit that spot (the 'sweet spot') the viewer would then be stuck staring at the picture 'gapped out' as such and enjoying the pleasure of sight - shape and colour.
For instance if the 'hook' in your picture was one of the flowers - then only that would be the spot that would be sharply and sweetly in focus, which would take a viewers eye to it and afix it there, so that the viewer would then be stuck staring at it, conscious, of course, of the rest of the car as a whole, but not moving their eyes around too much.
Just gapped out and enjoying.
Much like the way Leonardo makes people stuck on looking at the Mona Lisa.

Very sharp focus all around is great for product advertising - since of course advertising people want you to not gap out but scan all the details quickly, get bored, and run off to buy the actual product.

Hope all that fires up your thinking a bit! 👍
Observe how you 'see' when you look at things in real life. Then capture that life and express what you see - we may want to see what you see, too!

Damn - I'm running out of time again, and gotta fly back to work - back around 10.00 - but probably not able to post till later - so good luck, and have fun with cars and Vita.

Be a Renoir! Or a Warhol.

 

[a6m5]

Here is one in English and from what little I can see in the picture, the dial on top should have Av & Tv modes.
See page 90.

It says aperture & shutter speed priority? That is the "Greek" I was referring to.

I'll try playing around with it!

A Greek Cannon? Sounds like a Trojan to me, a6m5. Better have a look inside that thing.

Cannon, not a horse.

 

[AOS-]

To be honest, lighting has been one of my biggest problems lately, the reflections is what has been ruining it for me. One thing i did do when i made this of the Dune Daddy was i held my hand over the light abit so that way the flowers on the hood would be visable, otherwise it would be blocked out by the reflections.

That's very good of you. Im glad you had thought of doing that.

Daylight usually doesn't work in my favour so I tend to prefer artificial light most of the time since that is a light source I can directly manipulate to any spot I want.

 

[AMG.]

Cannon, not a horse.

Me thinks he's referring to Canon vs cannon.

It says aperture & shutter speed priority? That is the "Greek" I was referring to.

I'll try and explain in laymans terms.

Aperture priority mode
Aperture priority mode is something YOU choose.
You decide at which aperture (how much sharpness) you want to set the camera. In general you use this mode with stationary or slow moving subjects.

The camera will work out the shutter speed based on YOUR choice of aperture. BUT keep an eye on the shutter speed, when it drops below 1/focal length (see earlier post) you will get blurring.


Shutter priority mode
Again something YOU choose. YOU decide the speed with which the shutter should open and close. The camera will work out the appropriate aperture.
This mode you would typically use with fast moving objects. E.g freeze a humming bird, freeze a fast moving cheetah or car. If you use really low shutter speeds (e.g. 3 seconds) you can turn a waterfall in to a milky look.
Shoot the same subject with a very fast shutter speed (e.g. 1/5000s) you could count each individual droplet.

Above are guidelines, not rules set in stone.

Perhaps an Xmas present for you would be a small but sturdy tripod. Something that can take the weight of your camera an not be wobbly. Failing that use a wooden box, chair arm rest, or a beanbag and give it a go.

In the beginning, when experimenting, keep notes of what you dialled in so you can compare later.

To be honest, lighting has been one of my biggest problems lately, the reflections is what has been ruining it for me. One thing i did do when i made this of the Dune Daddy was i held my hand over the light abit so that way the flowers on the hood would be visable, otherwise it would be blocked out by the reflections.

To get rid of unwanted reflections you could try to place a white bed sheet or something similar between the "sun" and your subject. It will act as a soft box in the way that a cloud covered day does.

 

[a6m5]

Me thinks he's referring to Canon vs cannon.

Aww Jeeez.....

I'll try and explain in laymans terms.

Aperture priority mode
Aperture priority mode is something YOU choose.
You decide at which aperture (how much sharpness) you want to set the camera. In general you use this mode with stationary or slow moving subjects.

The camera will work out the shutter speed based on YOUR choice of aperture. BUT keep an eye on the shutter speed, when it drops below 1/focal length (see earlier post) you will get blurring.


Shutter priority mode
Again something YOU choose. YOU decide the speed with which the shutter should open and close. The camera will work out the appropriate aperture.
This mode you would typically use with fast moving objects. E.g freeze a humming bird, freeze a fast moving cheetah or car. If you use really low shutter speeds (e.g. 3 seconds) you can turn a waterfall in to a milky look.
Shoot the same subject with a very fast shutter speed (e.g. 1/5000s) you could count each individual droplet.

Above are guidelines, not rules set in stone.

Perhaps an Xmas present for you would be a small but sturdy tripod. Something that can take the weight of your camera an not be wobbly. Failing that use a wooden box, chair arm rest, or a beanbag and give it a go.

In the beginning, when experimenting, keep notes of what you dialled in so you can compare later.

I'll give her a shot. Thank you for taking time to explain, even I was able to understand it. 👍 As for the tripod, I do have one, I just never take set, or diorama photos. I'll play around with it a bit & see if I can take any interesting shots.

 

[AMG.]

As for the tripod, I do have one

Most of my photographs are taken either using a tripod or when in Africa a beanbag. The one thing I dont have to worry about then is shutter speed as the camera is on a tripod (and Im taking shots of still objects).
The great thing about a tripod is it slows you down and you can really concentrate on framing your subject and looking at composition. Shooting wildlife nowadays the tripod is not feasible in a safari vehicle so either I use a Wimberley head if the vehicle allows it or the next best thing a beanbag.

Downside of a tripod, you have to carry it

 

[AOS-]

Using beanbags sounds brilliant. It's flexible shape can let you place it on any non-planar surfaces AND it provides cushioning.