Photographing models - need help re. gloss finish vs. camera flash

hmm...never tried such. A couple of things you might look at:

a) provide enough light from sources other than the camera flash so that the flash isn't needed. this could be an external flash arrangement, or spots / floods

b) "bounce" the camera's flash off something (like cardstock) and reflect it off ceiling or wall so the light isn't coming directly from the flash. this can be as simple as an index card attached at 45 degrees in front of the flash to reflect light off ceiling.

not sure if this will help you or not.....

Shalom.

A lot depends on the type of camera you are using.

However, here are a few inexpensive everyday things I have tried that seem to help a lot.

It is good to have two separate light sources -- one is the primary light and the other is the fill light to fill in areas that would be too dark with just one light source such as an on-camera flash unit. I prefer to use two regular household table lamps with normal household incandescent daylight balanced light bulbs of 100 watts in them. I place the two lamps at the appropriate heights and distances to light the model the way I want the model lit. This involves experimenting with the positions of the different light sources. You can often forgo the use of one lamp and use a reflector to bounce the light from the lamp to the model. It is best if the reflector has a rough surface, such as a piece of tinfoil that has been crumpled and then straightened out again, rather than a smooth surface like a mirror. This rough of surface prevents the reflected light from being concentrated on just one spot or area of the model. To cut down on the shadows cast by the lamp (your primary lamp if two are used or both lamps) you can diffuse the light (also useful to diffuse the light from the flash unit) by having a piece of tissue held/positioned

*NEAR* the light sources but not so close that it gets hot or presents a fire hazard. Some flash units are quite hot near the lens when they are discharged. Diffused light is the type of light you see outside on an overcast day and it is a softer less harsh light than non-diffused light.

I hope this helps.

Cheers from Peter

I'd recommend fixing the problem on the camera end, not the subject matter. It may require a little bit of an investment and there's a learning curve but it beats messing up a model kit.

DIFFUSE LIGHT. Most problems arise from a light source near the lens (i.e. built in flashes) dumping tons of focused light directly onto the subject matter which is promptly bounced straight back into the lens.

The better solution is to use no flash and light the environment properly and adequately. This is where it can get pricey buying the right light sources, reflectors, diffusers, light boxes, flash rings, etc. It's mostly a one time cost and you can use it for other uses as it opens you up to more possibilities in the wonderful world of photography; but it ain't all that cheap to get the good stuff. Fortunately there are plenty of homemade concoctions that can get you in the game.

The next best option is to use a camera that has a separate flash attachment - one on a cord that allows you to distance the flash away from the camera and direct light away from the subject. You want to bounce the flash off of something bright and white and let that diffuse light illuminate the subject.

Next best option is a built in attached flash with an elevated and angled head that allows you to point the flash upward. Major drawback here is of course the flash is too close to the lens.

Any way you slice it, the point is you have to diffuse the light source. Tons of flat matte paint jobs show up every day semi gloss thanks to the trusty old camera flash. Which is a minor quibble when you consider that with the majority of pics snapped, the model is usually washed out in a hail of flash bright enough to be the light Moses saw on the mountain top.

There are lots of photog sites online and the type of photography I would recommend brushing up on is called macro photography. That's the stuff where they photograph close ups of bees with such clarity you can count the bristles on them. You won't need all that hardware or expertise of that, but the principles are the same and it's worth the read if you have a hankering to take better model pics.

Lots of DIY sites online have home made gadgets like diffusers, reflectors and light boxes. The light box in particular screams out as a DIY project in comparison to the price many charge for a pro version. After all, the bulb you use is more important than the socket, housing and wiring job (done properly). If you're going to spend the money, spend it on the critical elements - like professional grade bulbs screwed into properly rated but cheap homemade housings. Electricity - well it's mostly samey-same.

Hope this helps - happy shuttering.

WmB

No built in flash that is - you will want to use a flash attachment, pref. tripod mounted.

WmB

I've worked photography at multiple shows. Technique is to use goose neck lamps one on each side in front of the model. Use a semi transparent diffuser in front of each bulb so you don't get artifacts associated with the bulb filament geometry. Us a single lens reflex or the view screen on a digital (big battery use) to get an accurate preview of the composition of the scene and avoid effects of parallax (in a separate view finder on top, when you'rs up close the view finder and camera fields of view are shifted from each other. You can use pieces of white card to reflect light into shadowed areas. Provide a solid or textured background in a suitable color behind the model so you don't end up with a brick wall or other distraction.

100 watt incandesant bulbs work well. Be sure to either white balance you camera or set white balance temperature for the type of bulb you're using. Don't let the model sit under the hot lights until it melts - a few years back there was a story of someone setting up focus etc and tacking a long time and the aircrafts landing gear failed from the heat. In this configuration you get to evaluate depth of focus effects and and shine or highlights before taking the photo. I have never had mush luck using flash in these situations.

Val Kraut

Thank you all for the help. I have some (rarely-used) professional-quality lights for portrait work; I assume from the replies that I can use those with diffusers for my model work...?

"> Thank you all for the help. I have some (rarely-used)

Professional light source may already be difussed, see what the light field looks like. Also the two sources should, like in portrate work, prevent the model from having a shadow on the backdrop.

Books have been written about photographing scale models, so it is hard to reply in just a newsgroup message. However, I would not do anything to the model- fix the lighting instead.

There are two basic types of scale model photo. One, which I call "model as art" shoots the model against a featureless background and uses very diffuse lighting.

The other, the "realistic photo" tries to make the model look like the prototype. It is shot against a realistic backdrop of a photo backdrop of a real scene. Direct sunlight is highly recommended for this.

Flash is good only for the first type. Even then, you must either use a big diffuser on the flash or bounce flash. Instead of flash, there are several "mini photo studio" things sold that include diffusers and two side lights. You must use a tripod with these, but tripods have gotten very cheap these days, and every model photographer should have one.

I'd never heard of anything like this - thanks for the tip!

I've already learned enough about model-photography to use a tripod and a remote trigger. Is there a difference between using a remote trigger and using the timer?

Rob Kelk wrote: : : I've already learned enough about model-photography to use a tripod and : a remote trigger. Is there a difference between using a remote trigger : and using the timer? : For the scenario being discussed, no. You are doing the same thing. The timer allows the camera to "settle" from being triggered, while the remote avoids the issue of you ever touching the camera to trigger it.

If you plan to do more photography, a remote trigger is well worth it, unless you are prescient.

Bruce

I use a macro lens on an SLR. you can use film or digital. I find best results with a 50mm lens or 105mm lens. With a ringlight for a flash. That's the key, its diffuse enough that you don't get the gloss being reflected back.

If its your model, go for a table top set up, go find any good photography book on how to shoot static subjects for tripods, lights, all that. Blue or grey background works best.

Check out say Fine Scale modeler, or the Tamiya model magazine or you favorite mag for how to get the shots. You will want to stop down the f stop for depth of field (more in focus).