Modding How to take better photographs of your Mod

You might be a Dremel daemon or jigsaw juggernaut but if your project log is filled with dark, blurry photos, you're not doing your PC the justice it deserves. Here are some tips and tricks to make your project log sparkle.



http://www.bit-tech.net/modding/guides/2010/02/15/better-photographs-of-your-mod/1

 

Or another simple rule of the thumb : Ditch your phone and get a proper camera.

 

Take lots of pictures. then pic the best of those to post is also a great idea. I always take at least 2 shots, more likely 3 or 4, of any particular shot I want to get.

 

Really interesting and in-depth article. Gets people who wouldn't normally even think about how their camera works taking better shots!

 

Awesome stuff! I just need a mod and a DSLR now! But seriously, this should go a long way in improving up and coming modders

 

1. Have enough lights around
2. Take enough photos
3. Don't necessarily post ALL of the many
4. If the photo sucks, don't post

Simple.

EDIT: Also top tip, you can grab a cheap and cheerful studio flash off ebay for £20. Make shooting product shots a real pleasure.

EDIT2: Oh
5. Shoot in RAW if possible
6. Edit your photos (levels, white balance, takes five seconds per shot and can make all the difference)

 

Awesome!
I always wondered who's taking pictures of mobos at BT/CPC. Some pics looks really nice...

 

A good guide and I completely agree with Jipa. I think another guide is in order about photoshopping the pictures before posting.

 

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=38260

One of these, 2 "Student" goose neck lamps, with a 100W reflector in each, and job done for under £30. Any tripod that will hold the Camera in a comfortable and stable manner will do.

I have 3 of those (Bought at £20 each... doh!), stitched together, and can photograph Midi-ATX cases easily.

 

Great guide. In my opinion, good lighting is half the battle won.

 

Funny you should say that, some Phones have actually superior Cameras now compared to the cheaper point and shoot cameras (like for example the Samsung Pixon ones which simply can't be beaten if it comes to fixing what your shaky hands screw up).

 

Perhaps, but DSLRs are always superior!

 

Perhaps the cheapest point-and-shoot cameras aren't included in the term "proper camera". I have yet to see a mobile camera produce photos that beat my old Canon a540 or even the Nikon Coolpix 3200 3Mpix cheapo. Both are used as "unfriendly environment" cameras (partycams) but both produce crisp, sharp photos with rich colours provided you have enough light.
Then again, though I'd consider using the Canon for taking in-progress shots of a mod, both are in my opinion borderline "proper cameras". I'd use the D60 and save the D300 for the final shots DSLR's are hard to beat.

Regarding the article, fantastic and much needed

 

(though, I haven't seen the Pixon one yet.. got to take a look)

 

This is a really informative and interesting article. Is there anyway i can save it as a favorite to my BT profile ? for future reference.

 

add a link to it in your sig?

 

Interesting article, I think I'll dig out my old camera and give it a try

 

thanks guys, nice read !

 

Pretty good article covering the basics. It's really hard producing a simple photography tutorial, as you need to pitch it at a level for beginners, and include the theory basics in a way that doesn't involve theory. LOL.

Anyone wanting more, a few of us put together a thread years ago. It's still up...

http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?t=129356

 

Good article covering a lot of topics.

I'd say manual mode isn't necessary most of the time. Aperture mode can be used for most situations as it's probably not necessary to manually alter the shutter speed when taking these kinds of pictures and exposure compensation can then be used to alter the brightness of the photo.

Regarding file formats, .jpg is a lot easier to work with (no need to use a RAW converter and most simple edits can still be done in Photoshop, including white balance). Also, the 'Image Quality' setting usually has a minimal effect on the detail of an image and the effect of altering this definitely wouldn't be visible once the picture has been resized and uploaded to the forums. It does make the file size a lot larger though, so I would always leave it set to 'normal'.

This site has a lot of useful info, especially the 'Why your camera doesn't matter' article!
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech.htm