Presentation of a scale model ship

[Gaetan Bordeleau]

I am actually writing a small chapter exploring ways to photograph a wood scale ship.

Taking a photo is not only about a camera but it is also about Lighting.

So here is an overview of the tools we can use:

[druxey]

Many theaters are 'de-accessioning' older quartz luminaires in favor of LED technology. You might be able to pick up second-hand fresnels at low cost that way.

[wefalck]

The dual-colour LED panels should be used with some caution I think. If you have two light-sources of different 'temperature', it will be rather difficult to correct the white balance - you can do it only for one or the other light source.

 

I am curious, Gaetan, what gadget you found to suspend the panels from the ceiling.

 

For taking pictures from inside models or from a 'deck-hand' perspective, there are now also cheapo 'intra-oral' cameras on the market, essentially endoscopes on a short stick, rather than on a long flexible shaft.

[druxey]

I was thinking of re-purposing just the fresnel lens with whatever lighting source is one's preference. The standard sizes are 6" and 8" diameters.

[Gaetan Bordeleau]

Druxey, I have already bought a new fixture and I am still testing it.

 

Wefalk,

 

1-LED lighting is progressing very fast. The beauty of these new generations LED panels is that they are getting closer  to a light which enables to take a photo and getting the real color of the object. Mainly, LED panels are divided in 2 groups: daylight or bi-color.

 

If you want to get the most lux  you will get  the daylight  option and you will be close  to the color. On the other end, if you are in a mix light situation and want to improve th quality of the lighting, you will use a bi-color light which are able to adapt to any situation of lighting between 3200 and 5200 degrees Kelvin. By example, if In a room with low quality light (for photography), you can use a light  with a variable intensity in the "quality" of the lighting. In this situation, bi-color  light is good to adjust the lighting.

 

Another way to face the problem when taking a photo is to get immediately to the correct lighting intensity. First by closing the low intensity lighting  which often will be close to 3200 degrees Kelvin and light up the correct lighting with the daylight panels.

 

2-endoscopes is a product I did not use. I do not know up to which quality they can get. By example can they go up to 4K in the quality of the photo? An endoscope is probably a good solution to get inside a 1/75 model ship. In my situation, at 1/24 scale, a larger camera can be use. For this reason, I can use a small camera action with a good photo quality at 4K resolution. I tried 2  of these cameras, a first one with 2k with mixed results and a second one with very acceptable results; a GoPro Hero 9 black. It took me a period of adaptation to get good results. There are 2 main direction that I had to improve. First lens distortion. Lightroom does fix this problem. It has correction factor f for the camera. The other factor is the lighting. To get "correct photos" you need "correct lighting". LED panel is an easy way to get there very quickly.

 

3- I have been searching a long time a way to suspend these LED panels on the ceiling. One day, I was checking parts used to build a drum stand assembly. 2 parts looked very interesting. bThe first one is able to hold the LED panel and the second one allows to suspend a chrome metal tubing from the ceiling and also it can be adjusted at different angles. So I did a little assembly allowing to position these LED lights in a variety of positions. This way, I can position all the light individually. This way, I can get a lighting where I need. What do I mean by "what I need"? In a way, you could say that in the workshop, there is lighting only in the work area and at a correct intensity, not over- lighted  and not under-lighted. In a way, you could compare this with a surgery room. You get as much as Lighting as you need but only where you need. There are no added benefits to over light a room. LED panels have intensity knob fo easy adjustment. This way I can use as many lights I need and never be over lit.

 

Druxey,

 

Fresnel lights are vey interesting. You could compare a Fresnel light to a surgery light because you can adjust or concentrate the beam of light. Actually, I have an old fixture used in a surgery room. The light input in lux in very high but the quality of light in degrees Kelvin is too low. I figure that the same could apply to the fresnel light. Last week I bought a new light; a LED light with the possibility to adjust  the light beam. I am actually conducting tests to evaluate its potential.

[druxey]

Yes, a fresnel can be focussed to a narrower or wider beam spread and, in theaters, the beam may be shaped by 'barn doors'.

[Gaetan Bordeleau]

Building WOOD model ships is a process I enjoy very much working with wood.

Photography is also another process I like to experiment.

And lastly, milling and turning metal like aluminium and plastic is also something I enjoy. As a side note, you can turn plastic with high precision.

 

Just like in car products, where you cannot install a door mirror of a car from one kind to another kind; the same thing appears with photography adaptors.

Fitting adaptors or adapting some new ones to experiment further in photography  of model ship is also an interesting avenue that I like to explore.

 

Some examples are following to show trying to take photography a model ship and getting a photo with exactly the same colors as what you see.

Of course you do not need all these adaptors to take photos but I like to experiment.

[hollowneck]

I just came across this thread. Interesting information. Thanks for posting this to our community, very helpful.

I recently purchased the Neewer LED lighting panels you've mentioned. These are a "game changer" from my previous strobe (& hot light) set-ups, whether studio or location.

 

Mr Bordeleau has a very nice, professionally-equipped photo studio: there's lots o' pro photo gear shown (as well as pro studio monitor speakers).

My point? It would be difficult to take a bad photo with a Canon DSLR with all this equipment!

 

I was a photog for many years (film & digital) and I do use a full frame DSLR for critical studio photos; this said, the new iPhone 13 (Pro Max) offers a dramatic challenge to the DSLR model (for our macro modeling shots). New tech/gear is changing many assumptions about what is required for "good photography."

[hollowneck]

Have you seen this "probe" lens, Gaetan?

A new pro photo tool for macro shots (24mm) and it's configuration could produce some very interesting photos of models - interiors as well as exterior.

f14, built-in LED lights at front lens. About a 3/4" dia to the  tube. Manual focus. Pretty decent glass.

It's $1,600 USD, but It can also be rented.

 

Venus Optics Laowa 24mm f/14 2X Macro Probe Lens with Canon EF Mount

[Gaetan Bordeleau]

Hi Ron, yes I saw these but opted for Canon MP-E 65 mm F/2.8 x 1–5 x.

Here is an example of a figurehead at 1/192.