recent photos of model cars

[andy_game]

<p>I´m going to try and post some recent shots I´ve taken, using my Canon EF and Tokina AT-X 90mm f2.5 macro lens. I know the lens isn´t FD, but I think many of us don´t necessarily use a Canon lens for macro and closeup work. These are all taken under a cobbled-together cardboard softbox... thanks for looking, Andy</p><div></div>

[andy_game]

<p>and one more...</p><div></div>

[andy_game]

<p>Sorry, they haven´t turned out as well as I´d hoped, but at least you get the idea!</p>

[don_boyd3]

<p>Andy, I'm sure your originals are awesome. Even with the reproduction limitations here on the net the images are very good. Demonstrates excellent technique. Thank you for sharing.</p>

<p>Don B in Hampton Roads</p>

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[andy_game]

<p>Thanks Don, for your kind words. I´m learning how best to show my pix on the net....If anybody´s interested here´s links to a couple more in flickr.com. They are optimized for the largest size in flickr, so please click on ALL SIZES above the photo for best results. All the best, Andy<br>

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[cowboystuff]

<p>Excellent photos and excellent model building! That Tokina lens seems to be doing and excellent job also!</p>

[andy_game]

<p>Ah Larry, I can´t claim any kudos for building the models I´m afraid...they came ready assembled out of their boxes!</p>

[cowboystuff]

<p>In the photos with the gradiant background and the reflective base, did you use a piece of plexiglass?</p>

[Lou_Meluso]

<p>Very nice, Andy. The VW shot is great! Isn't that lens rated like the sharpest thing in the world or something.</p>

[rwbowman]

<p>I think these are beautiful.</p>

[andy_game]

<p>Thanks everybody, for your encouragement.<br>

Larry, it´s actually a gloss black plastic placemat, the kind you put on the dining table. I have glued a couple together to give a larger glossy area, that I can also bend up into the background if I want to. Plexiglass would probably give much cleaner reflections, and it´s on my wish list, but at the moment my tabletop studio is done on a shoestring...the only real expense being a daylight low energy bulb. If you want to see sketches and more info on my softbox setup it´s here...<br>

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Louis...yes, the Tokina AT-X 90mm f2.5 is rated very highly...I know Mark likes it too! I did tweak the sharpness in Photoshop a bit. I´ve only got a very basic flat bed scanner and I´m scanning the smallest size prints (9x13 cm) so I need all the extra help I can get! I also sometimes support the end of the lens with a second tripod too, just to squeeze that extra bit of sharpness out. And Superia 200, although cheap, is a pretty sharp film. As you can gather, my setup is very low budget, but it seems to be getting results!</p>

 

[andy_game]

<p>Larry..sorry I was thinking of different photos that I´ve used gloss black on. The reflective bases on these shots I´ve posted is Chromolux card...silver in this case.</p>

[cowboystuff]

<p>I checked out the drawing, Very creative! I was actually surprised to find out you were shooting film and then scanning from prints to get the photos you are showing us.<br>

Very nice.</p>

[darin_cozine]

<p>Andy, I think youve done a great job with these shots and I thank you very much for sharing your softbox design. It is really designed well.</p>

<p>I was just at ritz camera looking at soft cubes and stuff and I was thouroughly unimpressed.</p>

[andy_game]

<p>Hallo Darin, if you´ve got the time ít´s great fun to make your own softbox, and tailor it to suit what you want it to do. I´ve learned so much through playing around with this over the past 6 months, and it´s perfect for the evenings, or when the weather isn´t good for FD´ing outside. It´s also made me really slow down and think about every shot. In a 4 hour session I often only take 4 or 5 shots. It´s useful to have a camera like the Canon EF, that can read down to EV -2. If I´ve got black gobos covering up most of the softbox I can be down to 30 secs at f16.</p>

[darin_cozine]

<p>Wow I did not realized the EF had such good low light capabilities. ( i feel some GAS comeing on!)</p>

[cowboystuff]

<p>For anyone interested in making their own tabletop display and softbox, you can always use one inch PVC pipe, available at Lowes or Home depot or any hardware store.<br />Just cut the pieces with a saw to desired lengths and glue together with ready available joints and PVC cement. You can even make things rotate or foldable by using a larger size PVC pipe as hinges with the one inch size slipped inside.<br />Just make some drawings how you want it, take the measurements and buy the pipe in 10 foot lengths and begin work.</p>

[andy_game]

<p>I´m taking the liberty to post a couple more links to my tabletop shots in flickr.com. I´ve included the VW shot that I embedded at the start of this thread...it looks much better in flickr. As before, please click on ALL SIZES above the photo to view a bigger and much better quality image. Thank you!<br>

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[baris_john]

<p>Really like the colors you got there Andy. What film is that?</p>

[andy_game]

<p>Hallo Baris..Fuji Superia 200...it´s cheap, still easy to get here in Germany, but is also rated as one of the sharper films. And I like the colours too..although I am scanning from 9x13 cm prints so the colour balance would have a lot to do with the printing. And I also add lightly tinted (magenta) transparent sheets (actually 60 cent A4 plastic folders from the office equipment shop!) under the softbox to slightly warm the light The bulb I use has a CRI of >92, which means it´s not a perfect photographic light and gives a slight green cast.</p>

[w_t1]

<p>Andy, who makes these car models? I haven't seen anything that quality here in the US, but I'm mostly familiar with walmart, havent been to hobby store in years. Good stuff on flickr. Regards Tom</p>

[andy_game]

<p>Hallo Tom, yes, they are nice models aren´t they..and thanks to ebay none cost me more than 15 euro! The Watson roadster is a Carousel1 model....a U.S. company specializing in Indy 500 racers, lovely quality but not well known here in Germany and so cheaper than they should be! The New Beetle is an Autoart model, also a U.S. company...nice quality too. The Citroen rally car is Solido, French, not quite such good quality esp in the small details, but great paint jobs, comparatively cheap and good value for money. The Ducati motorbike is Protar/Italerei/Revell, again comparatively cheap and good value. The Quad bike is New Ray, only picked it up for €4.50, a very cheap and cheerful model, but a softbox and nice backgrounds can help make a purse out of a sow´s ear!</p>