DSS #27 - Concept Check

AirThomAirThom Registered Users Posts: 153 Major grins
edited June 5, 2009 in The Dgrin Challenges
Ok... let's get my explanation out there first. This is a baaad picture. I took it with my beat up P&S because my camera was at work and I was at home. I had a bolt of inspiration cleaning up the kids toys and I wanted to bounce it off some other people to see if the concept was worth exploring. So, please try to ignore the horrible focus, bad background, and distracting foreground and concentrate solely on the little mens. :)

Worthy concept?

554502624_ou9ye-L.jpg
Nikon D600/300s

http://photos.thomasflock.com

Comments

  • pyroPrints.compyroPrints.com Registered Users Posts: 1,383 Major grins
    edited June 4, 2009
    could work
    pyroPrints.com (my little t-shirt shop)
    pyroPrints.com/5819572 The Photo Section
  • KatmitchellKatmitchell Banned Posts: 1,548 Major grins
    edited June 4, 2009
    Well I hate to point this out.. but the focus it really bad....


    Joking....................


    I like it... and I think you could take this places.... it is kind of hard to make out the details, so I am not completely sure what you are going for, but it looks like a battle field set-up? kind of like that?

    I like the concept and especially envisioning it in black and white.

    Perspective and Angle are going to be "key" to pulling this off though, perhaps some lens bending and distortion in PS to give us different perspectives? I don't know... depends on where you are taking this in your mind.. Please do share.. I am curious.


    I am voting for a different "ground" I am not sure a shiny surface works, but I would have to see it shot in focus in order to determine that.. I agree it has potential and could go places.... can't wait to see what you do with it...thumb.gif

    Kat
  • AirThomAirThom Registered Users Posts: 153 Major grins
    edited June 4, 2009
    Katmitchell wrote:
    Well I hate to point this out.. but the focus it really bad....


    Joking....................


    I like it... and I think you could take this places.... it is kind of hard to make out the details, so I am not completely sure what you are going for, but it looks like a battle field set-up? kind of like that?

    I like the concept and especially envisioning it in black and white.

    Perspective and Angle are going to be "key" to pulling this off though, perhaps some lens bending and distortion in PS to give us different perspectives? I don't know... depends on where you are taking this in your mind.. Please do share.. I am curious.


    I am voting for a different "ground" I am not sure a shiny surface works, but I would have to see it shot in focus in order to determine that.. I agree it has potential and could go places.... can't wait to see what you do with it...thumb.gif

    Kat

    I was thinking of rows of the standing soldiers at an angle leading towards the mounted soldiers with some cannons filling in the leftover space in the frame. And my thought on the reflective ground was to add another "layer" of soldiers but I can see how in this setting it might be too much. I think you hit the nail on the head about perspective and angle though. I'm going to do some more setup on it tonight and hopefully will have time to take a few shots with my dslr so that I can get a better idea of how it's going to look and what I can do with it.

    I hadn't thought of lens bending/distortion, that might be really fun... thanks!
    Nikon D600/300s

    http://photos.thomasflock.com
  • KatmitchellKatmitchell Banned Posts: 1,548 Major grins
    edited June 4, 2009
    Your Welcome.. I am really excited to see this now... can't wait...!!!

    I don't know if you use Photoshop, but if you do, they have the lens distortion under filters. There is lens correction and spherize under filters > distort,
    that might be fun to practice with... unless you are lucky enough to have a wide angle lens already... not me.. I am stuck with the normal lens right now.. saving up..

    The reflective surface might work.... just watch the blowout on the white figurines.. that's gonna be tricky.. Ya know, just a thought, but dirt might work here too because of the black and white conversion...maybe? or black and white marble? just some thoughts...headscratch.gifscratchheadscratch.gif

    Well good luck and I look forward to seeing what you pull off with this..wings.gif
  • LoriKTMLoriKTM Registered Users Posts: 44 Big grins
    edited June 4, 2009
    I definitely think the idea is worth pursuing.

    What about something like an aerial type shot? The figures make me think of those scenes in the movies where generals are planning their attacks with miniatures on a table, showing positions of the each army. ne_nau.gif
  • AirThomAirThom Registered Users Posts: 153 Major grins
    edited June 4, 2009
    This was a new angle I thought of (with the "help" of my sons, as they knocked over the way I had it setup)...

    555006594_uJrcU-L.jpg


    And then I did a little more aerial type shot...
    555006078_hPYLd-L.jpg

    I like where I'm headed the more I add "little men" and position them around... I found a box light that I was thinking of putting them on, see what it looks like with some up-lighting.
    Nikon D600/300s

    http://photos.thomasflock.com
  • KatmitchellKatmitchell Banned Posts: 1,548 Major grins
    edited June 4, 2009
    I don't know.. We are not getting enough detail on the figurines here Airthom.. and where is all of the blur coming from? open up your aperture. Gonna have to whip out the old tripod for this one I think... I cant see detail.headscratch.gifD

    Kat
  • AirThomAirThom Registered Users Posts: 153 Major grins
    edited June 5, 2009
    Katmitchell wrote:
    I don't know.. We are not getting enough detail on the figurines here Airthom.. and where is all of the blur coming from? open up your aperture. Gonna have to whip out the old tripod for this one I think... I cant see detail.headscratch.gifD

    Kat


    Here's one sitting on my lightbox, think this is the maximum detail I can pull out of these little suckers... without a macro lens.
    f/5.6 - 1/5sec
    555065187_54pzo-L.jpg
    Nikon D600/300s

    http://photos.thomasflock.com
  • KatmitchellKatmitchell Banned Posts: 1,548 Major grins
    edited June 5, 2009
    ahh.. bummer..:cry it was a cool idea.. but without the ability to pull off the detail I don't think it is gonna work Airthom.. I know your pain.. I am often limited by my lens.. and dream of a good quality macro too.. it really opens up new doors on this small scale studio stuff.

    It was an awesome idea, so I know you have more up your sleeve somewhere there... any other idea for this round? headscratch.gifD

    Kat
  • AirThomAirThom Registered Users Posts: 153 Major grins
    edited June 5, 2009
    Ok... so I have a problem being "beaten" by some tiny plastic soldiers! MORE DETAIL!!!

    555264246_QWjKD-L.jpg

    But is it enough... I'll probably keep tinkering with this until I find a suitable replacement for this obsession. HA :D
    Nikon D600/300s

    http://photos.thomasflock.com
  • KatmitchellKatmitchell Banned Posts: 1,548 Major grins
    edited June 5, 2009
    Nice pun there on the soldiers.. (laughing)

    You remind me of Custard's Last Stand...

    Your fighting the good fight for sure...:duel

    Call for back up,, send for more detail... we need more "DETAIL"

    You got much closer this time, but I think they are still winning...

    One thing I notice is the lit table.. you think that is helping or hurting the detail problem? not sure..

    The problem with an aerial view is the same problem as shooting a flower from above.. it is how the our eyes would normally see it, and so it looses its impact.. give us an angle that we normally would not see these at, ya know kind of like a bugs eye view.. I wanna be down in the battle field action..:davidto

    I can already tell that part of the problem here is that "type of plastic".. it makes for a very difficult black and white conversion.. and does not have sharp detail to begin with...been there done that.

    So maybe keep it like this, and get down and shoot to where "we" are on the battle field? perhaps that would work? worth a try.... we need details and if you shoot more on their level be sure to try and give us as much DOF as possible..


    Good luck soldier..thumb.gif and be sure to have plan "B":devbobo ready in case you are defeated.. Laughing.gif.............

    Kat
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