doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Posting quality images

Thought I'd start a thread since this is a regular issue, and no doubt others will have more (better) professional tips.

Cell phones now have a 2048X1152 (2.4 MP) setting which is adequate for images to be posted on forums. For enhancing and cropping the image on the photo hosting site, it is important to minimize unneeded background in the original image ie. fill the view finder just with what you want to capture.

Plenty of sun here in the desert, so I set up outside with the object in the shade of my neighbor's house, with the morning sun almost clearing their roof and shining on my stucco. Even in the winter (here) direct sun gives too much glare, but the sun behind thin clouds works OK.

I use a dark grey solid background 10-12 inches behind the object which gives the image a 'floating in space' look





This took a bunch of tries to get the lens to focus on the defects in the bore. The sun was shining on the wall behind the barrel, which was sitting on the dark grey mat

Drew thanks. Bobby

Drew, we might add to use a tripod and a timer type release.

Many tablets available now have a 3MP camera on the back, capable of HD images.

If you are using a digital camera a Macro mode is important for close up images. If you are buying a digital camera don't just assume it will have a Macro mode, because even some medium priced cameras do not.

Steve,
Just a slight clarification. Macro is a function of the lens not the camera body on SLR cameras. Auto cameras work much the same way but to turn the macro on may be combined with the body.

These are not gun pictures but they will give you an idea of what can be done. The camera on most of these were a Nikon D90 using various lenses and in some cases fill-in flash which is the one built into the camera and I also use a Nikon Speedlight SB 700 which can be used by itself or set elsewhere can be triggered by the camera's flash.

Nikon D3000 with Vivitar Macro 100 lens. A Very cheap lens, sounds like something is loose when it focuses but great pictures,



D90 with Vivitar Macro 100 and Nikon Speedlight SB700



D90 with fixed 105mm Nikon taken at sunrise.



No tripod used on any photos, but not a bad thing to use. The heavier the better. For set-up shots I have an overhead 4x8 aluminum faced insulation board mounted to ceiling joints and set the camera on a tripod and bounce the flash off the ceiling panel.

One of the better buys from Nikon is the Nikon 35mm 1.8. a great lens for a fraction over $100. Takes great close-ups and is a fast lens for low light conditions.
Picture is just cropped.



This is what I use and like, there are plenty of other cameras and they don't have to be an SLR. I have used the other non SLR's but find them lacking in most cases.

Another thing to taking good pictures is to have Photoshop or Illustrator as these can make a bad picture good.
Never believe what you see on a magazine cover as being straight from the camera.