Well you and I have long struggled with our photos and tried most things. The three issues I have had are where to take the photos, lighting and depth of field
I have tried taking photos outside, inside, by the window, bits of paper behind, in a lighting box, white background, black background, blue background ets etc. So now I have put a large piece of blue card on the dressing table in the side room. Blue seems to be the one that creates the best lighting background. Also the curvature of the card means I dont have those ugly paper edges or "box look" style pictures
Next was the lighting issue. As I work all day I have to model at night so the majority of photos are taken in the night time. This means using the light from the ceiling light and a couple of lamps strategically positioned to get the best coverage. This is the result
When I do manage to position the light correcty the model then goes back into shadow when I move the camera close to take the photo
However I have recently invested in two "natural light" lamps off the internet
HERE. They are fantasic! Fully adjustable so you can have vertical or horizontal light. They come with a heavy stand so no fear of them toppeling over. I have had them for a couple of weeks now and they have made my modeling life so much better. For example the exact same shot as above at the same distance with the same camera but with these two lamps used instead of the bedroom light and lamps and this is what you get.
Also this was taken at night time. I am still playing around to try and get rid of all shadows but it ceratinly is an improvement.
In my bench room I work off the room light and a small lamp
Now with one of the lamps by my side this is what I have
So not only better photos but better working environment as well.
Now the depth of field issue. This has plagued me for many a year and still does. Front on pictures not too bad but the equipment at the back is still out of focus.
But as soon as you do the length of vehicle, notice how the the shield and telescopic sights are all out of focus on the L/H side
What I want is everything in focus. I have three cameras and I have tried all the things needed about ISO, shutter speed etc etc but my cameras are just not up to it. I have had some improvement by taking a shot further away when everything is in focus and then using the picture editor on the computer to zoom in and cut and crop the picture. However the picture then looks rather "grainy".
Saying all that close ups are the worst. Notice how the mug is clear but everything is blurred. What I want is a sharp image of everything
I am now looking to get a magnification lens camera which will do 1:1 if not better but they aint cheap. Low end lenses are £2 -£300 with top end spec £1,000+. So I am busy saving up and hopefully one day I can get photos that others seem to get at close range. The mistake I made was buying cameras with high zoom features and not high magnification features. My only fear is once I get the lens it will show up all my mistakes!
Saying all that your latest photos of your finished truck are a vast improvement and its great to see more of your fantastic detailing mate.
Hope this helps
Steve