Sunday, December 19, 2010

The Legend Effect

Tonight I looked at those fantasy style pictures taken not too long ago related to the completion of some Citadel Woods. I'm still working more with the "Effects" button, this time trying out the antique gizmo. From what I can tell so far, WHFB loves antique. I feel it gives them a legendary tales from a bygone era sort of quality. Also I think it's neat that it makes my sunny, green trees appear autumnal. Interesting... very interesting.

With Dawn Patrol of the Dead I've been focused on using light to show the time of day, but with this development I am now considering the possibility of indicating the time of year in which a scene takes place. If so then I would like to do something that shows the passage of time over a much greater span, like A Year in the Life of a Bretonnian Farmer or something. You see him in one scene planting seeds and fighting goblins, next he's hiding from the Wild Hunt, then guarding his harvest from ravenous beastmen. Finally you see him trampled into the snow by a noblemen as greedy henchmen carry off everything and set fire to his house. Lol, now that would be fun. :)

That last one might do a passable job as being shown in moonlight as I am getting a definite nighttime vibe from it. Looking again at the rest of these I really do believe that the antiqued photos have that "Time of Legends" feel to them and that it works well in a WHFB setting. Science fiction most certainly has its legends too so I think this will have use with 40k as well considering the depth and richness of that game's history. I also see potential for using something like this for memory or flashback sequences which would be neat. I don't know, maybe that's getting too deep into it at this point considering I've only been at this for a little more than a day. I do tend to get ahead of myself, don't I?

5 comments:

  1. The antique effect is especially good for me when there is still varied colour, in the pictures of the archers in the wood, the crossbows on the battlements and this of the tree:

    http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3NFU0cxEDzU/TQ2kEukzfcI/AAAAAAAAA_E/zU0JhdRzBIA/s1600/IMG_8050.JPG

    The nighttime shot works too in my view. To suggest fuller moonlight you could try the harsher lighting style of the very first picture at the top of the sequence.

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  2. I too really like those antiqued photos in which you scan till see some colors come through. It was the way the leaves turn from green to red that caught my attention initially with this part of the experiments. It's interesting I think the way this effect works on certain colors. It seems some are changed just a little if at all, while others change dramatically or even get wiped out completely. It's definitely helpful for me to post these pictures so that I can look closely at such variations.

    Good suggestion about the moonlight, I'll try that out on some more shots to see how the various effects work together. Thank you, Porky! It's great receiving additional input and a fresh perspective on my trials and testings. This is all new to me so I really appreciate your help. Take care!

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  3. Really good photos. I recommend that you take photos in your gw store, if you are a familiar customer. That way you get to photograph lots of scenery relatively quickly. Alternatively, you don't need an elaborate backdrop. Maybe a wall from 40k fortress. You can photograph it dozens of times from different angles. You can crop the image or flip it in order to trick the viewer. Get different props and swap them around but with the same backdrop, barrels, ammo boxes, machines etc. Build up a bank of photos which you can use in the future. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask.

    Take care!

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  4. Oh I forgot to add, have loads of doors to give the illusion of a vast complex. Don't take distant shots but go close up so the viewer homes in on the miniature and does not realise that the background is actually minimal.

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  5. Thank you for the advice, I really appreciate being able to learn from your experiences. So far I haven't taken any new photos with all that has been going on lately but I will follow all your recommendations soon. I expect in the spring after I have relocated I will have time to set up my miniatures and take lots of pictures. In the meantime I will continue doing what I can with these photos from earlier in the year.

    I have been paying attention to the tips you give on your blog and that was what inspired me to give this a try. I finally realized I could just use my wargaming miniatures and terrain to tell sci-fi/40k style stories. This is tremendous fun, thank you for introducing me to it :)

    Best wishes to you and Sven!

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