Messages

1

Photo of the Day / Re: Photo of the Day: August 29th, 2011

August 30, 2011, 03:15:45 PM

That's a pretty convincing alt-mode. If I didn't know better, I'd swear that was a real, grey plank.
What would be great now is to see some shots of the plank, planking.

Congrats on the achievement Spliffdizzle - you take some fantastic shots  

2

General Transformers Discussion / Re: What's your latest Transformers buy?

August 16, 2011, 08:53:01 PM

Not official releases, but I picked up iGear's Masterpiece Coneheads set - Jet, Attack, Elegy (Ramjet, Thrust, Dirge)

I'm really impressed with the quality of these guys and they look amazing displayed with the Hasbro G1-styled MP Screamer and Skywarp. (C'mon Has... where's the G1 styled Thundercracker?? :cry:)

Anyone else pick these guys up?

Also, the Ratchet and Ironhide they are working on for release later in the year look amazing! Might have to get the credit card and pre-order those guys too...  :roll:

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Photo of the Day / Re: Photo of the Day: Aug 11th, 2011

August 13, 2011, 05:02:36 PM

Nice shot Spliffdizzle !

The big question is - Do you strut around town with this chained around your neck humming "I've got the touch. I've got the pooooweeer." ??  

4

General Transformers Discussion / Re: Show off your favorite TF!

August 09, 2011, 12:32:06 AM

A couple of really cool molds there in RID Scourge and Cybertron Downshift. Probably two of my favourites from those two lines.

Cool shots! Scourge looks particular menacing  :twisted:

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General Transformers Discussion / Re: Show off your favorite TF!

July 31, 2011, 04:01:39 AM

That last shot is great!    I love Megs' fist-shake hehe! No way I'd get the 'Plex in my lightbox   :cry:
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After picking up United Tracks I couldn't help but having some fun with him... this one wasn't really suitable for his gallery shots but I couldn't let it go to waste.... I seriously might have to leave Sunstreaker in that pose forever!   :mrgreen:

The Gun Show  

6

Shutterbug Club / Re: Help with Shadows on Packages

July 29, 2011, 12:37:11 AM

Nice tip, thanks!  I'm a bit nervous about tape and card backs though to be honest, I guess masking tape is OK ?   :?

Unfortunately I wont be able to reshoot all the United stuff as I have already ripped all the figures out of the packaging  

7

Shutterbug Club / Help with Shadows on Packages

July 28, 2011, 11:12:30 PM

SHMAX: A quick word on shadows: we love 'em. A few of your package shots look like you might be trying to photoshop the shadows out. It's really not necessary. If you position your main light source directly above the subject, pointing straight down, the shadow should gather into a tidy little puddle right at the base of the subject. As long as the shadow is soft (always use the light tent), localized around the base of the subject, and doesn't extend out of the frame, we love 'em. This goes for packaged and loose toys.

Hi Max and all,

You're absolutely right I've been chopping out the shadows from my package shots for a couple reasons:
For carded figures where the card extends longer downwards than the bubble it makes the package pitch forward in the light-tent. To correct this I either have to prop the cardback against a big object behind it, in which case the card bubble is lifted away from the bottom surface and the shadow disappears.

This backwards angle also created an awkward angle to shoot at, so instead I have been propping the package up by using small items such as clear plastic pegs under the bottom of the bubble. This works well, however creates unnatural shadows around the bottom surface.

I can't seem to find a happy medium here so I have resorted to chopping the shadows out altogether. The packages at least look better when "floating" compared to the figures where a soft shadow seems to make them look really cool.

If anyone has any tips in this regard I'd be really appreciative.

Thanks all,  Andy  

8

General Transformers Discussion / Re: Show off your favorite TF!

July 28, 2011, 10:47:26 PM

Hi Tusko,

I'm still learning with my camera too, but one good tip I picked up I might be able to pass on: Im not familiar with your model of camera, but if you can control the aperture, try stopping it down a bit to increase the depth of field. F11 seems to be a nice setting for me for most figure shots and will bring a lot of the away-from-center detail into sharper focus.
Remember if you do this you'll need to either leave the shutter open for longer (tripod!), or increase to ISO 100/200. You might even get away with ISO400 but any higher and you'll probably start getting some ugly noise showing up.

Hope something here helps, I enjoyed looking at your pics on the previous page  

Cheers, Andy

9

Shutterbug Club / Multiple Bots in Gallery Pictures

July 28, 2011, 12:43:06 AM

Hiya Max and Mods,

I was just wondering what the policy is on photo submissions that include bots other than the profile bot.
Obviously I'm not talking about the important front and side mug shots for Robot and Alt modes, but more the gallery stuff where we get to photo bots with their weapon loadouts in cool poses, etc.

The sort of things I'm interested in ;
Group shots of "Teams" -  Seekers/Coneheads, Gestalt Team Members, Car Brothers, Cassettes, etc
Shared Molds - Bumblebee and Cliffjumper, Sideswipe and Red Alert, Prime and Magnus, etc
Comparisons - G1 vs G2, Henkei vs Classics, Generations vs United, Movie 2007 Bumblebee vs DOTM Bumblebee, etc
Rivals/Battles - Same generation/line Optimus vs Megatron, Blaster vs Soundwave, Superion vs Devastator, etc
Canon/Random Funny Stuff - Someone blowing Waspinator's head off, etc

I think these could be fun for the gallery (and useful when it comes to comparisons between Hasbro/Takara, etc *coughseibertroncough*) - but I realise this is a profiling and collecting database, so non-reference photos might not be too welcome.

Thanks for any thoughts.

Cheers, Andy    

10

Photo of the Day / Re: Photo of the Day: July 26th, 2011

July 27, 2011, 05:03:40 AM

What an honour!   Thank you kindly!

I must admit I wasn't too taken with Lugnut in the package but after freeing him from his twisty-tie prison he did grow on me a little bit........... but he really does look like a wrassler, doesn't he...   :oops:

...and if you think your cheap, snide remarks will have any effect on my contribution levels, all I can say is... let me get my lightbox, sir! I picked up a few more of these United figures and am really loving the line. The subtle metallic paint apps (or not so subtle, but still awesome on Blurr) that seem to have replaced previous years "I'd totally CHROME that!" are much preferrable for me.  

Seriously thanks very much to Engledogg for his stubborn refusal to accept my sub-standard contributions and all the patient advice he provided on the rejection emails - I was thrilled when my last batch were all accepted!   :mrgreen:

Cheers all, happy collecting

I dominate chopsticks too.

11

Photo of the Day / Bouncer Lugnut

July 18, 2011, 05:08:20 AM

Was having a bit of fun with United Lugnut... this one didn't really fit the gallery but it turned out pretty well

Brawn's "Major Kong" pose makes me laugh (if only he had a little cowboy hat!)  

12

General Transformers Discussion / Re: What your latest buy?

July 05, 2010, 04:52:56 AM

Hi guys, first time poster here so just thought I'd drop in and say hi!
(OK, maybe shmax's recent email made me feel a little sorry for the forums...they smell OK to me!!)  

I'm from Sydney in Australia and picked up the ROTF Leader-class Buster Prime / Brown Coloured Jetfire 2-pack. Not sure about it's availability outside of Australasia, I remember seeing it on a recent trip to Hong Kong close to 6 months ago and wanting to pick it up but it was no way fitting in my already packed suitcase... it's a K-Mart exclusive here, along with a few of the human alliance figures, so good to see it finally ended up travelling down here.

Gotta love the premium silver paint apps and a bit of chrome on good ole Prime