what improved picture quality can do to your score

[Corvus]

Last week I changed my photo setup to have white light, instead of a yellow. For this reason, I don\'t have to apply several filters (like auto levels, and brightness and contrast changes) anymore in Photoshop, resulting in a much more realistic picture. I also changed my background.

Here are two submissions, painted using the same quality level (IMO):

Hybrids, currently rated 6.7: http://www.coolminiornot.com/57746

Drune Archers, currently rated 8.1:
http://www.coolminiornot.com/65106

The difference in picture quality is quite big, but I never expected that the score would be so much higher...

I wish I had this light in the past when I sold some of my minis on eBay

 

[Wren]

That is quite a jump in photo quality, and I imagine it\'s much more convenient not to have to do all that work in Photoshop to get them out. :->

Are you sure you\'re not downplaying the quality of the paintjobs on the archers, though? The colour choices are very nice, the details are wonderfully picked out while still seeming part of an organic whole, and the overall painting looks smoother than on the hybrids, which look to me to have some blotchiness on the skin shadowing and highlighting as compared to the archers.

For an experiment, you could try posting the archers under your old photo setup and/or the hybrids under the new, and see where the scores go. I\'d be very curious to see the results of such an experiment.

A similar experiment I performed myself resulted in a difference of only .5, which rather surprised me:

Bad, over-exposed Lorielle - 6.3

Not over-exposed Lorielle - 6.7 (she\'s been as high as 6.8, woo hoo. ;->)

Photo or painting, I think your archers are great, and quite deserving of their score.

 

[supervike]

fickle...

Not to say I disagree with you Gerrie, but I don\'t see a ton of difference in the two photos...I gave both an \"8\" when I voted.

I think a lot has to do with the fickleness of the voters (and as a voter, I claim to be fickle as well) But there is also too many other factors going on.

But, that being said, they both look wonderful and I wish I could get photos to come out that well.

On Wren\'s example, the second is definately better and worthy of a higher vote.

 

[Legacy Account]

I found exactly the same thing. I posted a pic of a unit - colour cast and a wide shot, and it was getting 6.5.
I re posted with some non cast close ups and it is now an 8. I think it\'s the biggest single improvement anyone can make to their scores on CMON, and I have no idea why bad photos get posted - talk about shooting yourself in the foot!

Top is the original picture (6.5)
Underneath is what I added...
Grey Hunters
Good lighting set up, good camera with macro facilities and decent coloured backgrounds.

 

[Dr. Bob]

My experience has been more like Wren\'s. With a bad photo vs. a good photo, I\'ve seen a difference of about 0.5 in score on the exact same mini.

Spacemunkey\'s and Corvus\' examples aren\'t really \"controlled\" since other factors besides just the photo quality are different - different minis or group vs. detail shots.

Having said that, photography skills are definitely important! I wish mine were better...

 

[airhead]

Corvus, I think the point and a half difference is in a great part attributed to the painting difference. The archers have that dark blue with almost glowing highlights which gives them the \"pop\" needed to break the 8 barrier. While the hybrids are very monochrome. They are very well done, but lack that same \"pop\" factor that the archers have.

 

[finn17]

I don\'t think you can make a fair comparison....

They are two different subjects and one has 68 votes whilst the other has only 18 votes. I suspect that all the usual suspects on the forums have voted on your archers and given you high scores...but you haven\'t been visited by the snipers yet and the \'Magic 50\' algorhythm has yet to kick in....We shall see.....

 

[Corvus]

The problem is that I don\'t have the Hybrids at my disposal, these were commission pieces.

I could try to find some other mlinis I posted in the past, take a new picture and post them without announcing something on the forums...

 

[ZaPhOd]

Finn is right

I agree with Finn. Also, the Hybrids, as you say, are good gaming quality. I wouldn\'t rate them any higher than a 7 myself. The archers on the other hand, are far more interesting sculpts, have way more detailing and the armor is done to stand out way more. I would rate them an 8. I really don\'t think the picture has anythign to do with it

 

[cento]

I agree that the models in this case are making more of a difference than the photo. The color choice on the archers definitely has \"pop\" while the others seemed somewhat drab.

The bases helped too. The older photo, I am not sure that the bases are done. They looked kind of unfinished. The archers\' bases are obviously finished, and finished well at that! :]

All that said, I know what you are right that image quality and PRESENTATION count for a lot here. I actually went through and reposted all of my older 40K photos last month. I originally painted them 2-3 years ago, and posted them at the time as single images back when scoring here was considered \"high\" compared to now. All my scores were 6.6 to 6.9. I took the photos I took back then, and recomposited them in a montage with title on the photo. And then I reposted them about 4-6 weeks ago - same models, same photos even, new presentation. Even with the new harsher voting I have heard mentioned around here, those reposts are all 7.4 - 8.0 after breaking past the 50 vote mark!

Of course now I have said something, so the snipers that lurk in the shadows will fix me good...

 

[finn17]

Heh...

Originally posted by cento
Of course now I have said something, so the snipers that lurk in the shadows will fix me good...

I think the forums are pretty safe....if anything, I would suggest that most of the regular forum dwellers vote generously. The shoutbox seems to be the sniper\'s guidance system. Just try complaining in there about your scores and \'kapow\'.

 

[Mosch]

Orginal gepostet von finn17
The shoutbox seems to be the sniper\'s guidance system. Just try complaining in there about your scores and \'kapow\'.

....
:idea:
*ahem*
Oh my god, damn damn damn, my scores are too high.
:moon: