The 'help me improve my screenshots' thread

[toprob]

This may or may not be a good idea:)
If you really want to produce better screenshots, then this may be for you. The idea is simple:

If you want constructive criticism on your screenshot skills, then post a screenshot here. Members are then encouraged to comment on the shot, and offer suggestions if appropriate.
You may want to post some previous screenshot comp entried which didn't get as many votes as you expected, or fine-tune a shot for an upcoming competition.

I'll monitor this closely, so please don't be surprised if your post disappears when you break the rules.

Some rules:

• Constructive comments only!
• Don't just say 'I like it' or 'I don't like it' -- give a reason
• Follow the suggested format below as closely as you can
• You can request your image removed if you wish
• Don't post anyone else's screenshot without their permission!

The preferred format:
(You should be able to copy/paste this into your reply, and fill in the gaps.)

I like the image because:


I think it could be improved by:




An example: (I used a random screenshot from a previous competition, but only I know which:)


I like the image because:
The light reflected off the aircraft is beautiful, and the aircraft detail is outstanding.
The angle of the aircraft is interesting.

I think it could be improved by:
Use of anti-aliasing, or some other method of reducing the jaggies.
The crop is not very dynamic, the aircraft could do with some space in front for it to 'fly in to', and maybe not so centred.


What not to do:

I like the image because:
Actually I don't like it at all.

I think it could be improved by:
Someone else taking the screenshot.

The requirement to post something positive is there so that you only comment on shots which you are interested in improving -- if you don't like it at all, then don't comment.

So, who's gonna take the plunge? It'll take some courage, I know, but it may be of benefit if you really want to improve your screenshots. However maybe some of the more active screenshot posters could get this started.

[Adamski]

Well - I'll take the bait

This is a *general* comment - and a pet hate of mine of many external views in nearly all sims.

It's to do with the highly exaggerated perspective you get - because the default viewpoint is often set way too close to the aircraft. You get these simply HUGE wingtips, whilst the body of the aircraft is tiny by comparison. Anyone who has done any CAD/CAM will recognise the problem instantly. It really isn't rocket science.

The solution, usually - if the respective sim allows it - is to not use "zoom" but move the camera back and then magnify the view.

So ... I see many [amazing] screenshots in the competition that could be (in my view) oh so much better without all these extraordinarily large wingtips, tailfins or whatever!!

Flak jacket ON!

[victor_alpha_charlie]

Shall I post one for you guys to help me with? Here goes

Fokker F-28 over the South Island



Really like the idea of this thread btw.

[ardypilot]

Tom-

I like the image because: The aircraft isn't in the centre of the screen so it doesn't look like the image has been captured from the typical follow-me-camera video game angle. The shot is well framed with the sky/ground and is easy on the eyes.

I think it could be improved by: Increase the draw distance of your scenery so the detail isn't as blurred. Also, decrease the weather visibility setting to 20 or 30nm- this will increase FPS also. Maybe set the time to slightly earlier or later in the day to get rid of the bright reflection on the fuselage- I find early morning/evening best

QUOTE

This is a *general* comment - and a pet hate of mine of many external views in nearly all sims.

It's to do with the highly exaggerated perspective you get - because the default viewpoint is often set way too close to the aircraft. You get these simply HUGE wingtips, whilst the body of the aircraft is tiny by comparison.[/quote]
Yep, that is totally true, and an easy mistake to make with Flight1's F1 view module where the zoom is controlled with the mouse scroller. Here is an example of a old shot of mine showing this with the distorted wingtips and tail of the C206:

[victor_alpha_charlie]

Thanks for those Andy, will keep them in mind

[toprob]

QUOTE (victor_alpha_charlie @ Apr 8 2008, 04:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Shall I post one for you guys to help me with? Here goes

Fokker F-28 over the South Island



Really like the idea of this thread btw.

I like the image because:
I was going to reply, but Trolly really said all the important things. It's great that you have gone for a different angle, I think that a lot of shots are limited to the 'standard' FS views, and that people are not always aware that there are other choices.

I think it could be improved by:
And Trolly was also spot-on about the 'atmospherics'. This is a limitation of the simulator, which can appear too clean/clinical unless you dirty it up a bit with reduced visibility and weather -- and time of day. I'm not always a fan of dawn/dusk shots, but like normal photography, you get the best lighting in the hour or two after dawn/before dusk.
Also, I prefer screenshots a bit larger, on my 22" monitor smaller shots get a bit lost for my aging eyes...

[toprob]

QUOTE (Adamski @ Apr 8 2008, 03:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well - I'll take the bait

This is a *general* comment - and a pet hate of mine of many external views in nearly all sims.

It's to do with the highly exaggerated perspective you get - because the default viewpoint is often set way too close to the aircraft. You get these simply HUGE wingtips, whilst the body of the aircraft is tiny by comparison. Anyone who has done any CAD/CAM will recognise the problem instantly. It really isn't rocket science.

The solution, usually - if the respective sim allows it - is to not use "zoom" but move the camera back and then magnify the view.

So ... I see many [amazing] screenshots in the competition that could be (in my view) oh so much better without all these extraordinarily large wingtips, tailfins or whatever!!

Flak jacket ON!

This is again somewhat limited by the way the simulator works. (I'm talking about spot-view specifically.) In the real world, I suspect that a slightly longer than normal focal length is used air-to-air to fill the shot with the aircraft, but in the sim this can make the background blurry. Although it isn't a real blur, which would probably be better, it just reduces the resolution of the background -- zooming in just increases the size of the pixels behind the aircraft, which effectively makes the scenery low resolution.

So to keep the scenery nice and sharp (=high resolution) we end up using a wider angle, which makes the aircraft appear further away, and smaller. So we move the viewpoint closer, and keep the angle wide, and end up with that wide-angle distortion.

This is more prevalent with FSX, I think because there is no 'view options' on the menu, and people are not aware that you can easily change the distance from the aircraft. Most of us know that we can use the plus and minus keys to change the angle of view, but not everyone knows that using these with 'ctrl' changes the distance.

So when setting up for the perfect screenshot, we should play with these two settings to get the best combination of aircraft and background.

I do find that what is a good compromise when I'm flying, though, makes the aircraft too small once the screenshot is reduced to 1000 pixels. Which is the reason why my banner shot above is wide-angle:) I discarded a lot of shots because I couldn't see enough aircraft detail.

By the way there is a place for wide-angle distortion -- it is a lot more effective on larger aircraft on the ground. This simulates the view we get from looking up at the aircraft from the confined space of the tarmac.

Which suggests that the 'best' angles are those which we are likely to get in real life.

[Adamski]

QUOTE (toprob @ Apr 10 2008, 11:26 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

This is more prevalent with FSX, I think because there is no 'view options' on the menu, and people are not aware that you can easily change the distance from the aircraft. Most of us know that we can use the plus and minus keys to change the angle of view, but not everyone knows that using these with 'ctrl' changes the distance.

Great comments all round, thanks - and I'm glad you pointed me in the CTRL direction!

QUOTE (Trolly @ Apr 8 2008, 06:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think it could be improved by: Increase the draw distance of your scenery so the detail isn't as blurred. Also, decrease the weather visibility setting to 20 or 30nm- this will increase FPS also. Maybe set the time to slightly earlier or later in the day to get rid of the bright reflection on the fuselage- I find early morning/evening best

One of the better digital photography books I borrowed off a friend stresses that many photographers *totally avoid* the middle of the day - as the lighting is just too"unrefined" - or not dramatic enough.

[Njbb1995]

Ok i just found this thread well trawling through the screeny forum so i will have a go...


Thanks!!

[Goose]

posting up a couple of mine for review too

[waka172rg]

QUOTE (victor_alpha_charlie @ Apr 8 2008, 04:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Shall I post one for you guys to help me with? Here goes

Fokker F-28 over the South Island



Really like the idea of this thread btw.

what hapend to the left hand wing tip VAC?

[victor_alpha_charlie]

QUOTE (waka172rg @ Oct 16 2008, 09:08 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

what hapend to the left hand wing tip VAC?

What do you mean? Nothing as far as I know