NZFF

I could've sworn there was a topic here about this, but in case people didn't know - there's an ORBX screencomp on the go at the moment (that finishes at the end of the month):

ORBX Screencomp rules

Note that only registered NZSI owners can enter. The actual entries (so far) are here.

This is my entry:


... though I'm not too sure that I'm showing enough NZSI ... so I did a couple more ...





... which may be a waste of time, as it looks like you can't edit your submission once you've uploaded it!!

I could whip in and out again .. hopeful wont confirm me for the kill em /delete target

Your first shot has a fantastic backdrop but I prefer the Tiger Moth for plane choice.

Bank the tiger moth to the right, soften the light a little and you'll be away.

Your original shot was the first one in the comp I really liked -- it's got oomph. And it's one of the few which I can accept as New Zealand, most of the others could be anywhere. In the end, though, that won't affect the result, as most of the voters won't know what New Zealand actually looks like anyway.

From the number of entries so far I would think that most people will be waiting till the last moment to post, so it's hard to know what you are up against at the moment. There are some real screenshot artists who pop up now and again on the Orbx forum, so I can't wait to see the final line-up. I particularly like the Spitfire/Steward Island set by 'moonman' a while ago -- I don't think he's got an entry in the comp, but if he does I'd expect it to be good.

Luckily we have Adam in this category, so good luck.

connor wrote:

QUOTE (connor @ Mar 19 2012,8:45 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Bank the tiger moth to the right, soften the light a little and you'll be away.

No editing what so ever is allowed. One stroke of the v button is all.

I quite like that rule, it puts everyone on the same level from the start.

SgtPepper wrote:

QUOTE (SgtPepper @ Mar 19 2012,12:06 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I quite like that rule, it puts everyone on the same level from the start.

In a way you have to be careful when you say that , many people have addons , Rex/Environment/Shader then come the systems .. are you running DX10/11 capable .... all these cost moneys and many can't afford it so the editing option makes it viable for the low end system user .

I guess this is why you don't see many people posting screens in the monthly screenshot competition simply because the don't have the extra addons that natrually enhance their screen.

I put my entry in last night as shot but re sized

Ian Warren wrote:

QUOTE (Ian Warren @ Mar 19 2012,12:15 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

In a way you have to be careful when you say that , many people have addons , Rex/Environment/Shader then come the systems .. are you running DX10/11 capable .... all these cost moneys and many can't afford it so the editing option makes it viable for the low end system user .

I guess this is why you don't see many people posting screens in the monthly screenshot competition simply because the don't have the extra addons that natrually enhance their screen.

Yes, I have my own opinion regarding editing. In my experience, edited images (that is images which have tonal/colour corrections) are invariable of lower quality than the original, and you can normally see the damage. If you don't like the tones etc that you are getting from FSX, then you are better off changing the way FSX displays them, using the enhancements which Ian mentions. At least then your sceenshot will still have the full colour range which FSX can display, it'll just be tweaked within FSX.

dbcunnz wrote:

QUOTE (dbcunnz @ Mar 19 2012,1:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I put my entry in last night as shot but re sized

Wow, nice, another mountain shot. If I was going to enter, I'd do a mountain shot as well, they tend to be a bit more 'New Zealand'-like. In fact I am working on an entry, sun, snow, nice bright aircraft, very similar to Dougs, dunno if I'll enter though...

connor wrote:

QUOTE (connor @ Mar 19 2012,8:45 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Bank the tiger moth to the right, soften the light a little and you'll be away.

I use EZDOK to try to get away from the default FSX camera view that plonks everything dead-centre. I can shift the aircraft up/down/left right easily. However - the downside is that the EZDOK cameras are locked to the axis of the aircraft, so if I bank it, the aircraft stays level - but the *horizon* rotates. If you have enough "spare" around the area of interest, you can usually rotate and correct in Photoshop, but not if it's a massive bank.

That Harvard shot is rotated about 30 degrees. If you look at the glacier below the aircraft, you can see it slopes up to the left.

So ... I could have banked the Moth, but couldn't do much about the light without playing with time of day and/or weather settings. I found if it looked OK on the aircraft, the scenery looked grey and uninteresting. Had it have been one of *our* comps, I could easily have isolated the aircraft, toned it down a bit, then maybe beefed up the background a fraction.

As to trying to make it "a level playing field" - and what degree of editing may be permissible - we've discussed this many times here in the past. You could set up a competition any way you like, but I think for NZFF, where we need the image to [also] work as a *banner*, then editing often creates images that a straight "V" capture could not create - eg. a "composite", like Marty's Christmas Airtruk, which I thought was a hoot - and made a tremendous banner.

ORBX want to use the winning shot(s) to advertise their product, so punters need to feel confident that what they're seeing is the real deal - and not enhanced in any way in post-production.

@Rob ... go for it! Have a go!

I agree that tones altered after the capture more often than not degrade the image substantially. Even the ENB "tweaks" often introduce (IMHO) ridiculously over-blown highlights or unrealistic focus effects. The only thing I occasionally use is "Shade" as I find the FSX palette at the extremes of the day (morning/evening) to be too "Disney-like". I don't even bother much with "Shade" either, to be honest.

Olderndirt wrote:

QUOTE (Olderndirt @ Mar 19 2012,8:17 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Your first shot has a fantastic backdrop but I prefer the Tiger Moth for plane choice.

I agree! I'd just finished doing that repaint - and fancied a good, strong colour (without it being *too* strong). The Moth has the same colouring (maybe more subtle as well) ... and also says more about what aviation in NZ is all about ... fresh air ... wind in your face, etc.

Think i'll give this a go

toprob wrote:

QUOTE (toprob @ Mar 18 2012,6:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes, I have my own opinion regarding editing. In my experience, edited images (that is images which have tonal/colour corrections) are invariable of lower quality than the original, and you can normally see the damage. If you don't like the tones etc that you are getting from FSX, then you are better off changing the way FSX displays them, using the enhancements which Ian mentions. At least then your sceenshot will still have the full colour range which FSX can display, it'll just be tweaked within FSX.

When all's said and done, it's all in the eye of the beholder but I've yet to see a screenshot that couldn't use a little help.

Olderndirt wrote:

QUOTE (Olderndirt @ Mar 20 2012,5:41 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

When all's said and done, it's all in the eye of the beholder but I've yet to see a screenshot that couldn't use a little help.

Ummmm ... in that case it may be to do with a) How much cash you've spent on add-ons or b) How you've set the shot up in the first place, time or weather-wise.

I have REX with active/live weather enabled - and run with textures at 4096 to give the best looking clouds. I rarely "photograph" around mid-day as (like in Real Life) the light is too strong and non-directional.

Quite often, I take a new aircraft or repaint up for a spin and am awe-struck by what FSX produces - and it's different every time. There was one flight and a series of Hunter pics I took, where almost every one out of around 20 snaps were simply gorgeous. It was purely accidental (honest!!!) - somehow, the location and lighting happened to be "just right". It didn't matter where I pointed my camera, I couldn't seem to lose.

That said - some of the FSX palette-switching at the extremes of the day is really quite bizarre. I've never seen anything go *that* blue and saturated at 6am in RL. I tried fiddling with "Shade" to smooth those colours out a bit, but find it simpler just to avoid those times of the day.

I hardly ever "play" with my screenshots. Sometimes a tiny bit of sharpening on the aircraft itself, but mainly cropping only.

Olderndirt wrote:

QUOTE (Olderndirt @ Mar 20 2012,5:41 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

When all's said and done, it's all in the eye of the beholder but I've yet to see a screenshot that couldn't use a little help.

Editing is for the people that can do it ... or want to give a little more to depict a scene from history ... FS recorder would also be consider an edit ... as you said .. it's all in the eye of the beholder , Its screen shot ART ...

Ian Warren wrote:

QUOTE (Ian Warren @ Mar 19 2012,8:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Editing is for the people that can do it ... or want to give a little more to depict a scene from history ... FS recorder would also be consider an edit ... as you said .. it's all in the eye of the beholder , Its screen shot ART ...

Many times, after adding and subtracting all the different effects, it's good to still have the original .

Olderndirt wrote:

QUOTE (Olderndirt @ Mar 21 2012,6:33 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Many times, after adding and subtracting all the different effects, it's good to still have the original .

Sometimes you get that uncanny screen that is a stunner ... just like any photographer ... always many shots you just throw away .

Adamski wrote:

QUOTE (Adamski @ Mar 18 2012,11:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

... which may be a waste of time, as it looks like you can't edit your submission once you've uploaded it!!

I guess you could easily change the pic by replacing the uploaded image with one of the same name you just couldn't change any caption you've included in your post.

toprob wrote:

QUOTE (toprob @ Mar 27 2012,4:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I guess you could easily change the pic by replacing the uploaded image with one of the same name you just couldn't change any caption you've included in your post.

Great suggestion - thanks! I wonder why I didn't think of it

I tried a few shots to replace my Harvard one (which I think shows more REX than NZSI!), but haven't come up with anything better - certainly not as dramatic as that. It compared well with the opposition a while back, but there've been some pretty good ones added lately. Also - the voting isn't being done by ORBX - but by the forum *users* - and you can read about the sort of shots they tend to prefer. You have to cater for "the popular vote", I think, if you're seriously after that prize, whereas here on NZFF I'm less bothered about the prize - more about having fun and creating a half-decent banner.

EDIT: Ooooh ... talking about banners ... I've just noticed your new signature image ... what a beaut! Must get the patch as well.

EDIT2: I followed your sufggestion - and replaced my "high drama but no NZSI" shot with a more traditional one, yet still keeping to the original caption ...



I much prefer my original shot (as a picture) but I think the replacement at least shows a bit more mountain terrain (which I think NZSI does well). These voters can be fickle beasts though, eh?

Adamski wrote:

QUOTE (Adamski @ Mar 26 2012,8:24 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I much prefer my original shot (as a picture) but I think the replacement at least shows a bit more mountain terrain (which I think NZSI does well). These voters can be fickle beasts though, eh?

Here again, your sky and terrain are winners but not that T6 - especially not a yellow one.