The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: LedFinZep on April 23, 2002, 08:33:39 am
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Greetings,
I'm trying to document my arcade cabinet and I wanted to take some photographs of my arcade screen running some games. Unforunately, I don't have a digital camera and the pics I already tried to take using a regular camera didn't come out very good. Can someone tell me what type of lighting to use, whether to use a flash or not, how far away you need to be, how to avoid a reflection, and anything else that you think will be helpful in getting good shots. Thanks for any and all help.
-LedFinZep
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I would definitely not use the flash, as that will reflect off the monitor. Also turn off the lighting behind you, so no light will reflect off the monitor as well. You might want to use a tripod, since many cameras with the flash turned off will use a slower shutter speed. By using the tripod, you'll minimize the chance for camera shake. You can further reduce this chance by using a cable release, remote, or even the self timer. By doing this, you don't have to actually touch the camera to fire the shutter. Another thing to be careful of is the minimum focusing distance. This is the minimum distance away that your camera can focus on. It will tell you this information in the manual, but most point and shoots are usually around 2 ft when set at the widest angle. I would suggest shooting a bunch of pictures and having them processed. Move your camera and zoom lens (if you have one) and see what kind of results you get. Hope this helps.
Daniel
Greetings,
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low lighting, NO FLASH. I have a tendancy to take the pictures "dark" and then touch up/lighten them in Photoshop. dgodwin's advice is dead on IMHO
cant wait to see the cab, and good luck
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Figuring you have a low cost point and shoot camera. --
You can create a bounce flash effect by using a white card or paper angled in front of the flash. Usually works pretty well, depends on the flash power, creates a soft fill effect. Standing at a slight angle to the screen will help decrease the reflections.
Turn the flash off and setup by a sunny window, use a white posterboard to reflect light to where it's needed (an assistant comes in handy with this). The exposure will be longer so you'll need to hold the camera steady but you won't have a glare. You can also use a 500w halogen lamp, arrange it to cut glare or use the posterboard to reflect it. You can use a normal household bulb but it will cause a yellowish tint to the pictures, the 500w halogen lamp, if I remember correctly should come close to matching the color balance of normal 35mm film.
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Figuring you have a low cost point and shoot camera. --
You can create a bounce flash effect by using a white card or paper angled in front of the flash. Usually works pretty well, depends on the flash power, creates a soft fill effect. Standing at a slight angle to the screen will help decrease the reflections.
Turn the flash off and setup by a sunny window, use a white posterboard to reflect light to where it's needed (an assistant comes in handy with this). The exposure will be longer so you'll need to hold the camera steady but you won't have a glare. You can also use a 500w halogen lamp, arrange it to cut glare or use the posterboard to reflect it. You can use a normal household bulb but it will cause a yellowish tint to the pictures, the 500w halogen lamp, if I remember correctly should come close to matching the color balance of normal 35mm film.
I think you missed the poster's original question. He wants to take pictures of the screen running games. Having a flash will not increase the light put out by the screen. The flash will tend to lighten or wash-out the monitor image depending upon the intensity. The tripod, low ambient light and longer exposure times will help make a much clearer and brighter image though.
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Ooops, I did miss the "...screen running some games..." :-[
Forget what I said. Do what dgodwin said, no flash and keep camera steady. :)
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I dont know if your definition of regular camera is a point and shoot or if you have some controls on it. If a point and shoot then you can get a better picture if you fill if with ASA 400 film. This will pick up more light from the screen. Do not try to use the flash as it just reflects. I find keeping the room at low light helps the camera pick up the screen image.
If you can control your camera to some degree eg manual 35 m Set it for flash but do not use the flash. This will give you a 1/60 of a second shutter speed that you need to caputre the whole screen. Some cameras allow you to select shutter speed manually. Try using 1/60 or more eg 1/30 etc. But at slow speeds use a tripod mount as the lense is open for a long time and any shaking will blur the picture.
Bob
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If you want to get REALLY creative, and have a decent 35mm SLR camera with double exposure and a tripod, you could cover the screen with a piece of black cardboard, take one pic WITH the flash, uncover the screen, and take another picture WITHOUT flash. The screen gets exposed into the black area of the picture, and suddenly, you're an old-school special effects master! ;)
Or, you can take 2 pictures (one with flash, one without) and just drop the properly exposed screen into the pic with the properly exposed cabinet in Photoshop (or Paint Shop Pro).
Or you can get DSL and they'll give you a really crappy digital camera like mine! :P
(http://www.1uparcade.com/images/rotatingCP02.jpg)
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Just out of curiosity... Which method did you use for the photograph below? You certainly had the most creative response of them all.
I work at a camera store that also does photofinishing. Being able to print photographs and sell cameras has given me lots of opportunities to learn about photography. I see tons of mistakes that my customers have made, and I try not to repeat them.
If I had to guess, I'd say that MW has worked in a studio, has has actually put to good use some of the suggestions he has given... but not on an arcade monitor ;)
Let us know how your photos come out!
Daniel
If you want to get REALLY creative, and have a decent 35mm SLR camera with double exposure and a tripod, you could cover the screen with a piece of black cardboard, take one pic WITH the flash, uncover the screen, and take another picture WITHOUT flash.
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Just out of curiosity... Which method did you use for the photograph below?
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Being an avid pgotography I'd say for lighting you need a bright diffused source. Have you ever had a portrait taken by a professional photographer? Note the light they use. BIG lights that face backwars onto a white fabric or cardboard to gently glow the light around the room. That would be the best as there would be alot of light but very little glare since the source of the light is diffused.