Inside the Dio Authors Studio
 

I was just wondering if I'm a freak. I do some crazy stuff for some of my shots and I'm working on my behind the scenes section of the site and I just got to thinking,

What kind of tools and such do you incorporate into your photography?

Do you create actual effects in the real world? Or maybe Photoshop is your forte?

Do you consider yourself an amateur (maybe semi-pro or pro) photographer or do you only pick up the camera to create your Dio-stories?

What's the strangest (or Hardest) thing you've ever done to capture a perfect shot?

If you're crazy, we can share the same rubber room some day, 'cause I'm right there with ya!

"What kind of tools and such do you incorporate into your photography?"

I use a macro lense, so I can get up very close, a tripod for the camera sometimes, and a Bogen magic arm to hold the off-camera Flash, and an IR transmitter in the camera's hotshoe that fires the flash, so it can be clear across the room from the camera is I want. I recently got a cheap 2nd flash so I can have one for fill and one for rim lighting or background lighting if I like. I use textures from 3D FPS games and print out 11x17 backdrops like brick walls and concrete floors (I've uploaded these to the Files section, BTW).

"Do you create actual effects in the real world? Or maybe Photoshop is your forte?"

I do a lot of my effects in front of the camera, because I feel they're more believable that way, then I also try to do a lot of work in Fireworks (my "Photoshp") and some Flash. Sometimes I'll shoot against a "blue screen" so I can cut the figure out easily. I did that for the Frostbite snowboard shot. I put a piece of cyan poster board behind him so I could use the magic wand to delete the background. Saved a lot of time.

"Do you consider yourself an amateur (maybe semi-pro or pro) photographer or do you only pick up the camera to create your Dio-stories?"

I consider myself semi-pro. I went to college at RIT, majoring in Photojournalism, but I took a lot of Studio Photography classes along the way. I have a nice set of lenses from when I thought I'd be a newspaper photographer (I'm a Creative Director now, for a web design team in a PC game division of Sony) and last year I got a good digital body to go with the lenses, the Canon 10D.

What's the strangest (or Hardest) thing you've ever done to capture a perfect shot?

To get the look of distance and endless desert, I hauled 2 MCC's (one painted balck) in my back seat up to a hiltop park here in San Diego to get shots for an upcoming "MCC Duel" I have planned, for maybe... Chapter 15 or so of Disciple. :)

Here's a taste from a shot with my 300mm lense:


That was taken almost a year ago. they seeded the lot not long after and it's all grass now. :( Took me maybe a week to paiunt the Cobra one, and maybe 2 hours at the park to get the shots. I had a lot of curious onlookers. While I was packing up a guy in his 30's asked me if GI Joe won. :)

Plus, I keep the Toyfare exclusive Snake Eyes & Scarlett in my camera bag, so they go with me on all my trips. I have 3 good pics so far:

Maui:


Deep in a forest west of Melbourne in Australia:


Plus one from Disneyland I haven't uploaded yet. Got lots of stares taking that one. :)

Great thread! Let's keep it going! I marked this thread as news so it shows up on the front page, BTW. :D

Nah, man, you're definitely not a freak!

Tools, I don't really use much. I have my Nikon Coolpix camera, and two different tripods (one table top for those static shots down low), but besides that it's just my Joes, my Mac/Photoshop station, and whatever I use to build my sets.

I'm a little bit of everything you just mentioned. If I can use the real world to make something look effective, that's my preference, just because it always looks more authentic than a digital representation. But, I'm definitely not above trying to use Photoshop to make an impossible thought a real true-to-life image (or series of images).

I am in no way a professional or semi-professional photographer, I have a LOT to learn with picture taking as far as lighting and shot set up goes. I constantly see pictures used in newer dio's that are far better laid out and organized than mine, but try to take each one in as a learning process.

As for crazy things to get a shot done? Well...for Liberation, pretty much the whole chase sequence was a crazy thing. We were housesitting for a couple, and I basically brought 1/5 of my entire Joe collection with me to setup and shoot scenes at their house...people I barely knew. I also have buried my camera in some snow for some scenes in Bitter Cold...and I've dug myself a miniature hole in the ground to get down lower for some tight shots in other dio's as well. That's some of the fun parts for me...trying to figure out exactly how close I can get and how dramatic I can make a shot.

I'll say, though, some of the hardest stuff about shooting my dio's is that I'm absolutely anal about realistic human poses. That can make it quite a balancing act to get figures to stay and stand a certain way without visible footpegs, especially in fight scenes. It might take me 20 minutes just to shoot a single frame if I can't get the figures balanced just right.

Justin

That's great, I was wondering if you were using a macro lens. Some of those shots just look to clean and well focused. This is something that I just started saving my money for. I only recently upgraded my camera to an SLR digital camera, (You may notice the difference in the middle of my Epilogue this Friday). That's great that you've taking two different things that you love and making one very cool thing out of both.



What are the benefits of Fireworks over Photoshop?

I've heard from many people that these are some of the best digital cameras to use for marco photography.



That's awesome, well you gotta do what you gotta do , right. Did the people know?



This is something that you schooled me in very early on. I remember when my first Dio was done you sent me an e-mail that said something to the effect of "Great Dio, but it really bugs me when I see foot pegs in shots". It was funny because the thought of using them or not had not dawned on me at that time. Ever since I've done some crazy things to get poses. The Chapter "Killing Game" with the Night Vulture is a good example. That shot where he's doing a handstand, the figure is actually doing a handstand with no assistance.

All very cool stuff guys.

Gee, I guess I should have given my answers as well.



Well, I just got a new camera a couple of weeks ago so I'm going to just talk about what I've used for Rapier only and not the new stuff.

I've always like photography. My Mother was a Pro photographer in her youth and always maintained a certain amount of equipment. Equipment I was never allowed to touch. I did however pickup some things in theory and her constantly forbidding me to touch anything got me very interested. My Camera all throughout Rapier was a Olympus Stylus 400. This camera was bought specificly for Rapier. I was working ghetto style through most of the DIO, using anything I could for a tripod, books, cassettes, mic stands my forearm. I suffered a lot because of my ignorance and would usually take 5 to 6 shots of each scene to make sure I had the shot I wanted. It's funny because "An Eye for An Eye" taught me how to do Rapier and "Operation Rapier" will have been my teacher for the next Dio.


All of my sets are real world and sometimes modified with Photoshop but not by much. I use a combination of Stage Par Cans and lighting Gels to acheive many of the colors and textures seen in Rapier. This is most noticable in "Killing Game" and the "Epilogue" (Coming out this week). I'm trying to learn more about camera tricks and I hope to even take some classes in the near future.


I do a lot of Photography outside of Dios but I use a film camera. One shot in Rapier that this camera was used on is the header shot of the title page. I used a scanner to get it into the computer. I would consider my self an amateur but very willing to learn.

I love shooting nature, below is an example



The Air duct shot in "Silent Entry" of Operation Rapier. Filming Hit N Run rappelling down the air duct was accomplished by constructing a frame to hold the duct in place with me slid under that frame aiming up into the duct. A spot with a light tent positioned at the top and the rope he's holding out the top and into my other hand holding it tight.

http://www.violentfix.com/cobra/dio-stories/dio2k31.jpg

What kind of tools and such do you incorporate into your photography?

I use to have a Nikon Coolpix 990 until it went kaput (too many beach and sand dune photo shoots), so now I stuck with my trusty Pentax SLR. I have an 8mm fish-eye for my dead Nikon, so I'd like to find another camera with the same filter threading.

I have various strobe lights but mostly use hot lamps for lighting since you can see where the light hits and you have better control over shadows.

I JUST finished building a 4 foot wide blue screen table in the basement and I bought actually blue screen background paper from the camera shop.

Do you create actual effects in the real world? Or maybe Photoshop is your forte?

Both. I'm totally for as natural of a shot as you can get. Even the best Photoshop work can still be spotted. I like to use digital effects only for a last resort or if it's totally insane situation in the dio.

Do you consider yourself an amateur (maybe semi-pro or pro) photographer or do you only pick up the camera to create your Dio-stories?

Well, I believe a "Pro" is anyone who makes 40% or more of their yearly income from a field, so yeah I guess I'm a "Pro" since I take pictures of jewelry for wholesalers (with the occassional wedding shoot, blech). I use to do the whole art gallery thing but I got fudged over a couple years ago with taxes, so I cut back on that. Check out HELL, MICHIGAN in comic stores this June for photo cover I took as well.

What's the strangest (or Hardest) thing you've ever done to capture a perfect shot?

For the shot of the Electric Eels in the water, I went to a local botanical garden and took off my shoes and stood in this little man-made stream so I could get real close to the figures. Lots of people stopped to watch and I got asked half a dozen times if I was working on a catalog or something.

For one of the Zartans in the swamp photos, I was in an actual swamp which was knee deep mud and slime... lets just say I "thought" the mud looked more solid than it was... hence how I found out it was knee-deep.

I agree. I don't feel there are any crazy aspects to get a shot. Take movies for example. They go all over the world to shoot. I've gotten dirty, climbed cliffs and (almost fell off too) to take a shot. I'm not a seasoned photograper and honestly don't know too much but I just wanted to support everyone that takes these projects seriously.


Next topic:

I read that Hammer uses a Nikon Coolpix. Man I wish I'd been on the up and up. I originally wanted the SLR but didn't and still don't have the bread to throw down for one yet. The Coolpix looks nice cuz you can interchange the lens. I've got a Canon Powershot (good for tourism) :) It's OK but man, I really could use the Micro lenses.

I've got some shots and am working on a diostory that I can't wait to finish and post. My photo probs include getting good clear closeups and Photoshopping them to retain the quality and vs downsizing to make them download quick (The typical editing task). I'd like to get 'em as nice as guys Hammer, Justin, etc.

....I meant Luke not "Justin."

You saying my pics aren't nice? :D

Justin

Hey 'sup General! My bad, I don't know everybody's names and all. I know you were jokin' but in all honesty I didn't mean to count ya out. Mad love for your stuff too! :D

Actually, there's a lot of talent out there to mention.

Man...I'm kinda pissed. I spent about two days working on building these prop computer consoles for COBRA and after painting them white, I realised they probably would look better sprayed another color. Drats. I guess thems the breaks.

To be continued!

I use a folding table to setup my scenes and take my pictures. I also use a regular tripod and a mini tripod, depending on what shots I want or need to take and where I want the camera to be.

For a camera, I used to use a Nikon Coolpix 4300 that I was borrowing from work. I've since bought my own camera, which is an Olympus Camedia C7000. I love it, so glad that I bought it.



If you mean do I shoot outdoors, then no. I don't live somehwere that I can easily take my toys outside to take pictures, and I'm not willing to haul them off somewhere to do it. If I need an obvious outdoor shot I'll do my best to recreate it indoors, or photoshop whatever I need to compensate.



Most of the pics I take are for my dio's, or typical family pics. I've only had the camera for a little over 2 months, so I'm still new with it. Chapter 5 of my dio was really the first time I got to using it.



Nothing, really. I manipulate the background and figures to fit in with the scene I want to do. Thats pretty much it. It might take me a long while to get the shot, for example [img=http://www.cobrabivouac.com/dios/DOF/Chap5/5-23.jpg]this pic of Roadblock[/img] reacting to brawler took me almost an hour to get, because I wanted it to look a certain way, and the other 25 shots I took to get this one just didn't look as good as I thought this one did, and the lighting didn't match the other shots.

That said, I'm not a professional by any means, and I never had a photography class. I don't get insane over the 'perfect shot' because to me that turns it into work, and once I stop seeing doing dios as fun is when I need to find something else to help me relax.

The whole point in doing a diostory is to entertain and tell your story. More so, to enjoy GI Joe in a whole different way. If I'm going to spend energy obsessing over any part of the process, it will be the story itself and not the picture. That isn't saying that I'm lazy about the picture taking process, but my focus (hah hah geek joke) is more the story and the pics are secondary.

I'd rather have you (the reader) concentrate on my story rather than how much in perspective a particular scene is, because when it comes down to it its not special fx or flashy photography (hah...another geek joke) that makes the story good, it's the story itself.

Just my 2 cents though.

dan

Well, I've got an update to crazy stuff I've done for the sake of a dio...

In this sequence that I posted in another thread:

http://www.generalsjoes.com/diorama...niontest-2.html

As an after effect, the COBRA vehicle that blew up needed to be in pieces on the ground...I was trying to take the canopy off, but it just wouldn't come. I looked at the connections, and tugged a little harder... and *SNAP*. :(

I busted the canopy off...I kind of knew it was coming, but I really wanted the shot, so I did it anyway. Of course the vehicle wasn't in the best of shape anyway, and you can still hook the canopy in half way and it looks all right on display. :)

Justin

Those Snow Serpents are really getting some air. Great Shot.

I dont even own a camera, I just happen to have a few friends that are photography majors at my school, and they all have awesome rigs. I have no issues with using photoshop because it is one of my main tools for my regular works, and it lets me take shots at home instead of traveling across the city to the park with all of my toys. Either that or stick to a strictly urban setting for everything. Alley Vipers ahoy.

(also, Hi guys I'm new, hopefully I'll be able to get something up that you'll enjoy)

Welcome aboard, that pic you already posted on the front page looks really good. Nice to see a new face around here too.

I got here from your Dio's, if I screw up, its your fault okay? :)

Well, new on that forum but not new in making Dios... :)

About tools, I'm using Olympus Camedia C-300 and have table tripod always near me. No other photo stuff, simply too expensive.

I ONLY shoot my pictures outdoors. Yes I know I have to take my collection with me wehere I'm going but that's no problem, really. Although it's sometimes a lot of carring. But I'm not taking shots in public places like parks etc. I have one countryside house and constantly I'm seeking for new, a bit isolated places.
All the effects I'm trying to make in real world. Have no big skills in any photo editor, so I'm just making small corrections in them and add some muzzle fire and text.

And about hardest things to do.. Really not much, but my "Arctic Meltdown" dio-story (completely unavailable on the net) was made in about -10 deg. C. It's kinda hard to re-poze Joes while you can't move your fingers...

And one more thing - my dio-stories are bound to have less Joes and mostly single Joes if we're talking 'bout Cobra. It's Poland, Joes were never so popular here and due to amount of Joes available on PL market - army building is simply impossible and someona having two ver.1 Snow Serpents is a man who is really lucky. (Let alone two COMPLETE Snow Serpents. Dunno if there's anybody like that...)

I'm new here (1st post) and am also pretty new at Dios, so what a topic to introduce myself :D

What kind of tools and such do you incorporate into your photography?
Camera, a Fujifilm FinePix A120 Digital camera. I can't afford anything expensive... or a Tripod or the like, just me, the camera and my shakey hands. But I'm not complaining, some of my shots look a bit duff, but some look great (IMHO)

Do you create actual effects in the real world? Or maybe Photoshop is your forte?
Photoshop for SFX (you really can tell), I again can't afford anything to use, and don't want to risk damaging/marking my joes (I don't have many yet... around 80 figures max :( 22 being CGs) by doing anything with them. But stuff like outdoor shots ( http://cobrarevival.sitesled.com/chp2one for a chapter shot solely outside) I do in the garden, it's big enough for some disance shots and broken concrete slabs and tree cuttings are useful. For some interior shots I use Star Wars playsets, cardboard comic boxes, plain paper and some sheets of card with the wall patterns on (from this site). I'm now on the lookout for odd bits of plumbing or fixings a work (cashier for a DIY store) which would look usefull.

Do you consider yourself an amateur (maybe semi-pro or pro) photographer or do you only pick up the camera to create your Dio-stories?
Only for Dios and other randomthings like Holiday or pictures of my guitar.

What's the strangest (or Hardest) thing you've ever done to capture a perfect shot?
I usually do a top-down angle for obvious reasons and not really wanting to dig a hole in the garden as my parents would kill me(only 17) I had to let's say lie down with the camera on the floor twisting my neck and arms around in the most uncomfortable position possible. But meh, I take around five shots a time and choose the best angle, it's rare that I like the first shot that I take.

note-I've only become really into Joes early this year, and my collection is slowly going, so I don't really have named characters (heck the only Dukes I have are that chunky silver robo version and the just-plain-wrong JvC version) and mainly singles of Cobra ranks (one Techno, Tele, Alley and Toxo vipers) It's great having nearly four times more elite Crimson gaurds than standard infantry <_<
Joes weren't really too big over here (UK) we had Action Force (with some cool exclusives like TF Psyche-out), but very few people I know played with them, it's all carboot sales and eBay.

Welcome aboard Raven!

>What kind of tools and such do you incorporate into your photography?

Basically just overhead lighting - no tripod or anything as yet, but I'm looking to upgrade my camera so we'll see. Unfortunately my current camera has been dropped numerous times so pic quality is variable to say the least.


>Do you create actual effects in the real world? Or maybe Photoshop is your forte?

Bit of both - I had to teach myself how to use photoshop (without a manual) so it was an interesting experience... But I've got the hang of it now. If I can do the shot in the 'real' world, I prefer it to photoshopping.


>Do you consider yourself an amateur (maybe semi-pro or pro) photographer or do you only pick up the camera to create your Dio-stories?

Not pro, but I took photography in school so I somewhat know what I'm doing.


>What's the strangest (or Hardest) thing you've ever done to capture a perfect shot?

Probably for my JTV episode where the Noks are in the coffee shop, fortunately it was early Saturday morning so no one was about, but it was weird shooting in the middle of a shopping centre.

Here's my studio in all it's glory!

It'll be getting an expansion once my DTC stuff arrives, with a permanent set up for Phil's house, the bar/cafeteria and a share house for some new characters.

I love my Photoshop, as you may have guessed if you've seen my pics! A small yard is the main reason; limited dio opportunities means photoshop gives me the chance to do pics I wouldn't otherwise be able to contemplate.
I admire the guys who use little or no Photoshop enhancement, and natural shots certainly look more believable, but I couldn't have done my Night Raven pics any other way.

I'm glad to see that someone else has a workspace that looks as cluttered as mine when I'm working. I go through stages where either I'm working on a Dio-chapter and the whole studio looks like a hurricane hit or when I'm not and it's beautiful and organzed.

My big problem is becomming the size on my sets and lighting them.

Well, if you are only going to have 80 Joes than having 22 of them being Crimson Guards ain't nothing to be ashamed of.

Welcome aboard..

Meh, it's the only having 80 which I dislike. Still eBay seems to be pretty good to me (got a few Joes, and new HISS arriving soon. My second MAGOT (with two Worms) arrived last week). At this rate it'd take me many many years to build up a sizable army.
And thanks guys.

If you think that's bad you should see my painting table - it's a six seater dining table covered with stuff. You can see it in my 2004 X-Mass special in episode 3 I think, but that was when my brother was moving out so it's neater now - but not much.

Well, Luke just showed me that this site had a forum, so I wanted to post in it!


What kind of tools and such do you incorporate into your photography?

I use a camera. It's a... the brand is... well, it's silver. I don't have it handy right now or I would read it off the camera :)

Do you create actual effects in the real world? Or maybe Photoshop is your forte?

I use a lot of photoshop, but I hope to do more real world effects. I used incense candles in the last chapter of Whispers of War to make a hallway foggy looking.

Do you consider yourself an amateur (maybe semi-pro or pro) photographer or do you only pick up the camera to create your Dio-stories?

I am the most amateur of amateurs. I know nothing about photography. I just try to take pictures that I think look good.

What's the strangest (or Hardest) thing you've ever done to capture a perfect shot?

Not much... For one, I have yet to take an outdoor shot! I plan to do some for ch 5, so I'll get back with you then...

Considering I have been spending the last chunk of these years in set making, the last time I got to do camera related work was for some fantasy miniatures, for a book on the subject by another author. But since I am in the middle of a double wick candle burn, others and my own, I am having to really relearn, and polish off the old tools. So really, don't know if I can even qualify, but I love the Actor's Studio and I love the dios of my fellow authors.



What kind of tools and such do you incorporate into your photography?
Surprisingly, I don't even own a pedestrian version of Photoshop. I have a smaller lesser know product called Photosuite, which I used to make the armor lamp effects of my ALIENS dio many years ago. Now, I'll have to really stretch the product since I am doing Stargate:GIJOE ARMAGEDDON.

Do you create actual effects in the real world? Or maybe Photoshop is your forte?
Funny thing, since I do SFX for kids plays and for some wargammers, I find that I may be able to rig these things for Joe sized ideas. I guess trial and error will tell.

Do you consider yourself an amateur (maybe semi-pro or pro) photographer or do you only pick up the camera to create your Dio-stories?
Depends on what anyone would qualify as any of those titles. I have been a wildlife photographer, capturing active wolf packs at the Bronx Zoo in NYC for six years. I did some runway model photography for larger BBW girls at close of classes at Barbizon. Like most parents, I always tried to get that once in a lifetime shot that your kids set up, be it funny or heart warming. So It grossly depends. I still pick up my camera, which is an old Pentax K1000, but I love this dinosaur because it is one of the few cameras left that does not have an elecromagnetic shutter. So no batteries, no problem!

What's the strangest (or Hardest) thing you've ever done to capture a perfect shot?
Light. Plain and simple. One of my disabilities is that my eyes are extremely photosensitive, which means dark is my friend, and light not. This of course, doesn't work in the reverse, especially with regards to dioramas. That's the hardest. So I can say with shame that so far, no shot on any dios I have done are perfect. But I do like the look of posing some background fodder on a scanner with my Lara Croft custom for her pic on the site. Something about the eyes and stance.

But hopefully, with better protective eyewear and some new tricks, I can finally join my fellow creators in earnest.

What kind of tools and such do you incorporate into your photography?
When I first started, I did everything outside. My first dio was really long but at the same time, it was one huge learning process. By the end, I was close to where I was at a few months ago. Due to weather and the garden not growing and being too shy to go out on location to shoot, I've started making sets. Cheap sets but I'm still learning. If my latest set works out, it should look really cool. If not, well, back to the drawing board.

Do you create actual effects in the real world? Or maybe Photoshop is your forte?
I tend to learn toward the cartoony w/ effects. Pre-made goofy explosions and laser blasts. I use a combination of Photostudio and PictureIt. I don't have Photoshop. :(

Do you consider yourself an amateur (maybe semi-pro or pro) photographer or do you only pick up the camera to create your Dio-stories?
I believe if I actually practiced and learned my camera, I'd be better. I just learned how to work the MACRO setting a few months ago. I'm learning about lighting and basic composition.

What's the strangest (or Hardest) thing you've ever done to capture a perfect shot?
*shrug* I'm still trying to get there with the 'perfect' shot. :o