The Annoying All White Backgrounds or Lack of Publishing Style

[ScaleModelMadman]

lol Ken to be Fair you just recolored them

...and what do you think every model magazine out there does?

Even the above mentioned Hobby Japan uses photoshop to color the backgrounds. Nobody is taking photos against the sky with other airplanes, or in their backyards with woods and trees and getting those effects.

Regardless of the original color of the backdrop, the photos are taken in a controlled environment, with controlled lighting and neutral colors behind them. The artistic colored backdrops and action shots etc. are all added in photoshop.

there is a big Difference on a bright white BG i think, the main difference in those is that they are easier to look at than the white one

Really?

So that hot purple is easier on your eyes than a neutral background?

We'll keep that in mind.


edit:

click this to see one of the most beautiful Tiger models I've seen in ages. The model is all I see and all I'm allowed to see due to the neutral background.

A green background might wash out the greens in it. A yellow, the yellows, a brown, the browns etc. White cannot wash anything out other than white, if it does, it's the photographers mistake in lighting or aperture setting etc.

That is a fine example of a professional looking set of photos for a magazine, anything else would not do it any favors. Of course people are free to dislike it, but it's the industry standard and the preferred method for the reasons stated many posts back.

 

[spud]

I do know why its done i just dont like it, for me i think a grey color is perfect. but that's a personal preference,

for an image in a mag with just text this is what i would prefer but if the company want to add a background i can see why they want plain ol white.

that tiggy is epic btw. and the white doesn't seem as white as the white on the site. its more of a cream, but i suppose it is white.

 

[noname]

I've always liked a white background. If you've ever gone to any art galleries, you'll notice most (not all) of the walls are white. There is a reason for this. White is about as neutral as you can get. It is actually the lack of any colour. So there is no interference with the colours of the model. The colours of the background can affect how we see the colours on the model. White allows you to see the colour of the model very well. I agree, colours can also be distracting. I've seen a few model pics in mags with a blue background that didn't look too bad. But in my opinion the blue in Ken's example above does not work. Black and grey are also neutrals. I would prefer grey out of the two. I've seen a few modelers using a gradient grey back drop that looked pretty sharp. But call me old fashion, I think a nice crisp white background, with good camera work is more than sufficient. And as John said if you set your lights right and roll the white backdrop, you can get a nice gradient of grey or sometimes blue depending on the lighting. But all in all, the model will only look as good as the photo taken of it.

 

[Mr.Max]

Black Sheep 1, THANK YOU! Finally, someone else who understands what I'm trying to get at and I know it's all very nit-picy but I'm one of those crazy guys that really enjoys this hobby, cares about it and rather respects how the Japanese and even the Europeans approach the hobby of scale modeling, as art and the extension of ones skills and imagination instead of it being a just "kiddie thing". 4 year olds simply do not have the dexterity, the hand-eye-coordination, or mind to create very detailed, awe inspiring replicas of vehicles or creatures; real or otherwise! Our mind-set in the US is really odd at times. :-[
I guess the white bg is tolerable to some degree but unforgivable when a mostly white subject is shot against a white bg! I've seen that and that's just sloppy!
I suddenly need a beer or three......

 

[Black Sheep 1]

Well this discussion is very interesting and bringing back memories of a former career.
On the subject of white on white, sorry to disagree with those who oppose it.
If done correctly a mostly white subject on a white background can work very well.
Don't take my word for it, just go to Apple.com and LOOK at the product presentation.
You'll see what I mean.
Then again, everyone has their own preference.

 

[Wouter]

lol Ken to be Fair you just recolored them

...and what do you think every model magazine out there does?

Even the above mentioned Hobby Japan uses photoshop to color the backgrounds. Nobody is taking photos against the sky with other airplanes, or in their backyards with woods and trees and getting those effects.

Regardless of the original color of the backdrop, the photos are taken in a controlled environment, with controlled lighting and neutral colors behind them. The artistic colored backdrops and action shots etc. are all added in photoshop.

there is a big Difference on a bright white BG i think, the main difference in those is that they are easier to look at than the white one

Really?

So that hot purple is easier on your eyes than a neutral background?

We'll keep that in mind.


edit:

click this to see one of the most beautiful Tiger models I've seen in ages. The model is all I see and all I'm allowed to see due to the neutral background.

A green background might wash out the greens in it. A yellow, the yellows, a brown, the browns etc. White cannot wash anything out other than white, if it does, it's the photographers mistake in lighting or aperture setting etc.

That is a fine example of a professional looking set of photos for a magazine, anything else would not do it any favors. Of course people are free to dislike it, but it's the industry standard and the preferred method for the reasons stated many posts back.

quite strange at Missing Links - as there are quite some rivet counters if I remember correctly - is that everyone says wow on the Tiger but no one nags about it not being 'correct' (I'm not going into details since it doesn't matter to me, it's a cool one) ;D. It's a great Tiger II, but the figs are indeed exceptional

'bout the backgrounds: please don't publish purple ones, my poor eyes ;D

white or a light grey (my background curves gently and gives a white - grey gradation) are the most neutral to me and draw attention to the model or dio. Really flashy colors don't work I think, and black is just a bit too dark.

Cheers

 

[ScaleModelMadman]

On the subject of white on white, sorry to disagree with those who oppose it.
If done correctly a mostly white subject on a white background can work very well.

Exactly, like Sven Frisch and his latest Tiger 1 on Missing Lynx seen here

White on white, there's nothing 'sloppy' about it. He even has a scenic background in the last photo which was done in photoshop. I'm sure the white background helped make that easy, or did he spend hours in the cold and snow getting it just right?

Don't take my word for it, just go to Apple.com and LOOK at the product presentation.
You'll see what I mean.

That's a perfect example of how white backgrounds are in fact, an industry standard.

 

[ScaleModelMadman]

quite strange at Missing Links - as there are quite some rivet counters if I remember correctly - is that everyone says wow on the Tiger but no one nags about it not being 'correct' (I'm not going into details since it doesn't matter to me, it's a cool one) ;D. It's a great Tiger II, but the figs are indeed exceptional

'bout the backgrounds: please don't publish purple ones, my poor eyes ;D

white or a light grey (my background curves gently and gives a white - grey gradation) are the most neutral to me and draw attention to the model or dio. Really flashy colors don't work I think, and black is just a bit too dark.

Cheers

Yeah there's a couple from time to time but they hardly say anything to accomplished guys with skill, mostly they just seek the newer guys and tear them up, like 'Zeke' for instance, never posts any of his finished work but loves to pick other people apart when they do.

I know he posts at MSC, probably wouldn't get away with the same nasty behavior there but his overly critical, nit picking rants get under peoples skin.

 

[spud]

Zeke is a Tool he tries to to tell Rob how to do things and i just have to laugh at it.

that other tiger works on the White i have to admit

 

[ScaleModelMadman]

Zeke is a Tool

HAHAHAHA!!

 

[Wouter]

quite strange at Missing Links - as there are quite some rivet counters if I remember correctly - is that everyone says wow on the Tiger but no one nags about it not being 'correct' (I'm not going into details since it doesn't matter to me, it's a cool one) ;D. It's a great Tiger II, but the figs are indeed exceptional

'bout the backgrounds: please don't publish purple ones, my poor eyes ;D

white or a light grey (my background curves gently and gives a white - grey gradation) are the most neutral to me and draw attention to the model or dio. Really flashy colors don't work I think, and black is just a bit too dark.

Cheers

Yeah there's a couple from time to time but they hardly say anything to accomplished guys with skill, mostly they just seek the newer guys and tear them up, like 'Zeke' for instance, never posts any of his finished work but loves to pick other people apart when they do.

I know he posts at MSC, probably wouldn't get away with the same nasty behavior there but his overly critical, nit picking rants get under peoples skin.

if it's the Zeke I think it is: the guy has a panzer 1946 page at FB, couple of years ago I posted my JagdPanther with IR gear equipment. He commented it's no 'special' 1946 panzer, just a regular JP with IR gear. Recently someone posted a plain Panther G with zimmerit and IR and suddenly it's cool :

I tend to ignore such folks indeed. I haven't noticed that kind of folks over here nor at the other fora where I'm kinda active...so that's why I tend to stay away at ML, other than the fact that I don't think it's an easy type of forum to follow threads

Spud: LOL ;D

 

[spud]

Im just waiting for the day he says something about my work,

but this is getting off topic