Tutorial 06: Advanced Shooting Recommendations for Optimum Results

Those recommendations are for more advanced photographers who want to get the best from their PhotoSculpt Texture software and their equipment.

> Light

• Best conditions: soft daylight, light in the shadows (of a building for example), studio light from a soft box or a reflector, overcast-but-bright daylight
• To be avoided: strong lights and on camera flashes, direct sunlight with strong shadows, artificial lights, weak overcast daylight.

> Focal length:

• Long focal lenses give best results
• wide angle lenses (less than 24mm full frame) are not recommended, you might get perspective issues and model deformation.
• Recommendation : step back from subject and zoom-in to the maximum practicable.

> Shooting quality is always very important to obtain best 3d models

• Keep all parameters identical between shots
  • Hint 1: Lock exposure when facing difficult conditions. Depending on your camera this button is called * or AEL, see your camera manual for more detail
  • Hint 2: lock white balance when facing difficult conditions. This is called "WB" on most cameras, for example you can set it on "daylight" instead of "Auto"
• Don't underexpose or overexpose your photos
• Avoid incorrect focus, blured image or shallow depth of field
  • Hint: use a small Apperture if practicable. This means large F value like F8.0 and more.
    
• Select lowest possible sensitivity for best details
  • Hint: this is called Iso setting on most cameras, set it to as low as practicable, like ISO=100 for example. Warning this may cause long exposure time and blurred images if there is not enough lighting.
• Clean your lenses and sensors
  • Hint = shoot a gray card with aperture set to F=22 so see dust on your photos

> angle between the 2 shots can be varied according to subject

• Try 5-10° for deep or complex or light-reflecting subjects like houses, trees, or faces
• Try 30-40° for flat subjects like wall textures, it will increase texture resolution

> 2 camera setup for strict stereogrammetry

• If shooting a moving subject like a human you can shoot with 2 cameras with same parameters and synchronised trigger for best results (facial expressions).

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