Photo Mode

[blinkngone]

Hi, I am trying to learn Photo Mode. In Default the Bokeh fans are 1. I can do this but to me it is easier in some cases just to turn them OFF. With them off much more area is in focus. I just started so this is my first attempt. Not sure yet.
Fans Off.

Fans on.

When I am in a group of cars, more of the cars are in better focus with the fans OFF.
Fans Off.

Fans ON.

The Green Ford behind the AM.
Fans Off.

Fans ON.



Meh, I can clearly see the spokes in the wheel rim of the trailing Ford with it Off, these dinky pictures don't show enough.




On The Corvette the side windows are not flush vertically, they protrude, in bright light conditions these surfaces catch light so when looking at it from the front it is hard to eliminate the light reflections, these are aggravated with Bokeh enabled. The windscreen trim is also stepped .The situation is the same when the Corvette is moving away from you. The rear window panels are not a problem because they are screwed in flush to the bodywork so there is less reflective surface to catch light. The gray area in the screenshot is the bevel, you can see it is flush with the roofline but tapers down to the door sill. you can see how much it protrudes toward the rear as well.

You can see the light scatter from the side window edge and the bevel heading into the sun. There is a little scatter from the top edge but not nearly as much.

Well this is just a bad shot but you can do a few things.

Turn off the fans. This only works if you are not perpendicular to a side view.

You can repair the missing paint by using the Look Around function of the mouse.

Well, I actually like to see the Gold Chevrolet emblem in the Corvette Winged Victory. I guess you guys with 4K can see it but it's work for me.

[blinkngone]

Well, I used the Drone , sort of, not doing much with it yet. I also picked the BMW V12 LMR don't know why. No idea how many razor sharp edges the car had especially the wheel arches and the panel fitment. Anyway most of the track was too dark as I picked sunset so although I was able to get some screenshots they were kind of meh so the ones I have are from the last corners.

[blinkngone]

Ok, I am using the Drone a little more. Curiously the shadows seem to wreck the Red paint, much more than the Silver.

Well, the game is really interesting. I hope they are visible but there are intricate dimples next to the panel release, wonder what they are for.

Here they are. Although they actually appear to be little squares, or diamonds.

[Womp83]

Not bad for someone starting out exploring photo mode. You've got some good shots so far.
Bokeh is basically for artsy depth of field shots where the background is all blurry and out of focus while the subject in the foreground is (hopefully) in focus. I'm yet to find out what the difference really is between bokeh shape 1, 2 and 3. You can also adjust the aperture to change how out of focus the background is when bokeh is enabled.
Work with the sun, use it to light your subject and keep the shadows out of view. Try to avoid facing the camera at the sun so you don't end up with a dark, shadowy subject, unless that's the type of shot you're going for. And don't be afraid to try new things.
And have a look through the screenshot thread to see what others have done, and use those for ideas.

The drone 'freeroam' mode is the best way to get nice shots. Keep at it.

[blinkngone]

Not bad for someone starting out exploring photo mode. You've got some good shots so far.
Bokeh is basically for artsy depth of field shots where the background is all blurry and out of focus while the subject in the foreground is (hopefully) in focus. I'm yet to find out what the difference really is between bokeh shape 1, 2 and 3. You can also adjust the aperture to change how out of focus the background is when bokeh is enabled.
Work with the sun, use it to light your subject and keep the shadows out of view. Try to avoid facing the camera at the sun so you don't end up with a dark, shadowy subject, unless that's the type of shot you're going for. And don't be afraid to try new things.
And have a look through the screenshot thread to see what others have done, and use those for ideas.

The drone 'freeroam' mode is the best way to get nice shots. Keep at it.

I do study the screenshot thread. That's what got me started.
Thanks very much. I have no idea how to use "freeroam" mode. I am going to start working on the LMP 900 cars I did some on the Ferrari 333 SP. To me it is easiest car to screenshot. The panels all fit nice, there are fewer jagged edges to catch light. It may be the slowest of the LMP900 cars but it sure is easy to screen shot nicely, it's the blonde of the LMP900s. The Bentley, ahh the Bentley, what a nightmare of poor panel fitment and the windscreen is atrocious. The Toyota has bad paint, the panel split on the white nose breaks up. I'll work with those though.
The 333 SP is a great car. I can get right down to the flat head cap screws on the panels and the button heads holding the headlight covers, incredible work by SMS.
This is a screenshot I chose.

This one showed the spectators feet in the background and I didn't want to blur the background so I moved it up in the previous pick.

This one I am inside the corner pylon and the spectators feet are in the picture. The Bokeh fans are OFF so more is in focus. In this case I could not move up because the rear wing would disappear so I opted to blur the background.

I turned the Bokeh fans up to 3.

Finished shot.

Random 333 SP screenshots.

[blinkngone]

My first attempt with the Toyota 98. I have problems with stitching and the dang car seems impossibly long.

Sin City.








Brands Hatch Indy.

Sin City.

[blinkngone]

2nd try with the BMW V12 LMR.




I adjusted contrast and exposure just to see what looks better.

This one is from Brands Hatch Indy just to see if the colors were different.

Exposure 0.45.





Still have stitching.

[blinkngone]

Shadows really damage the paint on the Audi R8.

Paint damage and the tail lights appear to show up through the fins.

Well for me the Audi is a pain, too easy to mess up the paint with lighting.


In the shadows the paint looks completely different.

The shadows seem to dissolve the paint.

I had to search a lot for good lighting angles.



I checked out one of the White liveries. The logos are not of good quality. The number plate is covered with a yellowed square of polyester. The paint is easily damaged by light angle. Even though it shows up white on my monitor the screenshots are yellowed. This is the case for all my screenshots but it makes the white Audi look even more off. So one of the silver liveries is best.


Ok, switched to Brands Hatch Indy. The Silver and Yellow just work better for me, I have less damage than with the metallic paint. Still have problems with the silver but better. The only yellow shadow problem is inside the roll bar hoop.




Well from this angle the yellow in the tunnel on the left side of the picture looks messed up. I had to reduce my Shadow detail from high already because this really screwed with the paint on some cars.

The diamond things.

[blinkngone]

The Bentley, one of my favorite cars in PCars. At Hockenheim in Spring I just could not find a good position that made the paint look ok. Tried various times from 0700 to 1900.



All the variationin steps along the side of the car gave me problems.

Switched to Brands Hatch Indy. Same time and date. I think the track orientation to the sun was better for the paint color.


The side window protrudes like the Vette, gives me fits.


I could only get the lower right NACA ducts edge sharp.

On my monitor I can see the knurled adjusters. Lots of details on the cars.

I tilted it and the right side ducts ok but the lefts were screwed.

The lower wheel arches are ragged, I don't know why.

Anyway I think for time and date Indy is a better choice for me with the Bentley. This is the best I can do with the Bentley for now, sorry.

[blinkngone]

OK, going to try Group C at Brands Hatch Indy. The time and date just work better with the lighting. I went to Hockenheim Short because I was just using Fraps to take screenshots and I needed more cameras available to get screenshots but now that I am beginning to use the Drone I have more options and can look for lighting as a priority. I am going to cheat and use the Porsche 962C with the yellow livery first, my monitor doesn't punish me with this color on the old cars.



The door handle is cool and the T retainers for the front end as well.

On the Langheck I ran into a problem, the front ducts were revised and now they continue all the way up, lots of detail from SMS. Anyway because of the modified ducts there are shadows now so a light colored front livery the ducts are going to look dirty.

I picked a livery where the ducts were darker so the shadows were not as noticeable.

Then I moved the Drone and kind of hamstrung myself. The driver's right front fender and the Yokohama logo were messed up.

So I could either re-position the Drone or reduce the focal length, I chose to adjust the focal length.

Not many livery choices here.


Well, I kind of had to screenshot the backend, the view of most of the other Group C cars.


Drivers side window is messed up.

Ok, had to move the drone to clean it up a little.

R 89C LM as far as I know visually just a lowered rear wing to reduce drag.