Idea for reference compolation file.

Tools, Techniques, and Reference Materials Reference Materials
1

Stick with me here. I had an idea recently, sitting at work (easy job on campus) on the computer looking at reference photos. I have gotten into a habbit of saving almost all reference shots I come accross.

So in this mind I had a great idea. We should all get all the reference shots we have (on our computer) sort them, you like, like one folder for Panzer 1s, one folder for Spitfires, one folder for Japanese infintry uniforms, that kind of thing. Then zip it up. E-mail it to me, Ill sort all of it and put it into a convenant zip which I can post here or send it out and we can have a quick, MASSIVE reference collection at the tips of our fingers almost instantly.

Gone will be the days of asking for shots of this, or that. Just go to the file and look it up!

Tell me what you guys think of the idea

(edit)

Or we could do one for each kind of section. Have one for the aircraft, one for the Armor/soldier guys, one for the Car wierdos (im looking at you Doog), one for sci-fi

2

Why hasn’t any body jumped on this ?! Sounds like a great idea to me !

Or… I had just thought to myself, why doesn’t the forum have a Gallery section, for reference material and/ or members work ?

I’m a motorcycle/ aircraft guy myself, and I have (just checked) 1.48 GB ; 5,060 pics related to motorcycles alone !

If anybody is looking for something, ask and I’ll see what I can do for you !

3

Thats a realy good idea I don’t have meny refrance pic so this would be realy helpfull.

[:)]

4

If people have taken the photo themeselves fine but otherwise this could get into copyright problems.

5

I didnt mean sell them. Just alot of people go to aircraft shows, and car shows, and armor museums and such. Why not when your there take some shots of stuff not really seen in old photos and puttem all together.

6

I dont really have that many pics I have taken myself, however I do have stuff on specific A/C that I have scoured the WWW for when building. I suppose we all have the same sort of collections. You know when you are doing a kit & there are always the same areas which arn’t covered clearly anywhere, details, landing gear… I assume that in general terms these are the most usefull to us.

How does copyright work here though?

7

Copyright unless otherwise stated always stays with the creator/photographer.

8

By section is a good idea. Even subsections to include such topics as drawings/sketches used in making conversions or corrections, tools, even hobby rooms/shops. This is what I have done. I have a folder called Modeling containing separate folders for AC, ships, armor, Tips and Techniques, etc. Each of these has subfolders for drawings, detail photos, etc.

Jim

9

would this include pictures of fellow modelers works as ref material?

btw are you working on your thoughts here

10

I have no idea what it would take to get this done on this forum/ website…

This is what I think would work well for what we’re alking about : http://www.hiroboy.com/gallery/

(EDIT- The Hiroboy gallery seems to be cranky, it was working when I coppied the link to paste it in this entry, but now it wont load; I guess try it later if it doesn’t work when you try it.)

Plenty of sections and subsections could be created, it looks fairly cutomizable, and if you browse around it, there are some fairly large files on there.

As Milairjunkie said, and it applies to me also, we all have images saved from the web, so, regarding the copyright issue, I would think as long as we don’t alter the images or try to generate/ recieve any money from their use, I would think we’d be in the clear, but I’m not a lawyer…

Speaking of reference material ! For all the aircraft builders out there, HOLY COW, look at this link : http://www.af.mil/photos/index.asp?galleryID=2 Be sure to notice in the column on the right, under Aircraft, there are listings for all types, then pick your craft, say, F-15, there are about 31 pages, each with approx. 15 images, all available to be downloaded, (from the USAF) most of which are VERY large sized and good resolution. For example : F-15 (3000 x 1996 pix)

That’s my 2 cents for now, time to sit at the work bench !

11

Came across another fine example of what could be done in terms of a photo reference / gallery

Check out the gallery section at Silicon Valley Scale Modelers Website

I know the website has a photo gallery, but nowhere near this extensive.

Anybody have an idea how to get this ball rolling, or is anyone even interested ?

12

Well, it’s a good idea. i dont beleive copy rights will be infringed as long as this is used strickly for non-profit purposes. Ebay is a huge site using photos from all kinds of sources and they seem to have no problems. Im sure this is a safe bet with this idea.

I have a few things. Nothing that i have taken but things I have collected. Let me know what you want done with the files.

13

The idea is indeed good… I got alot of photos from WWII neatly sorted out… Per nation->theater->branch->division. And then some aditional info in the filename, or a seperate textfile…

I tend to place them more and more in Nation->vehicels now though… [:)]

14

It is a good idea, not to publish it or break any copyright, but so we all can have the same MASSIVE collection of reference shots, all nicley sorted so there is alot less ‘anyone have a shot of this’ but instead a stickeyed thread to a Zip file with it all. Or a few, like WWII, modern, tanks, jets, etc etc etc