Originally by: Pater Deus

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Respectfully, can I suggest you take the pictures again?


Get some ideas to make a "neutral" (black for starters) backdrop from here:
http://www.foundvalue.com/how-to/b/ebay-photo-studio
http://www.raydobbins.com/photosetup/photo7.jpg

From my own experience in photography use a basic light setup:
Adding to what the links suggest, use three lights not two. This is the way to get "control" of the final image.

- First one is the "main light" which illuminates the ship from left, right, bottom, bottom left, right back, etc., from where ever "the system sun is". Play with the lights.
- Next is the general "fill" light, which provides general overall illumination to the ship. This one can be at the top or bottom.
- The third light is also a fill light but a faint one that will put light where the main light provokes darkness.

In terms of wattage power:
First light is (say) 100 watts
Second light is 50 watts
Third light is 25 watts

If you use same wattage light bulbs then use distance:
First is (say) one foot away
Second is two feet away
Third is three feet away.

You don`t have to use special photo lights, any house lamp or even an electric extension with a light bulb attached to one end will do. Only make a kind of reflector to direct most of the light, from any shiny material like aluminum foil. Take into account when doing this that the reflecting surface must be the same in all three light to have better control of them.

Do not use the built in camera flash.
Your camera as most this days, is a point and shot and that includes a flash that doesn`t ask if its needed. Flash will flatten your pics, even more if they are at such close distance. Because it is digital and you won`t be spending on film, you can try several times to improve the images without any damage to your pocket. So subdue or cover the flash completely and use a setup with a backdrop and light bulbs as suggested. You`ll see a dramatic change in the image quality of the ships image.

Tips:
-Avoid mirrors - better rotate the ship
-Avoid distracting background - use a neutral backdrop
-Set the enviroment - use dark "space like" background (later you can create backdrops with planets or asteroid belts or whatever)
-(Try to hide the plastic setup base)
-Shot in a dark room or at night so you have complete light control.
-Try shooting as near as possible in some pics to give sense of "big" size. Some can be out of focus but then... that is artistic effect
-Want it shinny? Oil it with a light personal (hands) oil.
-Want it shinny in some places only? Oil it in those places only.

Taking pics of things we like in a controlled situation is most rewarding, even more this days we don`t have to wait for the image to come out.

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