Sisaly
30th Aug 2006, 5:30 PM
Sisaly’s Picture Taking Tutorial
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h200/sisaly/LacyFlowerP2.jpg
Some of you are wondering, “How do people get their pictures so big and how do they get such good angles??” Well I’m here to help out!
First Rule of picture taking is: USE THE TAB KEY!! This enables cameraman mode. Play with it and get familiar. Once you’ve hit the tab key, the trees and lights will appear, instead of fading out if you have Hide Objects Enabled. Use the “q” key to lower the camera, and “e” to raise it. The “z” key will zoom in and the “x” will zoom out. The arrow keys will move the camera left to right and back and forth. Use the mouse to further line up the shot. When you are ready the “c” key takes the picture. Press tab again to exit the camera mode. Any questions so far??
Good, now let’s delve deeper into the mystery of awesome pictures!
Once you are in game go to the “options” menu. Click on it and find the graphics option. Now we want to set some graphics on high, others we want on low. If you are taking pictures of your sims, there is no need to have Tree Detail and others on high. If you are taking a pic of a house or part of the 'hood then you can tweak the graphics to accommodate that.
Here is how the graphics are in my game. I'd rather my game run faster than see the trees when I'm in Map Mode.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h200/sisaly/Tutorial/OptionsMenu.jpg
Traditional CameraMode
Now there are two different ways to go from here. I’ll start with the plain ole way. You’ve got the shot lined up and you’ve hit the “c” key and have taken your picture. Now you need to find it. Go to...
My Documents>Electronic Arts>The Sims 3>Screenshots
For uploading please see the tutorial here (http://www.sims2community.com/showthread.php?t=9712). I like to use a Camera Hack to make using the TAB key easier, cause let's face it, the 'e' key and others are too broad. I want small movements, not the HUGE range that EA gave us. :rolleyes:
So try this camera hack. (http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=345987) Be sure to read the Install instruction thoroughly.
Superior Pictures Method
For those of you that have Photoshop or Paint, this is a different, yet VASTLY better way to do your pictures!!
Using the tab key line up your shot and hit the “printscreen” key found next to the F12 key. I recommend using this program, Gadwin (http://www.gadwin.com/printscreen/), for saving your screenshots to a folder. Now I've found, like many of you that screenshots are horribly dark. Why this happens I have no idea. But I do know a solution. If you see my Graphics pic above you will notice that the Enable Fullscreen Mode box is unchecked. This means that I'm running the game in Windowed Mode. Windowed Mode doesn't take up the whole screen and allows you to easily go back and forth between other programs without closing the game. It also allows you to take screenshots with your prtscn button that aren't dark.
I'm not sure if it's just my pc/monitor but I have to Enable/Disable Fullscreen/Windowed Mode while I'm at the Main Menu, BEFORE going in-game. Otherwise I can't see the box to click to Accept Changes....
Perfect Pictures for Uploads and Contests
Now that we have the basics out of the way let’s explore ways to make your pictures even better.
I think everyone knows how I feel about the lighting on the sims in-game. The best way to get a good picture of a sim is to put them in a room with brightly colored walls and LOTS of lights. I use several overhead, several outdoor lights in a semicircle and a couple floor lamps on each side. Yes, EA really messed up.
If you are doing night time pics, make sure to use plenty of strategically placed lights. They can really make your pic stand out. Play with different kinds of lights in different positions. Now, I notice a lot of people don’t get in nice and close for their pictures. This is a HUGE mistake. You gotta get in nice and close. If the contest host(ess) asks for a headshot, you should NOT be able to see below the sim's collarbone. With body shots make sure that there is hardly any space between the top of their head and the top of the pic and same for the feet. We don’t need to see 3 inches of the sky over their head.
Professional pictures shouldn’t have plumbbobs, thought bubbles, relationship pluses or minuses, or gridlines. Have your walls up so we don’t see toilets and make sure to be in “live” mode when you take your pics. Unless you have flooring down, the gridlines show. These guidelines should also be used by CC creators. There is nothing worse than a creator that gives us a picture of the sim from waist up from far away to show us their awesome new lipstick.
The Cheats
Now that we are talking about plumbbobs we might as well trot out the good ole cheats.
moveObjects [on/off] the single most important cheat!!!
hideHeadlineEffects [on/off] Hides all Sim overhead effects such as thought balloons and speech balloons.
slowMotionViz [0-8] Puts the visuals of the game in slow motion. Entering a "level" value is optional. Valid values range from 0 = normal speed to 8 = slowest.
Remember that while you are moving an object or sim if you hold down the ALT button it will allow you to place it anywhere in the grid. In other words ALT is snapobjectstogrid false.
Posing
:new:Chaos Mod Painting (http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=356513)
The Overview of this animation hack is VERY long and detailed. The creator has two for download. One with just the animations and one that has everything from Floods to Fires. I'm sure the storytellers out there wept with joy when they were released, but do be careful.
Thank you MondayMorning for helping an old gal out.
Photoshopping
Softening Part 1 (http://forums.sims2community.com/showpost.php?p=1034411&postcount=629) Part 2 (http://forums.sims2community.com/showpost.php?p=1034412&postcount=630) by emaone
Night Effects (http://forums.sims2community.com/showpost.php?p=1056176&postcount=664) by emaone
Photoshopping Poses Part1 (http://forums.sims2community.com/showpost.php?p=690993&postcount=103) & Part 2 (http://forums.sims2community.com/showpost.php?p=690995&postcount=104)
Entering a Contest
First things first. BEFORE YOU POST TO ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THE RULES, ROUND OR WHATEVER, READ THE FIRST POST (INSTRUCTIONS) TWICE. 99% of the time the answers are there or in the thread itself. I see it happen over and over.
Use the "title" when you post to put in your sim's name and what round it is. Makes it easier to tell which sim it is for the judges. This is very helpful to do.
Second, don't spam the thread. Really, just don't do it.
Now, sometimes things happen and we cannot go on in a contest. Whatever the reason is ALWAYS PM the host(ess) to let them know. Or at the least, post it in the thread that you are dropping out. People who just don't post their entries and join too many contests just to drop out, get a bad reputation here, real quick.
Paying attention to the little details can set your pic apart from the rest. Use decorations that draw your eye to it...play with color and perspective. I see many people that have a beautiful sim, but the picture is boring, ie..no background decorations. If your sim is posing in a house there should be pictures on the wall and furniture. If they are outside there should be plants, fences and/or walkpaths, maybe a fountain. For plain background pics use white/light colored walls. I strongly recommend that if you want to know what a really good pic is..to look at the closed contest thread or follow a contest you are not in. Check out the top five contestants and you'll see what can help you get past the apps. round. Also, when you enter a contest, make sure your sim is right for that contest and that it's right for you. If it requires lots of dialog and you aren't the snappiest writer, skip it and try another. Above all, JUST HAVE FUN!!!
Now you can take some great pictures!!! Can’t wait to see them.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h200/sisaly/LacyFlowerP2.jpg
Some of you are wondering, “How do people get their pictures so big and how do they get such good angles??” Well I’m here to help out!
First Rule of picture taking is: USE THE TAB KEY!! This enables cameraman mode. Play with it and get familiar. Once you’ve hit the tab key, the trees and lights will appear, instead of fading out if you have Hide Objects Enabled. Use the “q” key to lower the camera, and “e” to raise it. The “z” key will zoom in and the “x” will zoom out. The arrow keys will move the camera left to right and back and forth. Use the mouse to further line up the shot. When you are ready the “c” key takes the picture. Press tab again to exit the camera mode. Any questions so far??
Good, now let’s delve deeper into the mystery of awesome pictures!
Once you are in game go to the “options” menu. Click on it and find the graphics option. Now we want to set some graphics on high, others we want on low. If you are taking pictures of your sims, there is no need to have Tree Detail and others on high. If you are taking a pic of a house or part of the 'hood then you can tweak the graphics to accommodate that.
Here is how the graphics are in my game. I'd rather my game run faster than see the trees when I'm in Map Mode.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h200/sisaly/Tutorial/OptionsMenu.jpg
Traditional CameraMode
Now there are two different ways to go from here. I’ll start with the plain ole way. You’ve got the shot lined up and you’ve hit the “c” key and have taken your picture. Now you need to find it. Go to...
My Documents>Electronic Arts>The Sims 3>Screenshots
For uploading please see the tutorial here (http://www.sims2community.com/showthread.php?t=9712). I like to use a Camera Hack to make using the TAB key easier, cause let's face it, the 'e' key and others are too broad. I want small movements, not the HUGE range that EA gave us. :rolleyes:
So try this camera hack. (http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=345987) Be sure to read the Install instruction thoroughly.
Superior Pictures Method
For those of you that have Photoshop or Paint, this is a different, yet VASTLY better way to do your pictures!!
Using the tab key line up your shot and hit the “printscreen” key found next to the F12 key. I recommend using this program, Gadwin (http://www.gadwin.com/printscreen/), for saving your screenshots to a folder. Now I've found, like many of you that screenshots are horribly dark. Why this happens I have no idea. But I do know a solution. If you see my Graphics pic above you will notice that the Enable Fullscreen Mode box is unchecked. This means that I'm running the game in Windowed Mode. Windowed Mode doesn't take up the whole screen and allows you to easily go back and forth between other programs without closing the game. It also allows you to take screenshots with your prtscn button that aren't dark.
I'm not sure if it's just my pc/monitor but I have to Enable/Disable Fullscreen/Windowed Mode while I'm at the Main Menu, BEFORE going in-game. Otherwise I can't see the box to click to Accept Changes....
Perfect Pictures for Uploads and Contests
Now that we have the basics out of the way let’s explore ways to make your pictures even better.
I think everyone knows how I feel about the lighting on the sims in-game. The best way to get a good picture of a sim is to put them in a room with brightly colored walls and LOTS of lights. I use several overhead, several outdoor lights in a semicircle and a couple floor lamps on each side. Yes, EA really messed up.
If you are doing night time pics, make sure to use plenty of strategically placed lights. They can really make your pic stand out. Play with different kinds of lights in different positions. Now, I notice a lot of people don’t get in nice and close for their pictures. This is a HUGE mistake. You gotta get in nice and close. If the contest host(ess) asks for a headshot, you should NOT be able to see below the sim's collarbone. With body shots make sure that there is hardly any space between the top of their head and the top of the pic and same for the feet. We don’t need to see 3 inches of the sky over their head.
Professional pictures shouldn’t have plumbbobs, thought bubbles, relationship pluses or minuses, or gridlines. Have your walls up so we don’t see toilets and make sure to be in “live” mode when you take your pics. Unless you have flooring down, the gridlines show. These guidelines should also be used by CC creators. There is nothing worse than a creator that gives us a picture of the sim from waist up from far away to show us their awesome new lipstick.
The Cheats
Now that we are talking about plumbbobs we might as well trot out the good ole cheats.
moveObjects [on/off] the single most important cheat!!!
hideHeadlineEffects [on/off] Hides all Sim overhead effects such as thought balloons and speech balloons.
slowMotionViz [0-8] Puts the visuals of the game in slow motion. Entering a "level" value is optional. Valid values range from 0 = normal speed to 8 = slowest.
Remember that while you are moving an object or sim if you hold down the ALT button it will allow you to place it anywhere in the grid. In other words ALT is snapobjectstogrid false.
Posing
:new:Chaos Mod Painting (http://www.modthesims.info/download.php?t=356513)
The Overview of this animation hack is VERY long and detailed. The creator has two for download. One with just the animations and one that has everything from Floods to Fires. I'm sure the storytellers out there wept with joy when they were released, but do be careful.
Thank you MondayMorning for helping an old gal out.
Photoshopping
Softening Part 1 (http://forums.sims2community.com/showpost.php?p=1034411&postcount=629) Part 2 (http://forums.sims2community.com/showpost.php?p=1034412&postcount=630) by emaone
Night Effects (http://forums.sims2community.com/showpost.php?p=1056176&postcount=664) by emaone
Photoshopping Poses Part1 (http://forums.sims2community.com/showpost.php?p=690993&postcount=103) & Part 2 (http://forums.sims2community.com/showpost.php?p=690995&postcount=104)
Entering a Contest
First things first. BEFORE YOU POST TO ASK A QUESTION ABOUT THE RULES, ROUND OR WHATEVER, READ THE FIRST POST (INSTRUCTIONS) TWICE. 99% of the time the answers are there or in the thread itself. I see it happen over and over.
Use the "title" when you post to put in your sim's name and what round it is. Makes it easier to tell which sim it is for the judges. This is very helpful to do.
Second, don't spam the thread. Really, just don't do it.
Now, sometimes things happen and we cannot go on in a contest. Whatever the reason is ALWAYS PM the host(ess) to let them know. Or at the least, post it in the thread that you are dropping out. People who just don't post their entries and join too many contests just to drop out, get a bad reputation here, real quick.
Paying attention to the little details can set your pic apart from the rest. Use decorations that draw your eye to it...play with color and perspective. I see many people that have a beautiful sim, but the picture is boring, ie..no background decorations. If your sim is posing in a house there should be pictures on the wall and furniture. If they are outside there should be plants, fences and/or walkpaths, maybe a fountain. For plain background pics use white/light colored walls. I strongly recommend that if you want to know what a really good pic is..to look at the closed contest thread or follow a contest you are not in. Check out the top five contestants and you'll see what can help you get past the apps. round. Also, when you enter a contest, make sure your sim is right for that contest and that it's right for you. If it requires lots of dialog and you aren't the snappiest writer, skip it and try another. Above all, JUST HAVE FUN!!!
Now you can take some great pictures!!! Can’t wait to see them.