Some SWA kill teams (and maybe other stuff)

Yo.

I painted up the cogitator/objective marker I made a while back:

Yr1upm.jpg
Yr1DFi.jpg
Yr1P0o.jpg


Tried a bit of OSL which hasn't quite come together, and I think it looked better before I put the weathering powder on, this time - but I wanted it to tie into the bases of my Iron Hands.

Also, I took these pictures with a newer phone than the one I usually use and, though the images are coming out a lot sharper, whenever I take pics with this the mini looks like it's been coated in a layer of satin varnish. Just can't seem to capture the flatter look the real life example has, no matter what settings I fiddle with. Instinct is to move the light source further away, but I don't have to get it very far away before it's a struggle to get it sufficiently lit... Any photographer types have any advice?

It'd be nice to have the increased clarity (however unflattering it might sometimes be 😐), but I may go back to the old camera next time.
 
as a photography teacher* I can add this:

general light positioning:
-depending how you place your light you can accent texture with 'sidelight' as opposed to flat/direct light wich will wash out all the details
(or make you buddy/spouse/child or familymember look er... flatter and less appetizing, but it is good for book reproductions)

-you can also diffuse or soften your light: more diffuse lights will show less details or less harsh shadows,
harder lights give more contrasts (sunlight on a bright day or the light of sunrise falling through a window)
softboxes or (not a native English speaker) waxpaper? do this

-you can brighten up your 'shadow side' by using a white reflective surface on the shadowside (closer or further)
depending how you move around with this surface you can 'flatten' the texture

so in short: place your light more sideways 'along' the texture you want to accentuate and you can play a bit with the harshness of the light, if you're using a led look up examples of soft box light (softening), reflection on a piece of white cardboard or other bright white reflective surfaces (you can add more detail to the shadow at the risk of flattening your subject), silver reflection umbrella's (hard light and shadows, more contrast), or snoots (hard shadows, very small bright spot) the same applies to colored leds.

your question to make it reflect less:
-it may look worse but your light source should be closer to your smartphone lens (and illuminate you subject), this will flatten your subject and 'hide' the satin effect, you can play a bit around to see how much texture you want to keep alternatively you can reflect your light a bit from the shadow side

*i have a masters degree in photography, but didn't finish my teachers studies
 
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Thanks for the detailed response!

My light (a wide, bright hobby LED lamp with a translucent cover over the LEDs) is positioned directly above my camera, but the mini is also very close to the camera (and, thus, the light). I'll experiment some more next time I take some pics.

It's just frustrating because the old camera yields different results even with very similar settings and identical light placement. 🤷‍♂️
 
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without the cover the light would normally be harder and less diffuse...
you could try to use a white sheet as a counterweight to brighten the shades a bit and 'flatten' the contrast that way?

your smartphone has different hard & software:
-if you're using a reflex/hybrid camera; it has a bigger sensor and can catch more light but;
-your smartphone likely has better software 'correcting' your images and it is not impossible it may add a bit of texture or contrast,
different generations of smartphones may 'correct' your pictures differently.