July 29, 2011
Today's instalment has to do with the examination of a newly-acquired toy. Sometimes, there's no blame to place on an e-Bay seller or any other source or person for buying. Unless you are actually "on the spot", you can't really judge a photo by it's photo.
However, items do arrive, and I photograph them for re-sale. What then happens is that you start to see defects, dents, missing parts, and cracks that weren't described with the original write-up or description. Not everyone will spend the time or have the time to describe toys with all of their "faults", and some people just won't! However, I try and think that most people are in fact honest.
Today, with instant results form your digital camera, and with being able to magnify any image by 5x 0r 400%, any faults may be detected. However, if you use a side lighting or texture lighting, you most certainly will bring out any dent,bend, hole, or breakage in most items.
Side lighting or texture lighting have the lighting positioned at an angle to skim light off the side of the surface. Consequently, there will be lots of bright areas (highlights) and dark areas (shadows). Use a flashlight to save time if you do not photograph many images of your item for sale or resale. Positioning the flashlight at a sharp angle will surely bring out the texture and all faults!
Today's instalment has to do with the examination of a newly-acquired toy. Sometimes, there's no blame to place on an e-Bay seller or any other source or person for buying. Unless you are actually "on the spot", you can't really judge a photo by it's photo.
However, items do arrive, and I photograph them for re-sale. What then happens is that you start to see defects, dents, missing parts, and cracks that weren't described with the original write-up or description. Not everyone will spend the time or have the time to describe toys with all of their "faults", and some people just won't! However, I try and think that most people are in fact honest.
Today, with instant results form your digital camera, and with being able to magnify any image by 5x 0r 400%, any faults may be detected. However, if you use a side lighting or texture lighting, you most certainly will bring out any dent,bend, hole, or breakage in most items.
Side lighting or texture lighting have the lighting positioned at an angle to skim light off the side of the surface. Consequently, there will be lots of bright areas (highlights) and dark areas (shadows). Use a flashlight to save time if you do not photograph many images of your item for sale or resale. Positioning the flashlight at a sharp angle will surely bring out the texture and all faults!
A newly-acquired Tootsietoy Vintage Truck
If you magnify the above image, you'll see that even I photograph the item properly with good detail all over. That means that there are not deep shadows. However, softer or flatter lighting, doesn't bring out the faults. I will describe them in my description.
So let's look at 2 different light set-ups - 1 is texture, and the other is flat.
Flat Lighting
The 2 dents on each side panel toward the end do not show well.
Texture Lighting
With this lighting, the dents in the panels present themselves better.
Flat Lighting
The larger and smaller dents in the roof do not show
Texture Lighting
The larger and smaller dents in the roof show very well.
Texture Lighting
A different angle of the subject to the light and camera.
The larger dent really shows well, but the small dent does not.
So you can see how changing the light position, as well as the subject position can help bring out the faults of an old toy.
There's 1 more thing to mention. That is, breaks or faults that won't necessarily appear through lighting or that both the seller and the buyer might not be aware of.
The seller did inform me of the dents in the roof, and the crack just above the windshield, between the first and second light.
But can toy tell what additional problem there is here?
The front window centre post was broken off!
I created the missing part in Photoshop.
So if you're a buyer or seller:
1. Carefully check your toys before either buying or selling.
2. Always ask questions!
a. Most sellers will answer your questions.
b. Give the seller plenty of time to answer!
3. Buy books or do a search for a photo of this toy on the Net.
a. This will help you determine the condition and how much you are willing to pay.
b. Will show you what a toy in better condition looks like and what parts it has or hasn't.
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