Installation of photo studios for documents on a turnkey basis. Digital photo processing
The purpose of the lecture- help the amateur photographer in choosing the most useful programs for processing digital photos. Particular emphasis is placed on programs for amateur photographers, inexpensive and free software products.
A personal computer can be compared to darkroom for processing ordinary photographs. In this case, the computer replaces and developing machine, and cuvettes with solutions, and magnifier, and boxes with negatives, and albums for finished prints. Perhaps the magnifier in the first place, since the lion's share of work with digital images falls on graphics editor, in which the photographer prepares the picture for subsequent printing on printer or to save on some carrier... It is in the graphic editor that the manipulations with the image are performed, designed to correct expositional and compositional mistakes, give the picture a special expressiveness, emphasize some details and eliminate others.
Except actually operating system, without which a personal computer simply will not work, there are many applied programs to one degree or another suitable for working with digital images. We are primarily interested in programs that facilitate rewriting photos from memory camera on Winchester computer, programs viewing images, graphic editors, catalogers, archivers and other useful utilities.
In most cases, no additional software is required to overwrite images from a digital camera. Windows XP, Vista and Mac OSX will recognize a camera connected to the USB port as external disk storage device... Having opened the folder (it can be called differently) on the flash memory card in the standard Windows Explorer, we drag and drop graphic files into a folder on the hard drive that we have defined for storing images. The process immediately starts copying... After copying and deactivating the external device (to do this, click on the icon that appears in the Windows system toolbar and select the "Disconnect device" command), disconnect the camera from the USB cable, and the cable itself from the connector on the computer system unit.
Rice. 2.1.
Rice. 2.2.
In the same way, graphic files are copied from the memory of a digital camera to a hard drive in the system. Mac OSX(any version) - that is, by dragging the marked group files or whole folders with files with the mouse. The difference is that the shutdown of the camera as an external drive is done differently in this operating system. When the camera is connected to the USB port of a Macintosh computer, a picture (or icon) camera as an image of an external storage device. By clicking on it with the mouse, we open in a new window "Finder" ( Finder, analogue " Explorer"in the Windows system, the system program shell) a list of folders and files. After copying, the external drive icon must be dragged with the mouse to the trash can, which is located in" Dock"- in a special application located at the bottom of the" desktop "and designed to quickly launch the most popular programs. After the camera picture from the" desktop "disappears, the camera can be disconnected from the computer.
Rice. 2.3.
We address Special attention the fact that improper disconnection of the camera from the computer can damage the photos copied to the hard drive, and sometimes the device itself. In this case, we are not talking about physical damage to the flash memory built into the camera, but about the violation of the integrity of the file structure of the storage device built into the camera. If such damage does occur, the memory card must be format in the camera itself, by selecting the "Erase all" function (or "Format memory card" - depending on the camera model) in the settings of the system menu of the camera. All information recorded on the memory card (that is, photos and videos) at the same time is lost, but the card becomes operational again, and there is no trace of the file system crash.
However, not all cameras behave so "smart". Old budget cameras entry level, especially those models in which the footage is stored in a wasteful format BMP are synchronized with personal computer by means of a special communication program (proprietary and incompatible with anything other than the camera itself). Examples are the discontinued cameras Aiptek, Volkano and some others. In the camera's memory, images are saved as graphic BMP files, and during synchronization they are copied to the folder of the Digital Camera Manager communication program (if we are talking about Aiptek cameras) and are displayed in a special window. In the same way, video frames are loaded from the camera's memory - in the form sequences photos taken with low resolution.
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Studio equipment for photo documents Price: 8'990 rub. Discount 2 "000 rubles.
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("Optimal-IS") with shadowless photophone
Price: 12 "990 rubles. Discount 2 "000 rubles.
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"FnD-100" with shadowless photophone
Price: 13 "990 rubles. Discount 2 "000 rubles.
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"FnD-K" with shadowless photophone
Price: 9 "900 rubles.
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with shadowless photophone
Price: 13 "990 rubles.
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Samples of photographs obtained using the "FnD-72" equipment and the "Studio Pro" software
An example of placing the equipment "FnD-72" on an area of 2 square meters:
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Budget lighting kits:
| If your camera is not controlled from a computer, then the "FnD-72" equipment will not be suitable for it, because the photographer's head will not fit between the camera and the flash behind it. In this case, we can offer you budget options for classic lighting equipment. At first glance, they are cheaper than "FnD-72", but, firstly, they do not have a tripod for a camera and a photophone and, secondly, they are much more capricious and more difficult to set up, so we do not provide remote consultations on setting them up. ... If you do not have experience, then you will most likely have to bring in a professional to correctly configure the light scheme. | |
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"Start-1":
Price: 5''990 rub. |
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"Start-2":
Price: 9''990 rub. |
Installation of photo studios for documents on a turnkey basis:
In Moscow and the nearest Moscow region, we can help you open a photo point for documents from scratch in 2-3 days. All you need is a desire to start earning faster and the rented area is not less than 2 square meters, preferably with a neutral color of the walls of the floor and ceiling.The complex of works includes:
- Development of the design of the project of the premises and the optimal lighting scheme;
- Delivery and installation of photo and lighting equipment;
- Equipment commissioning and adjustment of adjustments in the "Studio Pro" program;
- Employee training.
Additional services:
If you are outside of Moscow and the Moscow region, then we can remotely (via the "Team Viewer" or "AmmyAdmin" remote access programs) advise you and help you with setting the parameters of photography and printing. Service cost:- Consultation on the selection of photographic equipment - Is free;
- Remote adjustment of photo shooting parameters in the program - 1500 rub.;
- Remote setting of print parameters in the program - 1500 rub.;
Individual components:
| The photo umbrella is white with a diameter of 80 cm. Price: 350 rub. |
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| Silver reflection photo umbrella with a diameter of 80 cm. Price: 500 rub. |
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| Telescopic stand with a height of 0.7 to 1.9 m. Price: 1500 rub. |
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Tripod head with E27 base (for cartridge flashes), 5/8 "fit, 10 mm umbrella hole.
Price: 500 rub. |
| Falcon Eyes SS-100 flash lamp with a power of 100 J with a power regulator, synchro input and power supply from a 220V network
Price: 3000 rub. |
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| Flash lamp with a power of 45 J with a synchro input and power supply from a 220V network Price: 1500 rub. |
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Flash lamp with a power of 45 J, powered from a 220V network Price: 1300 rub. |
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Flash lamp with a power of 32 J, powered from a 220V network Price: 1100 rub. |
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AC adapter for Canon EOS SLR cameras: 1100D, 1200D, 1300D, 2000D, 4000D (original, not Chinese counterfeit) Price: 5990 rub. |
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AC adapter for Canon EOS SLR cameras: 550D, 600D, 650D, 700D (original, not Chinese counterfeit) Price: 6990 rub. |
| Universal AC adapter for hobby cameras Canon PowerShot: A620, A640, SX100-iS, SX110-iS, S3-iS, S5-iS (proven quality at a reasonable price) Price: 1800 rub. |
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| TF-321 adapter from the "Hot shoe" of the camera to the sync cable Price: 1200 rub. |
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Hot shoe adapter - 1/4 "nut Price: 50 rub. |
If your studio already has lighting equipment based on flash-traps, check if they will be synchronized from a digital camera. You may need to use a special one.
Business plan
If you decide to start the business of photo for documents, then you probably have a reasonable question - what is needed for this and how much will it cost?- Premises.
Unlike artistic photography, document photos do not require large areas. You can place a small studio in a room of about 4 square meters. But now, few people open a studio just for the sake of printing a photo for documents. Usually, this is a business related to trade and / or the provision of other services, so it will be enough to allocate 2 square meters from the total area of the pavilion. So few? Yes, because we offer a solution to fit into such small spaces. The cornerstones of this decision are: the program; a Canon camera that can shoot remotely from "Studio Pro" and a compact system of lighting and mounting photography equipment. - Equipment.
Naturally, you need a printer to print, a computer to process and a camera to take pictures. However, nothing good will come of it if you use a standard camera flash as a light source. Firstly, it gives a very "hard" light, so the skin of the face will glare a lot. Secondly, you will have to get rid of the red-eye effect. Thirdly, in each picture it will be necessary to whiten the background with an eraser and remove the shadow from the head.
At the other extreme, this is the classic three-light setup: fill, paint, and background lighting. Such lighting equipment is great for artistic photography, but it is too expensive and cumbersome for documentary photography.
But the scheme with one frontal scattered light source located strictly behind the camera is optimal for our purposes. The set recommended by us is built according to this scheme. It is inexpensive, very compact, extremely easy to set up and allows using minimal means to obtain photos without shadows with a completely white background, which, if necessary, can be replaced with any other color in the program. - Software.
In the early days of the shift from traditional photo printing to digital printing, many people used Photoshop as their software. In those days, the regulatory authorities were loyal to the "pirate" programs. Now the situation has changed dramatically, you can pay a serious fine for using unlicensed programs, and a license for Photoshop costs about a thousand dollars. And to work with Photoshop, you need specially trained personnel, whom you will pay a considerable salary to. We offer a licensed program that allows you to print photos on all types of documents, does not require computer skills from users and costs from 3990 to 5990 rubles, depending on the configuration. And thanks to the remote control function for Canon cameras, this program allows you to use it with lighting equipment.
If this amount still does not fit into your budget, then for a start, instead of a new one reflex camera You can buy a used Canon camera or DSLR that is controlled from the program, for example Canon PowerShot: A620, A640, SX100-iS, SX110-iS, S3-iS, S5-iS (the full list of models is given below). And instead of the Canon Pixma G1400 printer with factory CISS, use a cheaper, but no less high-quality Canon PIXMA iP7240 printer. This will save you about 18 thousand rubles.
* You will buy a camera and a printer yourself, and we will send you a set of specialized mounting and lighting photographic equipment and a licensed program from anywhere in Russia and the CIS.
Agree, $ 500 is not that much to start a new business. Of course, you still have to invest in advertising; for rent; in the registration of individual entrepreneurs, etc. But these are completely different items of expenses that do not depend on what you will be doing, photo for documents or any other business. And if you have a couple of square meters of free space, why not try to profit from them.
Controlling the camera from a computer:
You probably know that most digital cameras do not allow you to take pictures if they are connected to your computer with a USB cable. Therefore, in the process of making a photo for documents, after each shooting you will have to connect the camera to the computer, download the file from its memory card, process and print the photo, disconnect the camera from the computer again, and only after that you will be able to shoot the next client. However, thanks to the remote control function of the cameras listed below, implemented in the program, you can greatly simplify this procedure and create a kind of automated workplace operator. This function allows you to set all the necessary shooting parameters (zoom, flash mode, white balance, shutter speed, aperture, ISO, ...) and take pictures directly from the computer. You set up the camera on a tripod, connect it with a USB cable to the computer and take pictures using the program by pressing the buttons on the keyboard. After each shooting, the photo is automatically transferred from the camera to the computer, you process it and immediately print it. The whole procedure for printing a photo for documents takes about 2-3 minutes. In addition, you will have the opportunity to see the person being photographed on the monitor screen in the preview video mode, which will allow you to shoot even when the operator has to sit with his back or side to the client.If you have a Canon camera and its model is listed below, then List of cameras that can be controlled remotely:
- Canon EOS mirrored:
40D, 50D, 60D, 70D, 100D, 200D;
450D, 500D, 550D, 600D, 650D, 700D, 750D;
1000D, 1100D, 1200D, 1300D, 2000D, 4000D. - Canon PowerShot: S-60 *, Pro-1 *, G-5 *, G-6 *, A-75 *, A-80 *, A-85 *, A-95 *, A-510 *, A-520 * , A-620, A-640, G-7, G-9, G-10, SX100-iS, SX110-iS, S3-iS, S5-iS.
For compatibility of the above camera kits and Canon EOS cameras: 4000D and 2000D, an optional external digital optical syncronizer with a second pulse is required, which must be purchased separately.
Attention!!! If your camera model NOT present on the list, then most likely he NOT controlled from a computer. The list of supported cameras is not determined by the program, but by the presence of the remote control function in the cameras themselves (in the firmware of the microprocessor). Unfortunately, manufacturers began to save money (tough competition forces) and equip not the entire model range with this function, but only expensive cameras. It is believed that this option is only needed for professional use so newer hobbyist models don't have it. Olympus since 2007, and Canon has been equipping it only for DSLR cameras since 2009.
Contacts:
You can purchase programs, photographic equipment and lighting equipment by contacting us:This article is of interest, first of all, as a list of links to the sites of software developers that seem important to me, which I use and whose development I follow. The descriptions given in this article are very short, incomplete, and subjective. Programs are dynamically developing and, probably, some of the information will become outdated already at the time of this article's release. Some programs are so extensive that a detailed description of their capabilities and techniques for working with them requires a separate book, and not an overview article. Most of the programs mentioned are open source and therefore you have the potential to perfectly adapt them to your needs or update their modules to support new cameras.
Attempted classification
There are a number of programs without which existence digital photography impossible. These are programs that serve to convert the "raw" digitized signal from the sensors into an image perceived by the eye; programs that correct optical distortion, and programs that control camera mechanisms. It is to this group that this article is devoted. In addition, there are a number of programs that make it possible to bring the photographer's artistic intention to life, but they have no direct relation to image registration.
List of basic operations used in processing digital image and working with digital cameras:
- Gaining access to the original raw information and writing it to a Raw file (I agree with David Coffin that "RAW format" does not exist; this is just an illusion or slang definition of dozens of different formats of raw photographs).
- Converting the original (raw) signal recording into a color image.
- Exposure compensation.
- Color Correction - White Balance.
- Corrects the optical aberration of the lens. (Changing the angle of view or detail by combining several frames into a panorama. These seemingly different tasks are solved in software in a similar way.)
- Suppression of noise.
- Sharpening.
- Change the saturation of colors.
- Reduce the dynamic range within a single shot by changing the number of halftones recorded in a file, or increase it by combining multiple shots taken at different exposures (HDRI).
- Camera control, including remote control.
- Retouch.
- Reading and editing of service information recorded by the camera.
- View and create thumbnails of images.
- Geographic coordinates binding.
In turn, programs can be categorized according to whether they are executed by a camera processor or an external desktop computer. Here I want to emphasize that the snapshot is always processed. Even if you shoot JPEG and do not touch the photos in the future, the camera turned the original raw signal into an image, while adjusting the brightness, contrast, sharpness, and noise in accordance with the parameters set in the camera menu. The programs executed by the camera processor are usually preset by the manufacturer, although some models have the option of using third-party programs. For example, in early Kodak cameras and in some modern Canon models - technology
Programs executed on a computer can be divided into basic programs that perform the actual transformations, and graphical shells for them that make it easier for the user to use them. The warehouse photographer is used to working with graphics, and command line that's not really his style :-)
A special group is made up of graphic editors, they themselves have no direct relation to photography, but they are a shell for applications that convert Raw, correct aberrations, and suppress noise. They can also carry out technical retouching, since there are practically no special programs for this. My short list of photography software
| Program | Raw * | 16 bit | Optics | EXIF / IPTC | OS or language | Russian language | License** | |
Major programs whose code is often used by others |
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| X | X | X | C | X | Free | |||
| ANSI C program that decodes any raw images from any digital camera, on any computer, from any operating system | ||||||||
| and | X * | X | W, L, M | and |
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| A software package for correcting optical distortion, stitching and viewing panoramas. The original program works with 8 bits per channel, but there are modifications that support 16 bits. | ||||||||
| X | Perl library | or |
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| Photo metadata reader, writer and editor | ||||||||
| X | C, W, L | GPL, LGPL, FDL | ||||||
| High dynamic range (HDR) image reader, writer and manipulator | ||||||||
| X | ||||||||
| The file format that is used to save snapshots with a high dynamic range, the programs Qtpfsgui, CinePaint and hugin work with this format, which only saves the results in files of this format | ||||||||
| L | GNU GPL | |||||||
Camera program. Transferring data from the camera to the computer, remote control some models. |
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Graphical interface to main programs, sometimes with additional functions |
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| L | GNU GPL | |||||||
| Graphical interface for work | ||||||||
| X | X | L, M, W | X | GNU GPL | ||||
| Graphical interface for working with HDR images | ||||||||
| X | X | X * | W, L | X | GNU GPL | |||
| Graphical interface to the dcraw program. One of the richest in customization options. Correction of distortions of optics is possible when connecting the library. | ||||||||
| | X | X | X * | L | X | GNU GPL | ||
| The program is very convenient for comparing several processing options for one block and choosing the best strategy. And then it can be applied for batch processing. | ||||||||
| X | X | X | R | W, L | X | free | ||
| A comprehensive solution to all tasks of image processing. Viewing, converting raw data, correcting exposure and aberration, suppressing noise, sharpening, enhancing colors in Lab. It can work not only with Raw but also with JPEG. |
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| X | X | W, L | X | GNU GPL | ||||
| Panorama stitching program. At the beginning of its development it was the PANORAMA TOOLS graphical interface. HDRI support. The maximum result is achieved if the adjusted frames are saved as layers and merged manually in a graphics editor, although there is also an automatic mode. | ||||||||
| X * | R | W | Free of charge | |||||
| Lets you edit IPTC in Raw. Viewing thumbnails by means of OS. To view Raw, you need them to be visible in Windows. | ||||||||
Graphic editor |
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| X | X | W, L, M | X | GNU GPL | ||||
| 8 bits per channel in current version 2.6. 16 bit is expected in version 2.8. The most versatile and sophisticated open source project. He wants to become a competitor to Photoshop, but so far he is # 2. | ||||||||
| X | X | L, M | X | GNU GPL | ||||
| Professional graphic editor for retouching film frames. It is possible to work with 8.16 and 32 bit color per channel. It does not pretend to solve all problems, but it solves some better than others, including Photoshop. The stable version is based on GTK1, but there is already a workable version 0.25 based on GTK2. This provides the program with a future, as many distributions have already opted out of using GTK1. The latest version does not yet support the Russian language and I had problems using the tablet, but in some operations it even proved to be more stable than the old one. | ||||||||
| X | X | L (KDE) | X | GNU GPL | ||||
| Well conceived, but the implementation is still far from perfect. Support for deep color depth and many color spaces, including Lab. In my opinion, the combined use of CinePaint and GIMP, which have a similar interface, seems to be a more comfortable solution for Linux. | ||||||||
| X | X | Java | public domain | |||||
| The program is developed by the National Institutes of Health and is in the public domain. Developed on an open architecture that provides extensibility through Java plugins and recordable macros. Native applications can be created using the built-in editor and Java compiler. The editor is designed for image analysis in scientific research, and applications have been written for it to create a sharp image of 3-dimensional objects by combining a stack of images focused on different planes, processing fluoroscopy data, and automating the process of microscopic blood analysis. | ||||||||
Additional modules |
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| X | X | GNU GPL | ||||||
| A library written by Andrey Zabolotny that can be used by other programs to correct chromatic aberrations, distortion and vignetting. Supported database with lens and camera specifications in XML format. So far, her work can only be seen with UFRaw. | ||||||||
| W, L | ||||||||
| Console utility and GIMP plugin for removing noise from photos. | ||||||||
| Java | GNU GPL | |||||||
| ImageJ plugin for stacking images to increase depth of field. | ||||||||
| GNU GPL | ||||||||
| GIMP plugin for chromatic aberration correction. Allows you to edit not only the chromatic aberration of magnification (in the English literature "lateral chromatic aberration"), but also to linearly shift the channels relative to each other, which allows you to work with fragments of the full frame. | ||||||||
Viewers with separate editing functions |
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| X * | X | W | X | |||||
| View and create thumbnails. Unofficial raw files are not displayed. Correction of brightness and balance. EXIF and IPTC viewing, IPTC editing. Recording to files with a color depth of 8 bits per channel. Batch processing capability, many plugins. | ||||||||
| X | X | W, L * | X | Free for non-commercial use | ||||
| View and create thumbnails, including for undocumented raw files. Correction of brightness and balance. EXIF and IPTC viewing, IPTC editing. Recording to files with a color depth of 8 bits per channel. For Linux, there is no modern stable version, you either need to run an experimental XnView MP or a Windows version via wine. On this stage the latter will still run faster and have more editing options. | ||||||||
| X | X * | W | X * | Free for home use | ||||
| View and create thumbnails, including for undocumented raw files. Correction of brightness and balance. EXIF view. Recording to files with a color depth of 8 bits per channel. The ability to compare several images is conveniently organized. Russian language support is available for outdated versions of the program. | ||||||||
| X * | X * | L | X | GNU GPL | ||||
| It has not been updated for a long time, therefore, Raw support is only available for old cameras. There is a newer "branch" with improved support for IPTC, including those written in Cyrillic, due to the output of variants in two encodings. There are also problems with the raw formats of the new cameras. | ||||||||
| X * | L | GNU GPL | ||||||
| There is no support for raw files, but very interesting tools for correcting brightness, the ability to combine several frames with different exposures or create a panorama with a successful alignment algorithm. | ||||||||
| X | X | X * | X | L (KDE) | X | GNU GPL | ||
| Complex solution of all tasks in one package. Loading images, viewing, converting raw data, correcting exposure and aberrations, referencing geographic coordinates, editing IPTC. | ||||||||
| GeoSetter | X | X | W | X | Free of charge | |||
| In addition to the main purpose of geographic information binding and viewing the location on a map or satellite image, it is convenient for editing keywords in IPTC. The most versatile and sophisticated program for Windows at the moment. | ||||||||
| X | W, L | X | GNU GPL | |||||
| Spartan graphical interface, working only with folders, viewing only JPEG, but it fulfills its task and is fast enough. | ||||||||
GPS Photo Correlation | A freeware program for batch converting RAW files taken with unsealed Canon PowerShot cameras to Digital Negative (DNG) format. The name of the program stands for DNG for PowerShot. |
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*) The asterisk marks the properties of the program, which are implemented with some reservations.
**) If it is possible to transfer data to the program, bypassing the intermediate writing to the file, then I believe that the program supports Raw.
***) Free software is not necessarily free, but free software is free. In this table, if a program is marked as free, then it is not free, and if it is free, then it is free.
W - Windows, L - Linux, M - Mac. I tested the programs under WinXP, Slackware 12.1 with KDE 3.5 and Puppyrus Linux with JWM. Information about performance under Mac OS is given according to literature data :-). Many programs have additional modules that are loaded in the process, or can be compiled with different parameters, so it is possible that I did not specify a number of functions, in principle, available for a particular program. The opposite is also possible, when a standard assembly does not have the features specified in this article.
For the convenience of using the resulting list of links, I made screenshots and comments in
- Translation
In my previous articles, I have always skipped the introduction to photogrammetry because there are many introductory instructions. Recently, however, I noticed that most of them do not go into detail on how to properly capture images. So I decided to create my own manual about everything I know about photogrammetry.
This article is intended for the following categories of users:
- Those who have never used photogrammetry or 3D scanning.
- Those who have already used photogrammetry, have read the introductory instructions and want to improve the quality of the scan.
- Those who already know all this, but want to check if they missed anything.
Special thanks to Jugoslav Pendić for editing and updating this article. I also thank the 3D scanning team for bridging the gaps in my knowledge.
What is photogrammetry?
If you are reading this article, then I hope you already know what photogrammetry is. In short, it is the process of creating 3D models from several images of the same object, photographed from different angles.Although this technique is not new at all, it is much older. modern process, and it was widely used in cartography and geodesy. It has become more popular due to its affordability due to the increase in the power of computers, which has allowed it to expand into other fields such as video effects and game development.
If you want to quickly familiarize yourself with the beginnings of photogrammetry, I recommend studying the following materials:
A DGPS (differential GPS) mobile device or total station is used as a high-precision positioning device. This mainly applies to the use of drones for terrain marking and surveying. Three points are the bare minimum, you may need more. They are positioned in such a way that the points are evenly distributed over the entire documented area, and several are in the center. This is very difficult to achieve on location and is usually the approach used in projects with a large amount of funding. Scaling is not a problem here, but positioning in surveying means that plans, analyzes or controls are derived from the final result. Those. they will usually be used in a GIS workspace.
Instructions
This section contains general advice on the correct shooting of the image and on what to pay attention to.At first, read the excellent article The Art of Photogrammetry: How to Take Pictures, it explains everything very well.
Secondly, here are general tips from the Reality Capture forums, from the 3D Scanning User Group, and from personal experience.
- Do not limit the number of images, Reality Capture can handle any number. (Agisoft can handle them too, but this will require a lot of processing power.)
- Use the highest resolution available.
- Every point on the scene surface must be clearly visible in at least two high quality images. The rule "the more the better" works here, and you need to strive for at least three images, because most programs use the triangulation calculation to get the results. Agisoft definitely needs more than three to reduce noise.
- Always move when shooting. Standing at one point, you will only get a panorama, which will not help in any way to create a 3D model, and will even introduce errors into the scan. Move around the subject in a circle, aiming for 80% overlap between photos.
- Do not change your viewpoint more than 30 degrees.
- Start by shooting the entire subject, move around it, and then focus on the details. Approach gradually, not abruptly.
- Complete routes. When shooting objects such as statues, buildings and the like, you should always move around and end up where you started.
- Do not stop at one walk, make several from different heights.
- Rotate the camera (horizontal and vertical movement provides better calibration).
- Trust your instincts, experiment and don't be afraid to break the rules if necessary.
Fourthly, always follows from the beginning be determined with target resolution... In fact, you may not need as much resolution as you think, which will save processing time. Resolution depends on processing options, image resolution and number of photos. All this can and should be borne in mind. When scanning stones for play, 20 shots can be enough to get high-resolution models, especially if a procedural texture with details is overlaid on top of the scanned texture. If you are scanning a lock, you may not need a high resolution either. Simply scan the lock in low resolution, select key repeating elements, and scan them in high resolution. Then generate the rest. The opposite situation may also arise: 500 images are required to scan one pebble.
More often than not, you won't need Ultra High Settings in Agisoft or High settings in Reality Capture.
Practice
Now that you know a thing or two about photogrammetry, here are some interesting examples to try:
- Scan the stone, this is an easy target and a good start. Try to take as few shots as possible to reconstruct the full mesh, and then start adding images to increase the resolution of details.
- Scan the statue: The statue looks like a stone with interesting concave shapes that will slightly increase the complexity of the work.
- Scan the boot. I don't know why everyone does this. Perhaps this is some kind of initiation ritual, or something similar.
- Scan narrow tunnel or stairwells. The tricky part here is that you won't have enough room to move around and shoot from different angles. The trick is to cross the tunnel, taking one shot of what's in front of you with each step forward.
- Scan the interior. Valve has an interesting approach that you can try.
- Scan a building or even a castle, try it with and without a drone. You can climb a building or use a long pole with a camera. Prompt .
- Scan a reflective surface. Check out this ten24 studio video on 3D scanning reflective objects using photogrammetry.
- Scan your head with one camera. This is difficult, try not to move, or try using a turntable.
- Scan an insect. There is a good example of an insect scanned by 2cgvfx.
- Scan the relief. Explore another Valve approach, but I highly recommend researching the nadir flyby approach.
Other ways to scan
You should be aware that photogrammetry is not the solution to all problems. There are other scanning methods that work better in some cases.- Lidar is a geodetic way of measuring the distance to the target by illuminating the target with a laser. Lidar can be faster at collecting 3D data, and is definitely more efficient at scanning vegetation and fields, although it is quite expensive. The lidar scanner is heavy, so it will be difficult to attach it to a drone, although some companies have managed to create their own drones. Here is a short video, published by Capturing Reality, which uses Reality Capture to combine laser data with photographs to create an accurate model. The video also discusses the benefits of both methods.
- David Laserscanner is a much cheaper homemade alternative that also uses a laser to measure and scan an object. It can be used to scan small to medium sized objects (eg boats). It is worth noting that HP recently became the owner of this software.
- Artec scanner is a handheld laser scanner that provides good results. Can be used to scan small items.
- Microsoft Kinect can also be used to scan objects and people, but it has a rather low resolution.
- RTI is a computational photographic method that captures the shape of the surface of an object and allows you to interactively change the illumination of an object from any direction. RTI also enables mathematical enhancements to object surface shape and color attributes.
Conclusion
Get to work, do not hesitate, practice constantly and try to scan with any available equipment.If you have read this article and all the others to which I have linked, and now do not know what else you can learn, then read my article "The process of creating ready-made game textures and resources using photogrammetry." You can also read my other articles on my World Void website on the Devlog page.
If you have questions, or think I am missing something, please contact me on Twitter.
User reviews
An excellent program for printing photos for documents! Very convenient photo markup, beautiful interface - everything you need. Changing clothes to photos works just fine.
Nikolay Biryukov, Moscow
I tried different programs for preparing photos for documents, but settled on the development of AMS Software. Why? Firstly, the program is very accessible, even the staff does not need special training. Secondly, all the necessary features are present. Third, excellent user support.
Arkady Mikhailov, Novosibirsk city
If you decide to open a photo studio, then first of all the question arises of purchasing high-quality equipment for photo documents.
Let's try to make an approximate list of required components.
- Digital SLR camera.
- Computer and monitor.
- Photo printer
- Tripod
- Flash.
- Additional lighting equipment (halogen light, umbrella, etc.)
- Software for creating a photo for documents.
- Photo salon furniture (table, client chair, background, mirror, hanger).
Citing specific figures, we can say that the cost of all of the above equipment for photographing documents will amount to about 80 thousand rubles. Digital camera must have a resolution of at least 10 megapixels, it will cost you from 10 to 30 thousand rubles and more.
An important condition is the presence high-quality photo printer. Professionals mainly use continuous ink supply (CISS) printers. Their main advantages are ink savings and high print quality. Moreover, they pay off faster and start making a profit faster.
Document photo software
If speak about software, we recommend using the program. This is a graphic editor that allows you to create photos for documents of various formats - passport, student ID, visa, etc. The program has an intuitive interface and a convenient action navigator, which allows you to create high-quality photos in a short period of time. The program allows you to carry out simple retouching, adjust the image, and replace the background and clothing in the photo. The licensed version of the Photo for Pro documents costs only 2950 rubles. It is widely used by professionals in the field of photo business due to its ease of use and optimal set of necessary functions.
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