Author Topic: Napoleonic and French/Indian wars customs.  (Read 8843 times)

Offline Erik

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Napoleonic and French/Indian wars customs.
« on: February 06, 2008, 18:33:29 »
Hi friends!It's been quite a while since I've posted,so I thought it was more than time to share some pics of some of my latest customs with you all... :)They're some of my "new" soldiers.Hope you like 'm!
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Offline Martin Milner

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Re: Napoleonic and French/Indian wars customs.
« Reply #1 on: February 06, 2008, 21:28:21 »
Nice customs, and very smart uniforms, but the pictures are all out of focus!

Can you retake them in focus? It seems a shame not to get the focus right for such great figures.

Offline Richard

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Re: Napoleonic and French/Indian wars customs.
« Reply #2 on: February 06, 2008, 21:35:54 »


Great use of Playmobil parts, Erik!

I love your figures ... Is the red jacket on your general from the new Circus theme? It really looks cool!

Since I seldom get around to cleaning my reading glasses, your photos look fine to me ... ;)

All the best,
Richard


Offline playmofire

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Re: Napoleonic and French/Indian wars customs.
« Reply #3 on: February 07, 2008, 02:47:00 »
Nice customs, and very smart uniforms, but the pictures are all out of focus!

Can you retake them in focus? It seems a shame not to get the focus right for such great figures.

I think the last one is OK.  I believe that the focussing mechanism of the camera is focussing on the background rather than the figures, possibly because the camera is resting on the table or at the same height as the table.  Try putting something taller (say a ruler) than the figures level with them, focus on that and then, without taking your figure off the shutter button, take the ruler away.  Then fully press the shutter button.  Alternatively, the camera is just too close and you need to come back a bit.

Having said all that, even a bit out of focus, I can still see that your new customs are well up to your usual high standard and look very smart indeed.
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Offline Tiermann

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Re: Napoleonic and French/Indian wars customs.
« Reply #4 on: February 07, 2008, 05:55:51 »
Those are all great figures.
Are you using a macro mode to take the photos? If so check in your manual (you still have it of course  ;D ) and see what the set length is. Mine has a set focal length of 8 inches so I try to put as much as possible in a flat plane at that point.

Offline Martin Milner

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Re: Napoleonic and French/Indian wars customs.
« Reply #5 on: February 07, 2008, 10:31:33 »
I think Gordon has it, the focus is on the background not the klickies.

I usually take klicky photos on macro mode, and focus on a klicky face in the middle of the group, but then crop the picture to suit. I also use a tripod and a 2-second shutter release to avoid camera shake, and since most of my photos are indoors, set the white balance to tungsten lighting, but don't use a flash.

My wife taught me all this, I'm a photographic ignoramus.

Offline Pyrrhus

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Re: Napoleonic and French/Indian wars customs.
« Reply #6 on: February 07, 2008, 13:56:32 »
Hi, Erik, your customization is excellent, except for a little detail:

In the 7 years war, time to which I think your customizations belong, France was still a monarchy, and that tri-colour flag is that of the French revolutionaries.

However, in 3112 "naval stronghold" (3288 in USA) there is a flag with the flower that was the icon of the French monarchy (so the blue-jacketed soldiers with black tricorne hats of the pirate line must be French). So, the problem can be solved easily.

Good luck, and sorry by the little criticism.


Offline playmofire

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Re: Napoleonic and French/Indian wars customs.
« Reply #7 on: February 07, 2008, 14:25:52 »
Hi, Erik, your customization is excellent, except for a little detail:

In the 7 years war, time to which I think your customizations belong, France was still a monarchy, and that tri-colour flag is that of the French revolutionaries.


Good luck, and sorry by the little criticism.



This is true for the French/Indian Wars, but for the Napoleonic Wars, the tricoleur would have been used.
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Offline Richard

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Re: Napoleonic and French/Indian wars customs.
« Reply #8 on: February 07, 2008, 15:21:40 »
Hello, Pyrrhus ...

Hi, Erik, your customization is excellent, except for a little detail:

In the 7 years war, time to which I think your customizations belong, France was still a monarchy, and that tri-colour flag is that of the French revolutionaries.

Actually, Erik's customs are "fun" representations of military uniforms. And, because they are Playmobil figures, I personally think that's OK!

You are absolutely correct that the French tricolour is appropriate for the Napoleonic period. And, Erik's figures probably more accurately depict Napoleonic rather than Seven Years War (French and Indian War in the colonies) figures.

Most French uniforms from the French and Indian War were an off white (very light gray) colour with wide cuffs of different colours depicting the various regiments.

I would like to extend a personal invitation to all of you to join us over at GW-PC for more "serious" discussions about things "militaire" ... ;)

All the best,
Richard

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Offline Pyrrhus

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Re: Napoleonic and French/Indian wars customs.
« Reply #9 on: February 07, 2008, 15:53:42 »
Hi all!

Sorry, the criticism was not bad-intentioned.

It is true that the Napoleonic armies were revolutionary and thus employed the tricolour flag, but even when I do not know much about French war customes, I think the tricorne hats were not used in Napoleonic times, at least for the soldiers.

That is why I think the tricorne customizations are better suited for the Seven years war and even the American revolutionary war, because of the Hessian mercenaries, were tricornes were also used.

Notably, the Playmobil pirates' soldiers have an uniform much similar to those of your first picture, Richard.

All the best
Pyrrhus.