Your Studio V is proud to present the return of the series "Screenartist Spotlight" This vignette will highlight specific members of Simviation, featuring their screenart, and a bit of insight into what makes them the fine screenartists they are. So up this week, we spoke to SeanTK, and here's what he had to say:
1.
Studio V: Flight simming is obviously one of your favourite hobbies. Can you
tell us what other interests and hobbies you have?
SeanTK: As some might know, I am an active general aviation pilot in the real world. I fly in the United States, and currently possess a Private Pilot License with a complex aircraft endorsement, and an Instrument Rating. You can most often find me flying a Cessna 172RG "Cutlass".
I also have interests in photography, as well as topics relating to national and global security. I am currently attending a US university, and I am majoring in a security related field.
2.
Studio V: You post in both the Payware and Freeware forums. Do you feel that Payware has any advantages over freeware when it comes to screenshooting?
SeanTK: Not at all...if you know what to use. There are dozens upon dozens of freeware aircraft, sceneries, and other resources that are at least on par, if not better than similar payware offerings.
Many people associate Payware with high quality, and while that is often the case, that does not mean that most freeware work is shoddy and not worth your time.
If you take the time to look, you can really find some great offerings out there. One thing that I try to do is look beyond the major sites such as here, Avsim, Flightsim.com, and Sim-Outhouse. I'll venture onto the foreign sites like flightsim.no, and flightsim.cz, to see what free offerings they have.
Some examples of freeware addons that I enjoy and consider to be "payware-quality" include the Project Tupolev Tu-154M, Alpha Bleu Ciel aircraft (Corsair, Bearcat, etc), Hawaii airports by Bill Melichar, and the lovely Ostfriesland region of Germany, produced by Marcel Kuhnt.
Of course, this list is far from comprehensive.
3.
Studio V: With the playability of FSX increasing, do you think that using FSX can create much better shots than FS9 or do you think that it is down to the screenartist and not the sim?
SeanTK: Making what I would consider to be a good screenshot all depends on the ability of the screenartist. While FSX has had some great advances with water reflections, built in bloom, and other more subtle features, I am of the belief that FS2004 can still produce shots of equal caliber, and in many cases, shots that come out better, than FSX.
With FSX, Microsoft increased the "colorfulness" if you will, of the terrain and objects within it to a level that I believe looks too much like a cartoon, and is too far away from reality. That being said, I have seen great shots from FSX artists, but I still believe that in many cases, FS2004 can portray gritty, realistic scenes better. Speaking for FS2004, and in-line with a famous scene from Monty Python's Holy Grail: "I'm not dead yet!"
4.
Studio V: You've had great success in SimV's monthly & 'best of' screenshot competitions with some wins and several finalist nominations. Can you describe how you set up a shot for SimV's monthly competition, and
what factors you'd attribute your success to?
SeanTK: I would have to say that half the time, the shots I create are accidents while attempting something else, with the other half being intentional set-ups for a specific scene.
For the contests, the first thing I do is scout out a few dozen freeware addon websites. I will then just sit with a notepad and think for a while.
What aircraft in this category do I enjoy using? What models are in my library that look the best? Where do I have "payware-quality" scenery installed? How do I want the viewer to feel when viewing my shot (emotions)? What have you never seen on the boards before?
After that, It's all a matter of experimentation. What weather settings complement this aircraft and livery? Does this aircraft look better on the ground, taking off, landing, or just cruising?
More often than not, simply having a vivid imagination, and striving to obtain that image you had in your head, is enough for a winning image.
With this in mind, a key factor for taking good shots is patience, along with a strong desire to get that image you had in your head, onto the screen, no matter how difficult you think it will be to accomplish, and no matter how many days it takes...within reason.
5.
Studio V: Which add-ons do you use as your "screenshot standards"... meaning for most of your screenshots, or even just casual flying, which specific scenery, mesh, water textures, sky and cloud programs do you prefer.
SeanTK: I always try to use only the highest quality addons that I possess. Some standards include the PT Tu-154, anything by Rick Piper, Milton Shupe, and FSPainter. Basically, if it's top quality, it has a place in my shots. I would recommend that you take a look at the linked thread, to get a true sense of what I believe the best freeware aircraft and sceneries out there are:
http://www.simviation.com/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1232323209As far as environment goes. I hop back and forth between numerous freeware packs that I find on the major FS sites. This includes VOZ textures, and FSSkyworld, among others. I have found that airport sceneries that incorporate some degree of photo-realism, but are not completely photo-generated, work the best.
One addon that I will recommend right here and now would be "LFRD2004 St-Malo VFR Scenery" by Etienne Vauchez, of Flightzone scenery fame. The LFRD scenery is freeware, and can be found on at least one of the major FS websites. This and more is mentioned in the thread that I have linked above.
To add to this, an INDISPENSABLE tool for taking shots is FSRecorder.
If you have not used this addon before, it is a utility that lets you create highly customizable camera angles within the sim. With this tool, and the knowledge of what and where the best addons are, you are ONLY limited by your imagination.
6.
Studio V: What advice would you have for some of our more inexperienced screenshot artists to help them advance their screenshot art skills?
SeanTK: Always strive for your best! Do not post shots just for the sake of posting shots. Take a look at the galleries in the studio. Take note of what features these top shots have that made them winners. High quality addons, very unique camera angles, weather, etc! Context, context, and content!
Try addons that you don't see others using as much. We've all seen numerous Boeing 737 posts, and Mustang posts on the boards, (guilty of the Boeing lately), try something different!
Fly in areas you've never visited before, in aircraft that you have never tried before. Experiment with new camera angles, and spend an hour or two just messing with the advanced weather features, see what you can produce. Make your shot look as real as possible!
As weird as this may sound, I must say....each time you post a shot, look through the studioV winning galleries again. Compare your shot(s) to those. Ask yourself: "Would these be competitive against those in a contest?" Compare yourself to the other artists here!
Finally, be willing to take criticism. With that said, I sometimes wonder if the people here are afraid to dish out some honest criticism. I would rather have five threads with heavy criticism, resulting in a sixth thread that is at the top of the board for many days, than have five threads with zero criticism, resulting in a mediocre shot for the sixth thread.
7.
Studio V: Who are the SimV screenartists that have influenced you the most
and what is it about their style that you enjoy?
SeanTK: I would have to say that the two artists that influence my work the most are a1, and JSpahn. In a1's case, many here are fans of his work, and he always recieved high praise for his shots. I studied his shots, found out what angles he likes to use, and just tried to get a sense of his general style, and began to form a unique style of my own off of his. He also was the first one to introduce me to FSRecorder, and without that, my shots would not be nearly as noticed as they are now.
JSpahn's weather settings always intrigued me. He always had never before seen, inventive weather patterns featured in his shots, and I attribute all of the tinkering I do with the weather in my shots to him.
I have tried to incorporate winning solutions of other artists in some of my shots, and one feature that I find myself using more now I would consider JSpahn's signature: extremely low-lying stratus layers.....JSpahn, this single concept/feature transformed some of my average shots into winners. I credit you directly with all of my usage of low lying stratus.
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