How do I take great screenshots?

[Kapten-N]

I've seen some amazing screenshots that I do not understand how they were taken. Take some of those in this thread for example: http://discoverygc.com/forums/showthread...screenshot
I'll link some of the best here for easy access.
http://i416.photobucket.com/albums/pp247...een293.jpg
http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/8895/95255211.png
http://img825.imageshack.us/img825/1228/85019292.png
http://i50.tinypic.com/23h2980.jpg
http://i46.tinypic.com/2qvqhx5.jpg
http://i46.tinypic.com/2q9b2uf.jpg

Those screenshots have no HUD and they aren't centered on any ship or if they are they are taken from far away. How do they do it? Can you detach the camera from the ship or perhaps zoom out? For me the camera is always centered on the ship, regardless of what direction I'm looking and it's always up close and personal.

It would be nice to be able to take a screenshot of my ship without having to ask someone else to take it.

[Zynth]

By default, press the "L" key to remove your HUD.
This also removes the "frame" of your cockpit when in cockpit view.

Take the pictures from cockpit view so your ship's rear doesn't block your view.

That way, you don't have to use turret view to focus on your ship. The only downside is that your own ship will not be in the picture.

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[ARC-13]

Having natural sense of beauty, eh?
Anyway you'll need some skills with Photoshop anyway, cause raw Freelancer shots are... how should I put it? Are in a dire need for Gausian blur at least.

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The Story of the Lost ARC

[Kapten-N]

By default, press the "L" key to remove your HUD.
This also removes the "frame" of your cockpit when in cockpit view.

Take the pictures from cockpit view so your ship's rear doesn't block your view.

That way, you don't have to use turret view to focus on your ship. The only downside is that your own ship will not be in the picture.

THERE'S A COCKPIT VIEW?!? :O
I thought I had looked through the controls very carefully. How could such a thing get past me.
Also, I control the landing lights with L. I minimize the HUD with backspace, but that doesn't remove it completely.
EDIT: It seems that I've always missed those controls because I've only looked for them while on long tradelanes, meaning I've been interupted as soon as the tradelane ends or is disrupted. I never think to look for such things when I'm not playing.

[Lonely Werewolf]

For ships that can turret zoom GB/Transport and bigger, go into turret mode then just zoom out lots. Then use freeflight to move camara around, minimize hud and then you can take those screens of those big cap fights etc.

[SummerMcLovin]

This also removes the "frame" of your cockpit when in cockpit view.

I don't think "Remove HUD" automatically does this but there is an option in the General section to enable or disable "Cockpit".

Also, you will want to put your resolution up and install Hunor's Starspheres to look particularly fancy.

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Kingdom of Bretonia
Colonial Republic
Independent Miners Guild
Ex-Admin

[SMGSterlin]

Also, you will want to put your resolution up and install Hunor's Starspheres to look particularly fancy.

You sure that still works with Disco?

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[SeaFalcon]

Also, you will want to put your resolution up and install Hunor's Starspheres to look particularly fancy.

You sure that still works with Disco?

yep

[Kapten-N]

Also, you will want to put your resolution up and install Hunor's Starspheres to look particularly fancy.

You sure that still works with Disco?

yep

Well, the screenshots for that mod are broken. I can't see them.

I finally managed to take some good screenshots. You can see the result in my signature.

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