From NoelW: Running late as always... (76 points)

My first post for Challenge IX is five days later than I'd planned, but at least it's a start. These are 15 Sudanese from the Mahdist wars in the late C19th. Figures by the Perrys, of course.

This regiment is my second Sudanese regiment, and completes the Egyptian army for the Sudan that I've been working on for about five years! Both this unit and the previous Sudanese unit have been given the dark blue winter jackets, whereas my Egyptian units in the same army have the white summer uniform. I took this decision partly because I like to have variety of uniforms wherever plausible, and partly to distinguish between Sudanese and Egyptian forces in that army, as the former are supposedly of slightly better fighting quality.

My painting style for these is relatively simple - the idea was always to get the army onto the table as quickly as I could, whilst presenting a reasonable appearance. I managed to get three quarters of the figures painted before being lured by some other seductive project, and now I simply want to get the remnants onto the field. Er - desert. So I've painted them to match the earlier force. I think if I was starting this project again, I might have done things a little differently.

In Challenge VIII I had quite a struggle getting reasonable photos. I'm not much of a photographer, but I also don't have much of a camera, and no lighting set-up. So, for my birthday, just before Christmas, my wife kindly agreed to buy a decent digital camera. (Nothing to do with her desire to record every Burne Jones stained glass window in the UK). And our first "proper" lens, a macro lens to allow close up work. So these three photos are my first attempt to use this new equipment. Clearly, I need some more experiments. Lighting remains a concern (there are too many shadows here) and depth of field will be an issue, clearly, in getting good closeup shots. Hopefully I'll be learning and improving as the challenge progresses.

Still, I clamber onto the table with fifteen 28mm infantry = 75 points.

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It's great to have you back to the Challenge, Noel. 

These Egyptians are wonderful. The dark navy blue jacket, with brass buttons and glorious fez really is a sharp uniform (Actually, anything with a fez get's my vote - I really wish they would come back into fashion...). :) 

Have fun with your new camera, Noel. Macro lens? Sounds like a beauty. As a suggestion for your lighting setup, place a diffused light source straight above the subject and perhaps one slightly oblique from your shooting angle - that should help to reduce shadows. Diffused light is the key as I find it helps tone down any harsh bright spots on the figures caused by direct lighting.

76 points (including one for their banner) to break your duck - Great work Noel!