Hey there custom makers! having poured over tons of your hard work and awesome and very imaginative works I have noticed that not everyone knows how to get the best possible quality image from their cameras. As collectors and artists we want our figures to stand out and pop! Not fade into the background or be too dark or blurry. A great photo can make a mediocre figure look amazing. I know some of you out there also take amazing photos with tons of photo shop work and digital enhancements which look awesome!
Now this is a very simple, easy to do at home, way to get professional shots without having to be a photographer or own a photo studio.
First start with a solid background. Either fold a large piece of material such as metal or paper (at least 12 inches wide and 24 inches long) so that there is no crease. Affix one end to a flat surface, this becomes the floor of your studio for your figures and vehicles to stand on, and then affix the opposite end to a sturdy support so that it forms a loose 90 degree angle. There should be a continuous flow in the material and no creases or hard edged folds. This creates a vanishing effect from your foreground to your midground to your background which fools the eye into thinking your figure is almost suspended in space. Next grab a roll of tinfoil and some lights. Small table lamps, goose-necked desk lamps, clip on "hot-lamps" and even flashlights work. Cut squares of tinfoil (the smoother the better) into 12"x12" lengths and place at angles around your stage at varying heights and angles to bounce more light onto your subject(s). To form another great background you can even just cut two lengths of the same material (metal, paper, etc.) and make a 90 degree or 85-75 degree angle using supports and a flat surface and get much the similar effect. This is what I have done. Simply created an angle with 2 separate pieces of aluminum sheeting to make a nearly invisible seam between the two pieces.
Remember to think simple. Large sheets of cheap sandpaper can be laid on the stage floor to look like sand, add bits from your collection such as vehicle parts, droid parts, engines, boxes, etc. to form a more complete environment. Clip another piece of sandpaper to the backdrop for a "lost in the never ending desert" feeling.
Another great place to pick up props for cheap is the pet store. In the aquarium/terrarium aisle there are all sorts of interesting fake trees and rocks and logs and such, perfect for creating simple environments and other worldly flora and fauna.
having trouble getting a figure to stand up? try a little ball of blue fun tack on the bottom of the figure's feet. This also works for hanging props, or getting them to stand and hold a detailed position for a while.
Even powdered sugar or flower sprinkled around can resemble dusted snow. Get creative and play around. Learn how to "fool the eye" with tons of other staging tricks.
also if your climate allows for snow, an overcast day in the snow can render some amazing photos of Hoth battles and other great stuff!
I have attached some photos of the home made rig that i cobbled together in under 30 minutes. Used: Sheet aluminum, duct tape, fun tack, 2 free weights, 2 comic book box lids and some average size TV tables.
Also, despite trying to be froogle the kind of camera and lens you have matters. i shoot with a pretty good professional grade tripod by Sunpak, and a Nikon 3000, with a decent Nikkor 55-200 tight focus manual zoom lens with auto focus. (Camera available at walmart for about $650 lens for $250) The better the lens and camera the higher you can push your quality. Also photo shop isn't necessary! While it's great for effects and digital fixes and cool things like that, a bare bones basic photo editing program like Microsoft Office Picture Manager can be all you need to adjust contrast, color, and brightness and darkness. I use it all the time to touch up my photos. Remember: high contrast, and high detail will make your images pop. But even if you only have a cell phone camera, these tips and tricks will improve your quality.
If you're using the right amount of lighting, don't worry about your flash. Turn it off and shoot on a tri-pod and/or with a timer. Your flash will wash out your dynamic lighting set up and wipe out any dramatic shadows or lighting you might like. It'll add too much light and Star Wars figures, most of them, do well in some shadows. Also Cropping is key! Don't want your messy house or ugly drapes in the photo? Crop it down and bring the focus in tight on your subject and the background props you've created.
If you have any suggestions, comments, or questions feel free to post them!
Hope this helps a bit!
First image: Our stage with flash. Everything is washed out and in bright focus. Looks great for portraits of people and other things, but check the next image without flash with nice dynamic lighting and shadows--much better for Jabba's palace.
the third image is of the actual set up i have now for my photos.
Thanks for viewing and be sure to tune in to Action Figure Empire for more figures, photos, and reviews!
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