"Two tips for improving your mini photos..." Topic

I recently had to photograph a bunch of minis for my Gutshot Wild West game rule book and thought I’d pass on some tips to ya’ll about how to snap better photos. I’ve divided my tips into two sections. The first is for taking formal portraits of your figs (like the kind you need when you sell minis on your Website). The second tip is primarily for candid shots during a game, but you should consider using it for your portraits, too.

For these instructions, picture the minis as being dead center on a clock face:

1) Get 2 table lamps or desk lamps - halogen bulbs work well, but almost any bulb will do in this case because we’re not dealing with skin tones.
2) Set the camera up at 6 o’clock (use a tripod or just set it on the table top to keep it steady).
3) Place one lamp directly above the minis (or just position it so that light comes down right on top of the figs and illuminates the head and shoulders).
4) Place the other lamp at 8 o’clock or 4 o’clock (your choice, but I prefer 8).
5) Start taking pictures. Experiment with using the flash and not using the flash. You’ll be surprised how this simple lighting set up will improve your photos.

TIP FOR MACRO CAMERA USERS
When you’re up close with your minis, often the flash will overpower the subject. If you don’t have a light set (like the one I describe above), or when you’re taking shots during a game, consider using a diffuser.

A diffuser is something that softens the intensity of the flash. You can improvise one real fast by holding (or taping) a simple piece of white paper over the flash.

During Christmas I was at a party and saw a really cool Texas-shaped Christmas ornament. I quickly snapped a few shots of it and noticed the flash was making a huge glare. So, I grabbed a Christmas card envelope, positioned it over the flash (being careful not to cover the lens) and got good results.

Sometimes, by the way, when I’m in a big hurry to catch a shot and not slow down the game, I position my finger so that it slightly covers the flash. This requires practice so that your finger doesn’t cast a huge shadow on the scene, but I have gotten effective results.

Happy shooting (in your photos and your battles)!

Mike Mitchell
Hawgleg Publishing
hawgleg.com

Good advice. I have another tip:

When you're using your tripod, use the timer for the shutter release so you won't jiggle the camera around and cause a blurry picture. It's the next best thing to a cable release. (Do they even have cable releases for common digitals, I wonder?)

Patrick

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Eric

They make a cable release for my Nikon 4300 but its like $130 USD or so. Too rich for my needs.

Also, if you have a digital SLR camera with a mirror lockup function, use it with the timer function (and a tripod, of course). This prevents blurred pictures caused by jiggle from pressing the shutter and the mirror moving while taking macro, long exposure shots. (The mirror covers the sensor while you are composing the shot so you can see through the lens, then flips up to expose the sensor when the shot is actually taken).

An alternate approach: I've found no substitute for natural sunlight. You can see my results in my Ogre pics (with a very cheap camera) at link

Of course, if you're taking pictures on a 4x6 gaming table, moving it outside probably isn't an option.

sorry, wrong link. Make that link

Good tip about diffusing the flash. I may try that.

And I like the "try the finger" advice. Back in my film days I'd be very careful to set exposures and bracket, and always used a gray card (a photography tool that reflects exactly the amount of light a light meter is calibrated for). Except the thing was a pain to carry around. One day someone pointed out caucasian flesh reflected about a stop's more light than a gray card ... so I started metering on my open hand, then opening up one stop. Much simpler! :)

CKeist: Yup, natural light is best. No arguments from me on that point, I just seldom get to use it. Also, that little cobblestone walk/fence you put your minis on is really nice as a neutral terrain for your tanks.

PHLewis (and others): I almost listed that tip about the timer (it's been so long since I've had a cable release that I'd all-but forgotten about them), too, but decided to keep it simple. That is a VERY good bit of advice, though. It really does help stop the blur.

donrice: Man, I remember those days when I worked with the light meter and cards… I really don’t miss ‘em. ;-)

By the way, here’s a link to a page at my Gutshot site that has some macro mini photos that were taken during a game:
link

If you want to see more, use the link to the Midnight Riders page to view other game reports.

mmitchell, I disable my flash and use a tripod with a remote fire trigger while doing macro shots. Works great. :-)

I like the flash idea. I work in natural sunlight but like having the option of working indoors now as well.

deljohnb - I'm a big fan of the tripod, too!

By the way, another tip I should've added was to ACTUALLY READ YOUR USER'S MANUAL to find out what the actual focus range for your macro lens is. If you get too close the photos will get blurry.

My Kodak doesn't work real well on things closer than eight inches away. I measured the spread of my hand and it's about eight inches, so "in the field" I use my hand to make a ballpark measurement between lense and subject.

On diffusing Flashes:

Fancier cameras may let you set a flash 'power'. You can thus turn it down to avoid blowing out the hilights.

For cameras with popup flashs, like the Nikon N65, or D70, Fuji film cannisters are translucent white plastic. One can cut a wedge out of them, and slip them sideways over the flash, they make perfect quickie diffusers.

I have a flash with a diffuser hood I can put on it, and hook it up via a flash cable to my D70. I put it manual mode, and I can hold it right over the lens, and photograph the mini. Some dark nebulous shadows may still appear behind the figure though. So I put a second cheapo flash in slave manual mode ( it has a photo sensor, so pops when the first flash fires ). I put it to one side, and set up a piece of paper to bounce the light behind the mini. No more shadowy blobs behind the miniature.

I definitely don't have a fancy camera with a diffuser hood ;-) I figured I'd get into bounce cards and such at a later date. For now I thought I'd start with the basics, such as the two-light set up. I think some people will be amazed at how much this simple tip can improve their shots.

I have not been able to get a good macro shot with a flash attached. My only luck has been to extend the exposure and omit a flash...but...I work digitally, so it's easy to shoot...examine...re-shoot...

Digital cameras are great for us hobbiests!! It certainly makes "fiddling until you get a good result" much easier.

I haven't taken a ton of digital pictures of minis, but when I first started I just used my film photography training and didn't check any reference sites - er well, one that gave me the idea I could use normal lamps.

I would angle two table lamps to fill shadows, use an old pale blue shirt for a background, and shoot with my camera on auto exposure (since it didn't have manual), macro mode, a tripod and timer (since it didn't have a cable release socket). The thing is, I would always use my flash. Initially I tried without it, but the colors were much duller.

Honestly, my pictures seemed pretty good.

Imagine my surprise to discover every miniature photo guide out there says emphatically not to use the flash, that it throws glare highlights onto the mini.

I hadn't noticed a problem with this in my limited experience. I can think of several theories: 1) my minis are heavily dull-coted, so no gloss finish so little glare problem; 2) I'm an idiot and don't know what I'm talking about; 3) through luck or instinct I had a good combination of angles that minimized the glare.

Anyway, I've been worrying I was succeeding through dumb luck and so I'm real excited to start integrating flash diffusion, just to nip that glare problem in the bud before it uproots me. :)

deljohnb: I am exclusively digital these days and have been using the above techniques (flash diffusion and flash omission) and getting very good results. If you’re getting dull colors, and a light behind the camera , but make sure your shadow doesn’t cast on the scene.

donrice: Manuals? Reference sites? Naaaaah! We don’t need no stinking reference sites! He he heh. I’m lucky, I learned the paper-over-the-flash trick in college, and figured out how to give the flash “the finger” during the heat of (game) battles!

You know, whatever works for you is what you should do. If the flash doesn’t bother you, then it’s not an issue. I usually correct dull colors in Photoshop, but I’m not really into worrying about color fidelity. I’m not really a “historical” painter, so I don’t worry about accurate colors on my Western minis. I use whatever looks good, and history be danged!