Learning the tricks on how to photograph miniatures can give you a gallery of miniature pictures that you can be proud of. However, capturing the interesting details of your miniature subjects does not only require photography skills but other considerations that will make your pictures a pleasure to share, post or exhibit.
The first step on how to photograph miniatures is gathering all the necessary gadgets and paraphernalia. Aside from your miniature models, you will need at least a 2 megapixel digital camera, which can work fine with single 28 millimeter models.
If you have a camera with better resolution, use it. Also, explore the macro settings of your camera as it will enable you to capture pictures as close as 20 millimeters. Also, get familiarized with its aperture, whitebalance and shutter speed settings.
Depending on the model of the camera you use, you may need to use a camera tripod. Another thing you need is lights. You can use 60 to 100- watt spotlights. For the background setup, you will need a flat surface, figures, backdrops, a wall upon and heavy sheets of paper (white, green and blue) to make a solid background.
Before photographing miniatures, make sure that you get proper lighting for your setup. Light is an important aspect of a great picture. In general, white lights and natural lights achieve best results in accentuating the vibrancy and color of your miniature models.
You are lucky if your camera allow adjustments to various types of light. Best lighting is achieved with two to three spotlights. If you are doing this activity at home, you can use your 75-watt bulbs.
The next step on how to photograph miniatures is the actual photo shoot. When shooting your subject, make sure that your camera is at its macro mode. Most cameras use a flower symbol to indicate macro settings. This setting allows you to capture clear pictures even if you go very near your miniature subjects. The aperture refers to the hole through which the light passes through the camera. Hence, aperture settings control the amount of light that accesses the lens to get a great picture.
As you make test shots, try starting with a 2.8 aperture setting and work your way to getting the aperture setting that will suit your taste. Just remember that when it comes to aperture settings, the higher the number the smaller the aperture becomes.
Lastly, be wary of the exposure settings of your camera or the length of time during which the shutter remains open and allows light to access the camera. Exposure time settings are usually measured in seconds of fractions of a second.
One can never overemphasize the importance of light on the hints in photographing miniatures like a pro. Poor lighting causes your miniatures to get lost in its background and too much light can pretty much make your subjects appear like a bright blur. As you do test shots, play around with your lighting setup. You can combine white light with yellow light, and use whichever works perfectly in photographing your miniatures.
Some of the tips on how to photograph miniatures include experimenting with your camera flash, taking multiple shots of your subject at different distances and angles and digital photo editing.
These are is not only fun but also helpful in allowing you to get the best angles and details of your subject. Having more options of photographs for each subject allows you to ensure that you get the shots that are worth keeping.
Welcome to the Miniature Magic. know how to photograph miniatures with proper lighting and settings.
