[95292] HFH026 HFH025 Nubians

[tzor]

I know I have a long ways to go to get really gret minis, but at least I know they way (work at it). I seem to be somewhat lost with the digital camera. These figures are good examples of difficult minis to photograph because they are generally dark (even the trousers are a dark and dull color) and they also have minor details that can cause shadows to be cast in bright pinpoint light.

The link to the image is HERE.

This time I took the photo outside in diffused light (shade) the picture is still not perfectly in focus and some of the details (especially the base) are diluted by the lack of perfect focus. My camera is a Kodak EasyShare DX6490 so it\'s obviously not the fault of the camera, but the cameraman. I use a tripod. Should I drop the background? Any other suggestions?

 

[Ritual]

I use a diffusion box with tracer paper on the sides and above the mini. I use three halogen lamps. One is placed directly above the mini and the others are placed on either side of the mini lighting it straight from the side. Thanks to the tracer paper I get a soft and somewhat uniform lighting on the mini that reduces unwanted shadows from arms, weapons etc. The soft uniform light doesn\'t create sharp reflections in the mini but let the painted-on highlights and light effects come through. That tends to give me quite decent pics.

 

[Shawn R. L.]

It\'s hard to tell from the little tv screen in the camera if it\'s in focus so what I do is to bracket the shot. Shoot (and reshoot) till you get the exposure down then, when you think the focus is close shoot a pic, move the camera back an inch or so (3 cm?). Keep moving back, or forward, till you end up with 4-5 shots from slightly different distances. One of them should be close to spot on.

 

[airhead]

Lighting seems to be the biggest problem. Look in my sig at the part where Finn says I am intellegent (he\'s been known to lie). Click the link and check out the diffusion box. I built one with some dowels and a window sheer for about $10 - then went and bought a new pop up one on ebay for $25.

Clean your lights up with some Reveals to get rid of the yellow tints - or even better, some Halogens. Set your camera to macro mode, about 1/4 second, and delayed release - gotta use a tripod.

The lighter background in the center is thowing off your camera. Don\'t know what you are using, but it seems to be metering in the middle.

 

[Jambot13]

I can\'t really add any comments to the useful stuff that\'s already been said about the photography, but I\'d suggest that you loose the little folds you\'ve added to the edges of the image. It\'s your choice of course and some people may like them but I think that they make the image look a bit tacky.

 

[SaxonAngel]

I think with models like these you are always going to have difficulty photographing them.

I use three lights, one overhead and one on either forward side of the figure. I use a diffuse filter as well. It\'s just a piece of transluscent lining/lingere fabric draped over the photography area infront of the lights.

For these same figures I photographed a normal \"white\" skinned miniature first. Keeping the same setting that gave me a good result with that, I then put the Nubian in to photographed. It said on the cameras settings it would be too dark but I ignored it and she turned out great.

However, I feel with these very dark skinned figures you may never get them to show up properly. I always end up taking dozens of photos of my own dark minis to get something mildly suitable.

Good Luck!

 

[No Such Agency]

\"\'What\'s a Nubian?\' Bitch, you almost made me laugh\".

SA is right, sometimes you just gotta burn through a few dozen photos and pick the two that turned out right. Thank god for digital.

 

[lonewolf]

i got some of these to. had a bit better luck with the photograhy though.
still hard to get a great piccys are the skin is VERY dark.

 

[No Such Agency]

I dunno, those are pretty good pics. The only problem seems to be the \"real\" highlights showing too much. Are those photographed with a light diffuser?