How to make the best of WIP pics

[kathrynloch]

Okay, I\'m decent at photography, but my problems is, my work table is my photo table.

The only way I can get good pics is to clean off my work table and set up my photo tent.

This is okay when shooting final pics but not okay when I\'m doing WIP - especially trying to do step by step. I can\'t stop and clean off the table.

I\'ve tried setting up elsewhere but it just doesn\'t work. I can\'t set my lights properly. Plus, I have cats - they know not to get on the table..anywhere else is fair game.

Since I want to do an article with WIP - how can I take good ones without stopping everything and setting up my photo tent?

I use Corel Paint Shop Pro - but my skills are limited. I\'d much rather spend the time painting than micro-managing photos...ya know???

Any ideas are most appreciated.

Cheers,
Kat

 

[Dragonsreach]

A wip picture doesn\'t have to be a work of art.
We won\'t judge you on how messy your painting table is. (Mind you, if its as clean as Wiccanpony\'s expect some rip taking).

If you take wip shots with the item in your hand it\'s not the end of the world, unless you\'ve got some serious hand ink and in that case we\'ll de-rail the thread to talk about tats.

 

[airhead]

Do you use a printed curved background? Just slide it in over your paints and shoot.

Get a \'TV Tray\' to set up your photo tent on. Fold it up when you\'re done.

 

[kathrynloch]

Originally posted by Dragonsreach
A wip picture doesn\'t have to be a work of art.
We won\'t judge you on how messy your painting table is. (Mind you, if its as clean as Wiccanpony\'s expect some rip taking).

If you take wip shots with the item in your hand it\'s not the end of the world, unless you\'ve got some serious hand ink and in that case we\'ll de-rail the thread to talk about tats.

lol No worries, mine is such a disaster I barely have room to paint!

But that\'s a good point with the hand-ink. I\'ll keep that in mind. I\'ll also try to remember to keep my talons trimmed (I don\'t DO manicures but whack \'em off when they get too long.

Originally posted by airhead
Do you use a printed curved background? Just slide it in over your paints and shoot.

Get a \'TV Tray\' to set up your photo tent on. Fold it up when you\'re done.

Yes, I do use a printed curved background - or a blue file folder - it makes great mottling in the background. The TV tray is a good idea but I need a bigger space. I made a photo tent with PVC Pipe so I can take it apart and put it away when needed. But I also use it for my resin horses, so it\'s a bit larger.

Still, there\'s probably SOMETHING I can make work.

The worst of the problem I have with WIP is the lighting. My Ott Light washes everything out terribly - so I gotta put something to help defuse it.

Thanks guys - I\'ll see what I can come up with.

Cheers,
Karrie

 

[Phaty]

Not sure if it will help you - but I did some attempts to improve my photos during my first wip thread and probably best thingie was home made "light box" (if I can even call it that way). It is pretty lame - made from old carton box and some Tracing Paper - but it works pretty well and you can make it in like 20 mins or so.
Also tripod for camera - macro setting - (actually I found timer on trigger is pretty handy, avoiding camera slide after you hit a button) - and go for highest aperture like f10+ for macros (depends on your camera abilities - higher=better probably). Will take higher exposure times - but that's what for you have a tripod to keep clean photos.
Well - that's what I developed so far for my miniatures, and it works pretty fine for me.
But you probably know it all anyway.
P.