Photography Tips and Tricks

[tuneful87]

This thread is for the purpose of discussing photography tips and tricks. There will be a separate thread for photo editing. This thread is just for when you're actually shooting.


Posing - This takes patience! The goal is to make it look like your ghoul is standing freely with no support, but in reality that ghoul is leaning on something for balance! This is where angles and props help. Photo examples later.

Hair - Ok, you've got your pose right, you snap some great photos, then you upload and....omg, I forgot to comb her hair!!!! This happens to me a lot, and sometimes you don't notice until you've uploade. So before snapping pics, make sure to double check those manes!

More tips and photo examples to come soon. (I'm at work now!)

Please share your tips and tricks as well.

[Cate_Dartfinger]

Lighting! Having enough light so your camera's flash doesn't wash out your ghoul is important! Natural light works the best for showing your ghouls off, however if you don't have time in the daylight, compact florescent bulbs with some sort of diffuser work well. Whats a diffuser you might ask? Something to help cut down on the glare. A sheet of printer paper over the bulb will do the trick! Cheap, easy and makes all the difference!

[Chi]

Yes, natural light is a big help! But if you can't get outside because it's too dark, too hot, etc. I've found out that sitting away from your doll with the flash on, lights on and then ZOOMING IN helps the photo be brighter but not wash out the doll's face.

If you don't like how it comes out, try changing how far away (or close) from the doll you are and perhaps changing the flash modes if your camera has more than one. Flash doesn't HAVE to be the end of the world if it's the only thing you can use at the moment. 

[Icecrystalline]

My tip: Do not straighten monster high hair... EVER!
    

[Colorscapesart]

Posing tip:  the eye travels around a picture, starting at the (usually) the face.  Elements in the background and the limbs, hair, and props of the doll all guide the eye around the image.  Take control of the viewers eye to guide it where you want it, to the focal point (as in advertising at item), in a circular motion (for a balanced feel), or elsewhere.  Be wary of angles that take the viewer's eye off the image, such as a too tight crop with limbs disappearing and reappearing. 

[tuneful87]

Great examples, Cate!

Colorscapesart: Speaking of eyes, always make sure your ghoul's eyes are in focus! It's rather hard actually, and sometimes I don't notice an unfocused eye until too late. Also, I have a major problem with glare! It's always happening to my ghouls, especially when I take photos in front of a window. GRRR!

[TexasGal]

Great tips, thank you guys!

[Clementine]

The double checking hair tip is such a good one, and one that I can neveeeer seem to remember! Haha x)

[tuneful87]

The double checking hair tip is such a good one, and one that I can neveeeer seem to remember! Haha x)

Me, too! It's a consistent problem with me! The worst is when everything else in the photo is great but a few strays hairs or something. It drives me batty!

[jupiternwndrlnd]

with the new rounds of ANTM going on, I thought this would be good to revive, and see if others have some fabulous tips and tricks to add

[Salli]

I so appreciate reading other people's tips! Keep em comin I need all the help I can get 

[saply]

Never use the camera flash!! It's always better to use natural or ambient lighting, otherwise you'll blow the contrast way out of proportion and wash out all the fine details.

Avoid zooming in too close unless you have a macro lens and can focus properly. It's always better to take a focused picture and crop it than to get too close and take blurry pictures.

For crystal-clear pictures, turn the ISO (light sensitivity) as far down as it goes and set your camera on a tripod/stand/stack of books or something. Use the self-timer so you don't move the camera while you click the shutter and get that halo-y motion blur.

Edit: Oh! And for a seamless backdrop, consider getting a large piece of posterboard or a smooth blanket and draping it so it curves where the wall meets the floor. example of what I'm talking about

[Angellove]

Loving the tips. I have to get out and try.

[pukunui]

Thanks for reviving this thread, Jupi. I've got some tips of my own to share:

Composition: Remember the "rule of thirds" when composing your shot. That is, divide the frame into thirds on both the vertical and horizontal axes and then line up your subject along the intersections. It's OK to eyeball this. The point is to try and not put the subject smack in the center of the photo or too far to the edge.

It also pays to remember that we Westerners subconsciously look at images the same way we read - eg. starting from the upper left corner. Keep that in mind when composing your shot.

Lastly, if you're going to have your subject partially out of the frame, don't crop them on a joint or the like - eg. ankles, knees, waist, elbows, wrists, neck.


Lighting: Natural light is good; however, if you've got the right equipment, it is not necessary. I have a speedlite flash that I can rotate away from the subject in order to get softer bounce flash lighting. I also have a tripod and a wireless remote that I can use to take photos in low light without worrying about camera shake. Using your camera's built-in flash generally isn't a good idea, especially when you're close-up to your subject, because you'll end up with glare spots and harsh shadows and the like. If you can adjust the intensity of the flash in your camera, I'd suggest turning it down to -1.

With outdoor photography, avoid taking photos in full sunlight in the middle of the day. The light will be too intense and the shadows are nasty. Try to take your photos in the morning or late afternoon.

With indoor photography, the more light you've got, the better. Generally you'll need a tripod for any shot slower than 1/50th of a second or thereabouts, depending on how steady your hands are. A timer or remote is essential for tripod photos, too, as pressing the shutter button will shake the camera and blur your photo.


Focus: Every camera has a point at which it is too close to a subject to be able to focus on it. If you're finding that your doll is always out of focus and it's the background that's in focus instead, it's most likely because you're holding the camera too close to the doll.


ISO: This is the "film" speed. The lower the ISO, the clearer the shot, but it also slows down the exposure time. ISO 800+ will let you take faster shots in lower light, but you'll end up with very grainy images.


Aperture: The lens aperture controls how much light is let into the camera. It's like the muscles that control the size of your pupils. It can be a bit confusing because the bigger the opening, the smaller the number (eg. the lens aperture is more wide open at f/3.5 than it is at f/22). A big aperture means you can take a fast shot, but it also makes the depth of field (the area in the photo that's in focus) shallower. So if you want everything in the photo to be in focus, you need a smaller aperture, but that'll slow down the exposure time as well. Macro shots usually use very large apertures so that only a tiny bit of the photo is in focus.


That should do in terms of camera tips for now.

While they say a magician never reveals his secrets, I'd be happy to talk about some of my photoshop techniques as well, if anyone is interested. Have a look through my pics, and if you have any questions about specific shots, just let me know.

[astroasis]

Oh, wow! So many great tips...! Thanks, everybody!

Also, does anyone have any tips for maximizing the quality on an admittedly weak camera? I'm stuck with my tablet's not-too-good camera until later in the year. It's good for quick snaps, but just looks bad as soon as I try posing/lighting things.