Mission Statement

First off let me say this, I am not a photographer, I am a model builder. I am writing this article from my own experience, in an attempt to let other model builders know that they too can take decent photo's of their work using a Digital Camera. This article is designed to give people the knowledge of where to start and the very basics of what is needed in order to do this.

Equipment

This is the hardest part, deciding what to get. We all want to balance cost with performance here, and get just what we need for the best price. But remember you get what you pay for, so spending an extra $50 here might make that extra difference.

Digital Camera: A camera that saves the image onto a memory chip instead of film.

Mega Pixels: I've seen pictures taken with a 1.3 mega pixel camera and the quality to me just doesn't cut it. I think the absolute minimum needed for a digital camera is at least 2 mega pixels. These cameras have started coming down in price and are now in the $160 to $250 price range.

Optical Zoom: This means that the lens themselves move to zoom in on the object, this is a must. A lot of digital camera's have a digital zoom, this means the image is enlarged after it is taken to make it bigger. A lot of cheaper cameras have this, and it is not a good way to zoom in on detail. For taking pictures of models, an Optical Zoom is a necessity

Macro: Some digital Camera's have a Macro setting. This is a setting you set when you want to take pictures of an object close up. It helps in the close focusing. For model photography, a Macro setting is another necessity.

Timer: Almost all digital cameras have a timer function, but always remember it is good to make sure. And this is another necessity, as it is pretty much impossible to take great photos if you have to press the button yourself as this will shake the camera and blur your picture.

Resolution: This is the size of the photo you take. A resolution of 800 x 600 is good enough as you will probably have to downsize the photo to post it on the web. My camera has a resolution of 1600 x 1200 but I use the 800 x 600 size the most.

Batteries: This is also very important, as digital cameras eat up a lot of power and the lower the power level the lower the image quality. I recommend spending a little extra on one of the rechargeable setups, in the long run you will save money and can always have freshly charged batteries for your camera.

Tripod: Another item you must have, as you will need something to hold the camera still while the picture is being taken. I use a small tabletop tripod that is about 10 inches high. You can get one of these for about $10 or if you want to spend more you can get a larger one for anywhere from $25 to $50. But I like the tabletop one as it can sit on the same table that I'm using for the model I'm taking a picture of, and can get as close or far away as I like.

Photographing Your Model:

Know Your Camera: because every camera is slightly different, what works great for one camera may not be the best for another. So experiment with the camera you have and learn what it can do. This is not meant to be a set of ironclad rules that have to be followed exactly. This is meant to guide you into a better understanding of what is needed to take good digital photos.

Where to Photograph: Outside. I've gotten the best results when I take my pictures outside in natural light. All of my photo's taken inside always left something to be desired. This is doubly true if you trying to take pictures without the flash, as the flash close up can totally change how the colors of your models look.

What to Photograph on: It is easiest for me to take my pictures on a card table that I set up outside. I cover the table with a sheet as this doesn't return glare to the model and gives the model a non contrasting background. I use an off white sheet for most of my pictures but a very light blue would be good also. I've also had some good results using pieces of white cardboard for a base and background. Remember you want to show off your model, not the yard or street in the background. I use a box to hold up one side of the sheet to keep a background behind the model.

Shadows: Photograph your model to its best advantage. Shadows sometimes add depth but the best teacher of what angle to take your picture at is practice.

Flash: the only thing I can say about this is that when taking pictures up close. Don't use it as your colors will not come out right.

Macro: always have this setting on when taking a picture of a model up close. It makes a big difference with my camera.

Manual v/s Auto Mode: Most digital cameras have several settings. In Auto mode, the camera tries to get all the settings for you. And depending on the camera this may be good enough. In Manual Mode there are a couple of things you can change that may help improve your pictures such as the White Balance.

White Balance: Many digital cameras allow you to set this in manual mode. I use this when I am taking pictures outside. I set it to sun when it is sunny and to shade when it is cloudy. Again the best way for you to find the best settings for you is practice.

Taking Pictures, a Walkthrough with me:

I'm going to walk you though the steps I take to take a digital picture with my camera. First off finish a model then wait for daylight outside so you can set up.

I take my card table out to the lawn out front and set it up so that the trees don't cast any shadows on it. Then I cover it with my off white sheet. I take a small box and place it under one side to raise it up for a background for my model.

I put freshly charged batteries into my camera and then attach my small tripod. I decide what angle I want to photograph first. And place the model just so. I set my camera to Manual mode and if it is sunny outside I change the white balance to sun. Or if it is cloudy, I set it to shade.

I turn off the flash as I don't want this. I typically set my cameras resolution to 800 x 600 with image quality set at its best. I turn on the Macro setting. Then choose the self timer function.

I place the camera on its tripod and start to focus in on my model getting just the angle and shot I want. When I have everything just the way I want I press the button and step back while the timer counts down. It is very important not to shake the camera while the picture is being taken as this can blur the image. I've never taken a good picture of a model while holding the camera. When the timer goes off and the picture is taken, reset your model for another angle.

After taking a few pictures, around 10 or so I go inside and put them on the computer to see what I am getting. If they are looking good I continue to take the pictures I want. But if they are not up to what I want, then I try another setting and start over.

After I have the pictures I want, and I have them into the computer. I use an imaging program (I personally like Paint shop pro the best) to crop them to just the model Leaving out any background that may have gotten into the frame. Then I resize them to smaller images for easier use on the web. Here you have to find a balance between detail of image and image size.

Sample Pictures I have taken.

You can see more full sized pictures back on the rest of my site.

My story:

I purchased my digital camera about 2 months ago, and before I got it I was daunted by the information out there on taking pictures of models as it seemed to be focused on the technical rather than the casual user. And over the last couple months when everyone asks me how I take my pictures, I decided to write this little article. I almost named it "Digital Model Photography for Dummies" but I decided not to. I know nothing of F-stop or Aperture or shutter speed, and I really don't want to learn a new "hobby" so this is what I have learned and came up with. The camera I am using is a Toshiba 2 mega pixel camera with 3x optical zoom. This is not an endorsement, just letting you know what I've based my experience on.

Delbert