Quote from: Cylonophile;383482Obviously some folks here know how to photograph miniatures pretty well, so I was wondering if they'd be willing to do a thread with tips on how to do it successfully for the rest of us.

Quote from: winkingbishop;383511Use a very small camera.

• The better the camera, the better the shots. I used a Panasonic FZ35 with x18 zoom for my most recent shots (including the dragons). Taking shots with a cell phone generally won't do. You want at least a decent camera.
  
• Know your camera. Read the manual. Familiarize yourself with the different settings of the camera: how to take portraits, scenery, details. There is usually a knob or a set of buttons allowing you to alter these settings, which in turn alter the focus of the camera.
  

• Take your time. Try to focus the camera several times. Take several pictures. Remember that what you're seeing on that little camera screen preview will generally not be a good indicator of the final pic's quality.
  
• Set up your shots. Photograph your minis in clear areas, so as to not confuse the camera's focus.
  
• Trick the camera's focus. The way the camera focuses will vary between types and brands. You just need to get to know your camera. Sometimes, having a background too close to the mini means the camera will just focus on the background and blur the mini. If so, just use other elements to "trick" the camera into focusing on the mini: remove the background, add scenery elements, like for instance moss or miniature trees next to the mini, so that the camera will focus on the trees, and thus the mini, rather than searching for some other item in the background.
  
• Light is important. Take your shots with bright light in the back of the camera. Natural sun light gives the best results, IMO, but you could set up a lamp in your back pointing at the miniature or something similar. It's part of the set up.
  
• When you're done with your shots, inspect them closely with an editing software. I use photoshop. Make sure you know your own computer screen settings, particularly in terms of saturation, brightness. Remember that what you see on your computer screen depends on these settings. Knowing this, modify the brightness, contrast, saturation etc of the pic. If you can sharpen it's pixelization or blur it, play with it too. You'll know your software in no time, and it will make you know your camera's results better.
  

Quote from: Sigmund;383518I built and use this...

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/07/how-to-diy-10-macro-photo-studio.html

• Closer is not necessarily better. Often, you'll get better results by taking a wide shot including the miniature and then cropping the pic with your editing software rather than try to get the closest possible shot. The focus will do the job for you, and if the definition of your camera is high enough, after you're done cropping, nobody will see the difference.
  

Quote from: PathfinderSchala;383583Another tip I've always been given is to use a white background. Generally, miniatures are pretty dark, so it should work just fine. I recommend a white sheet and a bright light.

Quote from: winkingbishop;383511Use a very small camera.