Star Wars LEGO Photography

[Lightsped]

I've been doing macro photography with my minifigs. One thing I have a problem with is dust. It seems it is very difficult to keep my minifigs dust free in the photos. What is the best way to clean them before a photoshoot? Is rinsing them in a sink ok? I don't want the water to remove the printing on their torsos.

[Darth Dino]

Hi

its that simple "Dust off". People call this canned air, but it is not. It is a gas without any oil. Typically compressed air/gas have a tiny percentage of oil, comming from the compressor. Those can not be used on lenses/objectives.

"Dust off" is a brandname and i used this to preclean all of my lenses. It is good for Lego too!

It is a recommendation for any photographer.

Dino

[Lightsped]

Ok, I'll have to buy some of that canned air. Anyone rinse their minifigs off with water?

Also, anyone here have a 500px.com photo account??

[Brickdoctor]

I usually just use paintbrushes. I have a 1" flat and a #12 round (Though there's no standardization for numbered sizes.) left over from when I used to dabble in watercolor.

[ISDAvenger]

I have heard that old Shaving Cream Brushes work well also. Dust off does work, but it does not get all of it off, so brushes are more thorough.

[Flyfisher]

Cool

[Lightsped]

I am trying to get more publicity for my Lego Star Wars photos. Any chance you guys can vote on a few of mine if I post my album here? You'll have to log in to the 500px.com photo website to vote.

[toyshoots]

Hi, here are my first couple of Star Wars minifig shots. Bigger versions at the links:

http://www.flickr.co...ots/9170787853/

http://www.flickr.co...ots/9113002367/

Enjoy! Ray

[Linko]

Very good photos toyshoots!!!

Can you tell us what did you use for make the snow in the first one?

Thanks!

Linko

[toyshoots]

hi Linko, it was baking powder. Really messy though. Glad you liked the pics. I'm going to do more.

[Brickdoctor]

Perhaps you're a newcomer to LEGO Star Wars photography, but you don’t show any lack of experience with this terrific Avanut-esque shot. The snowstorm is perfect, not too chaotic, not too sparse, not obscuring anything. And I’m a huge fan of the ominous probe droid shadow instead of an actual probe droid in the shot.

[Esurient]

Great photography! I think you have done a really awesome job!

Edited July 12, 2013 by Esurient

[toyshoots]

Thanks Esurient and Brickdoctor. Yes, Avanaut is a huge influence. I love everything he does. His latest Star Wars space ships poster series is awesome!

[gerkenz]

Sweeeet! Just found this thread with very cool pictures of minifigs in "real" world scenes. Now I have to take minifigs outside into the wild, too.

[Oky]

Hi everyone! I'm back with two more entries for my Dark & Light Side series! First up we have Luminara. Special thanks to Lego Freak for the picture of the Jedi Consular!

The Dark Side of the Luminara by Oky - Space Ranger, on Flickr

The Dark Side of the Special Forces Clone Trooper by Oky - Space Ranger, on Flickr

[Esurient]

Looks good! Oky Very interesting and creative! Keep them coming!

Edited July 15, 2013 by Esurient

[Tariq j]

Brilliant photos oky!

I have a question about the background of my photos: I'm hoping to do a review on jabbas sail barge and I'm in the process of taking the photos for it, but here's the question- should I use a completly White background or should I just take the pictures normally?

Tariq j

[Darth Dino]

Brilliant photos oky!

I have a question about the background of my photos: I'm hoping to do a review on jabbas sail barge and I'm in the process of taking the photos for it, but here's the question- should I use a completly White background or should I just take the pictures normally?

Tariq j

Hi

white is recommended. It looks neutral and professional. And, like any other monochromatic (single solid) color it holds your viewers eye on the details not on the background. But, of cause white is not a must. Neutral grey or black are great too. Black has the same disadvantages as white has, but inverted. Black Lego on black backgrounds is as bad as white Lego on white backgrounds.

For example, a grey ISD would look great infornt of a black background (space). A mostly white Snowspeeder might look better on grey. White would be great for that as "snowy" background but kills many details in white. This is VERY hard to get.

E.g. RA reviews have to be on white. That is the most neutral and most compareable background. So all RA reviews have an uniformish look, which is good.

Dino

[Tariq j]

Thanks Darth Dino for the advice I'll probably stick with a White background as I think the sail bardge may look better on it.

Thanks

Tariq j

[Darth Dino]

Hi

for the Sail Bardge sand or tan are great colors too. But propper whitebalanching is on those backgrounds harder to do. You have to do this before with a plain white piece if paper.

But again, every "detail", even it is a tan background keeps the observers eyes away form the set. So a white background is less intersting and leads theobservers eyes where you would like to have them. On the reviewed set.

Displaying a set or a scene is different from reviewing it. E.g. ACPin has nice and huge dioramas where he uses often "photobackgrounds" e.g. a forest image for the Ewok Village MOC. But this is presenting a MOC, not reviewing it.

Dino

Edited July 16, 2013 by Darth Dino

[Brickdoctor]

You've done an exceptional job with this one, Oky. Even the mold marks are lined up!

[Oky]

Thanks, everyone! And thank you, Doc, for the blog! But it's a Jedi consular, not counselor. I fixed that for you.

[Brickdoctor]

But it's a Jedi consular, not counselor. I fixed that for you.

Oops. Thanks.

[toyshoots]

Hi, here's my latest Star Wars minifig shot. Again on Hoth. Click for a bigger, better version on Flickr.

Extreme Imperial Speeder Biking on Hoth

http://www.flickr.com/photos/toyshoots/9306984366/

Enjoy! Ray

Edited July 17, 2013 by toyshoots

[smokebelch]

Hey guys!

Nice to see the thread still ticking over nicely- some cool shots being posted