Include a strong narrative by using (small) props, or a relevant background.
It might be a toy truck lost in a forest dolls stuck high on a window ledge, or farm animals at dinner time. The viewer not only sees your story but can also attach their own emotions and feelings of nostalgia to the toy. The result of storytelling in your toy photography is twofold. The fun part of toy photography is telling a story. Try some of my suggestions below to introduce adventure to your toys: Explore your environment, and look at how it contributes to the background story of your toy and photograph. You might still need a small reflector (or a small square of tin foil), but you can remove any flash or artificial lighting. You don’t want to underline your toy’s structure in an unpleasant way by photographing in hard light.Ī lightly clouded day with soft and even light is ideal. Like most other forms of photography, it’s best to avoid open sunlight. Shoot Outdoors to Add an Element of Adventureįor hassle-free toy photography, take your photos outside in natural light. Use whatever works with your budget and subject matter, but make sure that the light is even and soft. Sometimes I use a lamp and/or a flash, but mostly I prefer to use diffused natural light through a window and a reflector.
#Creative macro photography trial#
Setting up the right lighting for your toy photography can take a bit of trial and error, but it’s worth the effort.
With the close-up nature of your photos, every speck of dust will be seen. It’s much quicker to chop off a few stray threads and move things delicately with a tool than it is to muck around in Photoshop afterwards.įor the same reason, keep a cloth and general-use spray cleaner on hand. Carry a mini tool kit with small scissors, tweezers, blue tac, and wooden skewers to help with adjustments. I ended up making the photo without the light and used a reflector instead. This is particularly useful when creating a composite photo in Photoshop. You don’t have to spend money – it’s straightforward to make your own backdrops. Have a neutral background on hand that can be used behind and under your toys. It might be good for military training, but not very comfortable for photography. The alternative is crawling around on the floor. This will help you to get ‘eye-level’ with the toys, just like when you’re photographing humans. Table or Raised Platformįor flexibility to take photos of toys from different angles, it’s best to have a table to work at. It’s excellent for reducing back pain caused by hunching over the camera’s viewfinder.
It also enables me to ‘take a step back’ and assess the entire scene and lighting as I click the shutter. Most DSLR‘s and mirrorless cameras offer built-in WIFI connectivity. You can also use dedicated camera remote apps depending on the feature and brand of your camera. I find it works much better than holding my breath. Using a shutter release cable is an important step in avoiding camera shake. Using a tripod means that you don’t lug the camera around every time you need to move your toy a fraction. You’ll also need to use a tripod if you want to try your hand at photo stacking. Toy photography has similar requirements to still life photography, and a tripod is always at the top of my list. Many types of photography work with minimal gear, but when you’re dealing with small toys, some equipment makes the process much easier. Prepare the Right Gear for Toy Photographyīefore you start clicking away at your chosen toys, it’s really important to make sure you have the right gear on hand. This way, you can optimize the light and reduce noise in the photo. If you’re using a tripod (definitely recommended), stick with ISO100. Sometimes it takes trial and error, and lots of reviewing images on my computer screen.
#Creative macro photography manual#
It’s not easy to check whether auto or manual focus works best for me on that particular day with that particular toy. I usually end up switching to manual focus and slowing down my work process. When I’m photographing small details of toys, my camera’s autofocus gets confused. To create a decent depth of field, consider stacking your toy photos, which I discuss at tip number 6. I stick with an aperture between f/5.6 – f/8, but if it’s close up, I still get the bokeh effect.Ĭhoose your lens wisely, and consider where you place the subjects. Here are some things to keep in mind with your camera settings: Choose a Narrower Aperture for More DetailsĮssentially, the closer you are to your subject, the less depth of field you’ll have to work with. Toy photography often involves close up or extreme close up shots. Toy Photography: Camera Settings to Make Your Photos Stand Out
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