[dunk_guy01]

So I'm trying to start taking pictures of my bashes after a couple of years of viewing on the great ones on here. When I want to take a full figure shot, I usually have to turn the camera vertically (its a simple point and shoot digital camera).

My question is how do you guys take full figure shots and make them appear so close? Mines always seem far away.

Thanks

 

[Hollowpoint]

Read your manual and set the camera for macro. It allows you to get in nice and close for the pics.

 

[prvtnoclass]

Depending on the kind of camera you have, if you have zoom, you can use that as well. Don't use the digital zoom, that just enlarges the pixills. Use the optical zoom, if your camera has it. Most do.

And as HP pointed out, read the manual about the Macro mode, and also know what you camera's minimum distance is for regular mode. The Macro mode lets you get real close without zoom. In one of the other mode, your camera needs to be a minimum distance away from the subject in order to be able to focus on the subject. Once outside that minimum distance you can zoom in as needed.

One note - if you have to use a flash, I would recommend zooming in over Macro as the flash can be harsh when up close.

I hope that helps, feel free to ask more as needed.

 

[dunk_guy01]

I can use the macro mode, I use it for taking up close pics of gear and headsculpts. I mean to fit the whole body into the frame, I usually have to back out where the figure seems far away.

It's hard to describe but a lot of the pics I see on the forum somehow seem to get the whole figure in frame while still maintaining proximity.

Am I making sense? Sorry

 

[zebraten]

Consider getting a tripod, if you don't have one...
set the "ISO" to a low rating, I use "50"
using a tripod, set the timer, so you don't shake, like 10 seconds or so...
take the picture, then crop out the area that doesnt include the body, using a program like photobucket's crop feature or Pixresizer (free). using those programs, you can enlarge the picture, by cropping out the stuff you don't want, without losing quality and clarity.

hope that helps. oh and make a lightbox, so your pictures look snappy.

doug

 

[prvtnoclass]

It's hard to describe but a lot of the pics I see on the forum somehow seem to get the whole figure in frame while still maintaining proximity.

Am I making sense? Sorry

That could be done after the picture is taken. I have often cropped a picture before posting. That is why you sometimes see odd ratios - height to width.
When getting the whole figure in you concentrate on making sure he/she fits in the frame top to bottom. If I understand you correctly, having too much "empty" space on the sides of the figure can still make it look far away. Is that correct? If so, that's what can be cropped out before posting. To do so, you need some kind of photo program, although some cameras actually let you do it within the camera itself.

Take for example a photo I took at OSF back in November of a contest entry. Maximizing the height (although I could have done a better job before hitting the shutter) the picture looked like this:

After loading the photo into iPhoto. I cropped it and lowered the resolution (because the original is a full resolution shot) to make it post friendly and get rid of unwanted space. It turned out like this:

Is that what you are talking about? If so, then you will need a program that will allow you to crop your photos. One may have come with your camera. If not, my guess would be that you are not filling the frame with the subject. That's called composition.

My apologies if you know that already. But simply defined (in case you're not familiar) it's consciously determining what is in the frame (what the camera will actually capture). You see in the above examples, that while I was sure to get the placard in as well as the figure, I left a little too much space above the figure. By cropping that extra space out of the picture the figure becomes more prominent. I hope that makes sense. But you can also see that during my cropping session, I also took out space on either side of the figure changing the frame ratio (height and wide ratio).

I hope that helps, and makes sense. Let me know if you have any other questions, or if I misunderstood you and/or failed to address the issue in question.

 

[Joy Toy Man]

I think you need to do trail and error and keep shooting till you get the framing you want. You have a Macro it should be easy.

 

[MigsGabb811]

I usually use Macro settings, resize, crop, to make full figure shots closer, hope that helps Don, looking forward to your kitbashes

 

[Pacoman]

Use even tripod and never more near of 12" or 30 cm of figure . Remember too , the face of figure with light !!

 

[dunk_guy01]

Thanks a lot guys, when my new camera comes in I'll be sure to try all that out.