Awsome photo tutorial on Iron Sleet

If you have not read the simple but brilliant photo tutorial posted on ironsleet.com I suggest you visit theier site and take a look. I tried out the technique last week and the results were great. Here is the test subject, Ragnar Blackmane:

Worked on this big bad wolf last week for a special occation.
This week it is back to the eldar for the INVITATIONAL project.

Photo setup

This blog has been quiet for a while. I have been working on a lot of things.
Among these miniatures and miniatures photography.

This is my photo setup as it looked in late February while doing a lot of mini-photography.
Not the best setup, but it works.



Now, I have got quite a lot of material that I hope to show over the coming months. I have a lot of models done over the past 2 years that has been only partially documented, so there is enough to get into and talk about.

My son has painted more miniatures - the little army now counts GK 5 terminators and 3 GK space marines - and he is still full of excitement for the hobby.

Finally, I am attending an event in Belgium: Painting Crusade taking place on March 15th-16th. I really look forward to going there, to meet fellow painters from central Europe and just to get out there and paint and talk about miniatures.

Victor Bela, muscle, and sniper

A Black and white image of Velk's interrogator, Victor Bela, in company of two of the retinue's henchmen:

Then an image of the three lined up for a quick photograph:

And last: A close up snap-shot of the muscle guy during one the INQvitational 2013 games that were played in Warhammer World last weekend:

Somehow I find that I like the various ways that the brute comes through visually. In the black and white image the black eyes look quite sinister and the way he towers behind Bela also adds to the appearence. In the line up the colours comes though nicely and you can enjoy the strong red, the weathered armour, and the dust and dirt worked into both base and the lower part of the model. Finally, on the action-shot the angle of photography and the close-cropped image gives a dramatic touch - I could believe he is has been falling back from heavy enemy fire and now with his back against the wall he will either make it or fall. You can just imaging the bullets hammering into the beached red of the wall. But also, miniaturepainting-wise, you get so close to the model that you for instance can see the quite simple way the white has been painted. You see the pinks, reds, and touches of ochre that makes up the flesh tones, and you see the traces of drybrushing on the base.

Light for shooting #2

Last night I took the time to finish these two 40K street lamps. A little digital editing and they look nice and moody. Actually, the little terrain-pieces were already moody, but for a picture it is nice to add what you can to enhance the expression.

I still like the idea of using stuff like this to add odds to gaming. Got to do some gaming to try that out first, I suppose.

Grey Knight - paint phase #2

A moody picture of the miniature. Need to add a little detail-work, but I am actually quite happy with the way he has turned out so far. I still have to get some more terrain for photos sorted. Backdrop is a detail from a half finished canvas painting from early Spring.

Velk versus his past

Going through my archives I have recovered some information about Thaddeus Velk...

Grumlok and Gazbag

First Fantasy model finished in a while. Now, as I have mentioned photography styles in my past writings, I believe it would be obvious to give the current pics a few comments:

These pictures have been done using an annonymous grey backdrop instead of the classic blue-white. I like this because it isn't a specific colour, leaving the mini to shine by itself. The blue-white backdrop usually gives better colours, but sometimes the brightness of the blue-white transition adds such a strong visual expression to the picture that the model can get a little lost - even if it is very well painted.
As a final note I might add that I do not have any matching fantasy terrain so a moody shot is sadly not an option. Oh, there are more angles in the Gallery section on : www.jrn-works.dk

Close-cropped mini photography

We see it all the time. Photographies cropped close around the motif to create a focus the story which the picture is illustrating. It's in the newspapers and allover the web. But not in the mini-world. The standard seems to be that you have to show the whole model. So what it the focus? What is the "story" of a picture of a miniature shot on a blue to white backdrop with neutral lighting?

Don't get me wrong. I love the classic studio-style miniature portrait, which is more a presentation of the whole mini (not to mention the paintjob), but I also love photographs of miniatures where the camera moves into the world of the miniature so to speak. I am no photographer, but I experimented a little with my photography earlier this year. Close shots, cropped closer, and a little photoshop-action. More mood, less blue-white backdrop:

 

Not perfect. But fun and something else. I hope to find time for more of this in future.