How To Photograph Your Models Like A Professional! 

putting that folding cube diffusor on your head and continuing to talk like nothing wrong's happening is gold, props for keeping a "straight face" during that skit, that was awesome !

LOL making the rear bigger for Instagram... "I like big tracks and i cannot lie - you other brothers can't deny..." xD

Notification squad! also, thanks for the tips!

GIMP is rad, I absolutely love it and the fact that it is completely free is a little mind boggling.

Hey Night Shift, could you maybe build that “Kondensator” in the back

Uncle night shift, without you I would not be doing this hobby right now, I lost interest a few years back but since I saw your old videos, I’ve fallen back in love, thanks!

I like the weathering you did to the back of the Nikon. 😄

I usualy use a a gray card to set the white balance and exposition

I'm excited to get into this week's episode after my classes, the best way to start the weekend 😌

17:36 This instagram joke was just amazing! Edit: Wow thanks for the heart Nightshift. Just 6 minutes after me posting this😊😊😊

This was a fantastic instructional video, Martin! So many photographers don't realize that no matter the subject, *light* is always the most important variable. Even the best model really does suffer from poor photographs. As an amateur photographer myself, and someone who has made every mistake in the book, if I had known then what I know now... Thank you for sharing this!

Absolutely love the detail explanation of everything with taking photos!! I’m thinking of taking a dip into photos with my finished models!!!

Thank you for the help! I’ve been creating and adjusting a ghetto photography setup for a little while. Can’t wait to try some of this!

Hey, Martin great explanation of how to do it right when taking photos of models. I especially liked your deep dive into post editing… there was some real gems of information in there that I’ll be trying in my next photo session. Thanks!

Uncle, each time a video is replaced, I'm excited to try these new techniques. Thank you for the photo tips, very helpful as I just expanded into a economical photo cube as well. Will be trying them out this weekend!

Modeller, biker and photographer...🔝number 1 !!!!😘

I love this guy and enjoying his weekly youtube show

Very interesting, I usually pig-up with an old version of Photoshop and some basic settings... but that, Uncle, that's another level !

A huge thank you for your work, your videos always come out when I need it (first the olive drab tone when I was doing my M4A3E8 sherman, then the making of the diorama, and now the photograph tutorial) ! I really consider making my own youtube channel thanks to you !!! Cheeers from France, Reborn

I just sold out my first model on eBay, and I must thank you for awesome tips, I'll be surely using them on my next drafts. Thank you so much!

Good video, Thanks for all the useful tips that help us amateur's out. much appreciated.

Just what I was looking for and here you are! Thanks!

Martin I am not a modeler but I love your channel because you are a real entertainer. Your modeler skills are tremendous, I am really envious. Go on with this super work.

Your photos are always excellent, and I was hoping you'd do a video about your photo techniques! Thanks for this!

Great video, only thing I could suggest is use the timer on your camera if you are using a tripod as this ensures there is no camera shake from you pushing the button.

Hey Martin, very cool Video! I'm a freelance photographer, which allows me to go all in on the photos of my scalemodels. You did a very good job in the video on the basics of studio photography. I just like to add a few comments. You're right about a high fstop creating a larger depth of field. But here the laws of physics kick us between the legs with something called diffraction blur. Using a high f stop might result in the overall sharpness decreasing at some point again. Many manufactures provide charts for their lenses including the f-stop setting for the best sharpness and depth of field. It's often around f 8 or 11. For the focal length something between 50 and 135 works for our models. 50mm is close to the way our eyes see the world. Anything below it will distort the model and above a 135 the model might look somewhat compressed. A lot of cameras offer image stabilization systems, it's recommended to turn it off when using a tripod since it might try to reduce camera shakes that aren't there and your image will get blurry. ok that is enough...I must stop before I rant about that magic wand. Thanks and have great weekend!

Thanks for the video, this is something that I am always trying to relay to my users too. One point worth stressing more is the choice of background. I agree with the solid white backdrop. Many times I get modellers submitting photos to my site (Track-Link) with very cluttered backgrounds, including their model bench with junk all over the place, carpet, deck chairs, grass, cats... you name it. The clutter makes it difficult to make the actual model out. Keep up the good work!

loved the video very informative as am just learning about this subject for my models, thanks

I have no question this time, just wanted to say thanks for answering most of my questions night shift

I'm an archaeologist, it's funny how we use many of the same techniques to properly photograph historical artefacts we excavate, we even get classes about it during our studies! I recently got back into building models and I never thought that would be knowledge I could use for that hobby as well

Martin, you are so good it's scary, scary good! Love your work, very inspirational, mah fren!

When I was working in a compan that produce many magazines and there was a problem with color balance of their prints. They discovered that the guy who was doing color balance was a heavy smoker and the yellow film deposited on his calibrated monitor. He he.

I just started junk bashing some miniatures, and I for sure noticed a big issue in sharing stuff I made directly from my workbench. The clutter of tools/boxes in the background were camouflaging details on my robots. I've been meaning to get a better photo setup, and this video came at a good time!

I take mine way intook them for the car magazines I used to work for when done car shows! Kneeling down looking upwards from bumpers or completely eyeline with headlamps 📷angled up again it's hard to explain right enough lol you really need to show and tell for this! I went and got a Samsung s21 ultra 108mp periscope lenses etc amazing for photos! My new crusader came out amazing in pics! The sand texture in the photos on the wheels etc so clear and gritty looks so life like! I like to snap in RAW so can edit later, I loved your 1.48 crusader so been waiting for borders new 1.35 one it's beautiful great build! So nice went and bought a second! Very helpful thanks bro!

Thanks for your work. Not only this one, all your videos

As a wedding and landscape photographer, I must say, you nailed this!!

Awesome tutorial! Thanks.

This was a very informative overview of photography relating tp model images. I am sure it will help me take better photos of my models. Thank-you!

If there is one thing I do worse than paint figures,it is definitely photographing my models! My photos look like what a drunk guy would see,right before passing out.Thanks for the tips :)

You are just great. Love your videos man!

i can't believe it. last week i suggest you to make it. wow really thanks man

Thank you so much for your videos, in each of them often find something new for myself, and the progress that I received for more than six months priceless) Hope I expressed correctly, because I don't know English very well, but I can listen to your videos without subtitles and understand most of the jokes, what is often enough) Cheers from Russia 👋

This is fantastic. Thank you.

So nice to see it, especially as for me, person who always have troubles with correct photos. All the best for You! ;)

Thanks for the tutorial! One thing, however - if you go beyond F11 (depending on lens), you will start losing sharpness because of diffraction. For some lenses, F29 would be awful, so I would not advise going so high with the f-stop. Another thing - just use 'Auto' option in Develop in LR and take if from there, it usually gives you a good starting point (but not always!).

Ahhh something I can comment on with some form of authority 😀. A couple of things that I will pass onto you and your thousands of fans if I may. 1. If your having trouble with White Balance then use Auto White Balance in camera it can always be adjusted in the software later. 2. Do not be afraid of using the Auto button in LR, located under the Basic folder, sometimes it gives a very good quick result and or a great base to start from. 3. After using the Auto function, or not, i always go to Highlights which I pull to to the Left and then to Shadows which I pull to the right with, this method gives you a great accurate contrast to start with. Also do not be afraid of giving a smidge of clarity, its amazing what that can do in small amounts. Great explanations !!!! love your work, time is out on the man bun lol

A very welcome video ! Thanks

The Model Nerd and Uncle Night Shift uploading within hours of each other? Amazing 👍

If you hold Alt when adjusting shadows and highlights it shows under and over exposure, also the pipettes tool to fix white balance, by clicking the white background - hope this helps

Behold! Finally more content about mighty maus

Awesome tips. Unexpected video and I enjoyed it!

Fantastic! I’ve learned some new tricks! I’m a Nikon D850 user! Thanks!

A really usefull video - thank you for that! Cheers Fedja

Wow prepping your tanks like fashion models!

Excellent video, greatly appreciate the photo tips. A+

A quick tip/trick: If you want some extra sharpness on your photos when you use a tripod and long exposure times, you can either use a remote shutter trigger or set the camera to take a photo a few seconds after you press the button on the camera. That way you eliminate the vibration you create when pressing the button and thus sharper photos.

informative video, thanks Martin.

Wow! Thank you so much. This was very helpful. :)

I think Uncle Nightshift is being too hard on himself by saying he's not a professional photographer. So many people get hung up on the idea that you aren't a pro if you didn't go to school for that thing. I think he is a pro. He takes amazing photos and has made money by doing so. His work speaks for itself.

Yea... wtg on tips ty ty ty!!! I tried this with photos of my gf n her rear... she loved it!!! Ty ty ty

Thank you for this video!

Oh, that's A good one thx Night Shift have A great weekend.

I'd love to have this dude as a neighbor.

Notification squad, good video.

Genius! Shared!

A nice little thing that can be useful is the wireless button to remove any possibility of camera shake caused by hand

Youre a very kind man Martin

Hi @Night Shift, thank you for all your tips & tricks. Yet I m still unsure about how & when to apply varnish... I mean i do base coat, varnish gloss/semi gloss, decals, varnish, chipping, wash, variations, and then? Varnish again? Then streaking, dust, mud? Would be great if you can maybe make a video about the sequencing and interaction of varnishes. Thanks again for all the great content!!!!

It's never too late. If you have photos in .JPG, you may not be able to find the same adjustments in Photoshop. However, they are still there. First, you need to convert the picture in a Smart Object. Once done, navigate to Filters -> Camera Raw Filter. This will open the same menu, as an additional editor, which will give you an opportunity to adjust all the settings mentioned in this video, and even more.

Outstanding video Mr. Kovak! I want to start taking pictures of my work but wasn't sure where to start. I was wondering what photo app do you use to help with your photos? Thank you for sharing this important video. Kudos to you.

Super video, just a little thing (because I am a macrophotographer) Here you are clearly in the proxiphotography domain and your aperture is really small. You will have diffraction (blur in small details). One thing, try to do your shots to 16 and you will probably have more sharp photos (especially with basic zoom). Another trick is to do a manual (not with micromotor) stack. You put your camera on a rail and take few photos at wide open apertures (were the sharpness is higher, 8 or 11). If you put your aperture on 8 you take your first photo on the front part and you turn regularly the screw of the rail to have a bunch of photos sharp from the close part to the back part. (procedure, focusing manually on the front part, take a picture, screw back a little, take another etc, until you cover all of the depth of your model). After that import in photoshop and merge, you will have on almost perfect depth of field and no diffraction. All the best.

This is the tutorial I was looking for, having only bad pictures on your models when posting online feels so frustrating

This will definitely be helpful!

Amazing what can be done with editing software, these days! You did a great job here, providing some basic background on shooting videos/pics and how to edit them. Still, I really don't think you can do this subject justice in one short video so, maybe a series of videos to cover this subject in more depth? At the very least, viewers can find a bunch of videos online covering this subject or maybe take a course through a local college. Anyway, thanks for such an informative video 👍

Thanks for the tutorial uncle :)

found your channel by looking at gunpla diorama videos, I must say, not dissapointed, your work is amazing

It’s gonna be useful☺️

As for picture control: At least with Canon everything but Neutral does mess with the JPEG colors. Does matter less if you use RAW since hhat can be changed in post. But if you need the histogram - set Neutral on a Canon

Now i am enlightened!

You`re such a funny guy putting your light cube over your head to explain the way it works and where the lamps have to be positioned XD XD XD Nice! I almost fell off my chair laughing =D

Great tips! I'm a Nikon camera shooter mostly JPEG, but I also shoot RAW from time to time t

I have my Ikea lamp for 16 years, sheesh, helped do my lessons and now making models, but that trick with paper as a diffusor, I need to try it. Also I saw Metro Exodus icon, a man of culture I see

liked even before finishing B)

Good Day to you Mr. Night Shift, Cheers from the Philippines!!!!

gidday . can you please tell me a good starter 1/35 panzer tank to get for first build and what tracks ,etch kits etc to get with it . i love your work its incrediable and thank you for sharing your knowledge

I don't know if you know this, but for most lenses if you set your aperture beyond f/16 or f/22 due to the way light works the image loses sharpness. So if you are planning to print small like for magazines it might be smart to not go beyond f/22 too much. It kind of differs per camera format: a camera with a crop sensor will be more affected by this than cameras with larger sensors.

Tip for LED - look at the CRI (Color Rendering Index). Back in the old days of light bulbs we had CRI 99-100 (complete spectrum). Modern systems often have holes in the spectrum that can throw of colors. So go for the good LED even if the cost a few euro more

You should also look at using the "refine edge/mask" tool for fixing up your white. Rather than using magic wand with feather, instead use the wand, and make a solid white fill layer using the selection as a mask. Now right click the mask and choose refine mask, and use the options there to add your feather dynamically, with more options available for fixing trouble areas. Much better than just using a 1 pixel feather to an existing selection and permanently locking it in.

Great video, very helpful. Is that light cube about 50-60cm? Hope yr feeling better soon.

I have one of those photo booth tents which is all shiny/mirror effects inside. After watching your video, I'm thinking the white paper back ground is so much better.

Super naučné videjko 😉

Probably not a massive issue for static model shots, but you could open the aperture several stop, and likely still have a good enough depth of field (depending on your focal length). This will allow you to shoot with a faster shutter which may help prevent minor camera shake from the shutter rolling. You also tend to get more issues with closed down apertures, such as chromatic aberration, that can be mitigated with a more open aperture. You can also set a custom white balance in camera by using a grey card (or even better an inexpensive meter reader) which will ensure exposure and color balance is accurate, even without having a calibrated monitor. At the end of the day, all a camera knows is 50% grey. If there's a lot of white in the image, it'll darken it to compensate, but using a grey card will let the camera do all the heavy lifting accurately, and they can be bought for the same price as a couple of cups of coffee.

As a diffuser usually I use one or two layers from single tissue. It's more transparent than a sheet of paper.

Main light, fill light and rim light...... used on most product shots. You can paint with light (waggle one light around) on a long shutter speed (in the dark) and on a tripod.

Thank you , Uncle Martin .

Wow it so amazing

I know you only do tanks etc but it would be super cool to see a fighter jet (SU-87, any older MiGs etc)

Legend!

Great vid!!!!!! 👍😉

Perfect timing as i am looking to photograph and share my model builds. I am going to budget myself $600 ( DSLR camera,lights,diffuser) that should be enough don't you think?