What's the best way to present pictures of miniatures?

[Jase]

Hi!

For my site I'm trying to figure out a way to best present my painted models. At the moment I have these three options:



The third is my personal favourite, it's not as sterile as the middle one and not as bland as the first. However, I'd like to hear your opinions on what looks best. If you have other suggestions, please let me know.

Thanks!
Jase

[revford]

I like the third option too, looks nice.

[Westfalia Chris]

I personally prefer a simple color gradient nowadays. I am a bit dubious, though, if you should combine both a layer shadow and a glow - I usually only apply an outer glow to the figure to lift it off the backdrop.

So, I´d go for the middle one, although Option #3 is nice, too. In either case, lose the shadow and focus on the outer glow effect.

[Mancha]

I don't like the white outline around any of them.  Why not just take a well-lit picture against a backdrop you like?

[Svennn]

I think the outline and especially the shadow makes it look two dimensional. Any of the backgrounds would work for me but the mini needs to look like it is part of and not placed onto it. JMTPW.

Svennn

[Captain Blood]

Hmm. I'm not keen on the white outline.
I'm not personally a fan of the 'graduated blue background' either - I know a lot of people like it, including some very good painters whose work I admire a lot (he said hastily). They think it shows their figures off to best effect. Personally, I just find it a bit cliched. 

For photography purposes, I prefer to show my figures in a scenario of sorts against the backdrop of some good terrain. This is what seems to get me the best results pictorially, but I'm aware I'm in a minority. I guess some people think the terrain detracts from the figures. personally, I think it enhances them. Maybe that's because I'm a wargamer first, and a painter / collector second. For me the figures are a means to an end - not an end in themselves.

That said, the most effective thing I've seen recently is abbot_amaury's figures shot against a pure black backdrop. Super dramatic, and shows the figures off brilliantly well.
However, that may be because he has a lot of dark depth in his painting style, so it suits his figures...

[Wirelizard]

The white outline makes your figures look like paper cutouts, really. The actual background fades into the background, so to speak, with the distraction of that white line.

That said, for a photoshopped background, I like the middle one with the blue gradient. You could get the same affect with careful lighting and a colour paper background and spend less time editing, too.

[Orctrader]

I don’t like any of them – sorry.  But that’s because I just don’t like the cutting out images and placing against a backdrop.  These are great figures and all the fancy photo "tricks" are just detracting from that fact, IMHO. 

I avoid photoshop as much as I can.  The cutting out of the image is just more work.  I want to photograph, “quick fix” with photoshop and resize.  The only time I cut images out is when I have to.  As, for example, with my banner.  And then I avoided the “white outline” by using a white background.

I'm not personally a fan of the 'graduated blue background' either - I know a lot of people like it...They think it shows their figures off to best effect...

I can’t speak for other painters, but actually I use the blue/white gradient because it’s the only background that works.  I like white – but the photos just don’t work.  I have tried grey – even worse.  I do intend to experiment again, especially with white, but it’s all time and I prefer to use what hobby time I have to paint.

For photography purposes, I prefer to show my figures in a scenario of sorts against the backdrop of some good terrain. This is what seems to get me the best results pictorially, but I'm aware I'm in a minority. I guess some people think the terrain detracts from the figures. personally, I think it enhances them. Maybe that's because I'm a wargamer first, and a painter / collector second. For me the figures are a means to an end - not an end in themselves.

Personally, I love to see your photos and it does enhance them, and does NOT detract.  I don’t have any scenery – I’m only a painter/collector.  And I find it much easier to produce decent photos of single figures than I do with a group.  I need to spend more time experimenting but I would rather spend the time painting...