Help:Pyramid photography

Some tips for taking better pictures of Icehouse pieces:

• Place the pieces on a pure, white, featureless surface. To allow for better angles, have the white background curve up behind the pieces. A piece of 24"x36" posterboard or artist's vellum is good.
• When possible, arrange the pieces so that it is absolutely clear how they relate to each other and what size/color each is.
• Use multiple bright lights (preferably full spectrum) to illuminate the pieces from different angles and decrease shadows.
  • Do not use a flash unless you know how to minimize reflections.
  • Unless your lighting is strong, you may need a long exposure time, making the camera vulnerable to shaking and blur.
• A tripod will steady the camera, making your photos less susceptible to blur from your hands shaking. Modern digital cameras have some features that can help, but they can't replace a tripod.
  • If you don't have a full-size tripod to keep the camera steady, some camera shops sell inexpensive mini-tripods, or you can brace the camera firmly against a pillar or wall.
  • Letting the camera rest directly upon the game surface, or upon a book or two to raise it up a little, can give a low perspective view, but most game shots should show what the player sees from a normal altitude or higher.
• Use an image editing program to correct any color balance issues and remove any unfortunate artifacts. Sometimes it's best to mask the pieces and flood fill the whitish background with pure white.
  • Can you count the right number of pips on every piece? Sometimes an image flaw (or a pip from a different face) may look like an extra pip; use your software to erase any extraneous pips. When other cues to size are evident, such as when all three sizes are present, pips are less important.