SHMAX: A quick word on shadows: we love 'em. A few of your package shots look like you might be trying to photoshop the shadows out. It's really not necessary. If you position your main light source directly above the subject, pointing straight down, the shadow should gather into a tidy little puddle right at the base of the subject. As long as the shadow is soft (always use the light tent), localized around the base of the subject, and doesn't extend out of the frame, we love 'em. This goes for packaged and loose toys.
Hi Max and all,
You're absolutely right I've been chopping out the shadows from my package shots for a couple reasons:
For carded figures where the card extends longer downwards than the bubble it makes the package pitch forward in the light-tent. To correct this I either have to prop the cardback against a big object behind it, in which case the card bubble is lifted away from the bottom surface and the shadow disappears.
This backwards angle also created an awkward angle to shoot at, so instead I have been propping the package up by using small items such as clear plastic pegs under the bottom of the bubble. This works well, however creates unnatural shadows around the bottom surface.
I can't seem to find a happy medium here so I have resorted to chopping the shadows out altogether. The packages at least look better when "floating" compared to the figures where a soft shadow seems to make them look really cool.
If anyone has any tips in this regard I'd be really appreciative.
Thanks all, Andy
