Let’s talk about how to use your digital camera to easily and inexpensively take photographs of your valuable Disney collections and memorabilia which has been coined Disneyana. Here’s the items we’ll need this week: a digital camera of any kind, a tripod for the camera, a remote shutter release (or use your camera’s timer), a typical desk lamp, a bounce surface like some white cardboard and a sheet of white (or other color) poster board. Some of this you may have or can get cheaply at a local photo, drug or craft store.

For very small items like pins, you can use your camera’s macro setting for a P&S. For a digital SLR, you can use any lens and crop your photos if needed. Other possibilities might be a macro setting on a zoom lens or a dedicated macro lens.

Okay, got your stuff? Ready to do some Disneyana photography? Good! As an example, here’s my setup…

Simple Setup for Collectibles

Since we are not going to use flash and using a light which is either a typical incandescent bulb or maybe a fluorescent one, make sure you set your camera’s white balance to the correct one. Notice how I used the sheet of paper to make a seamless background. You will have to play with the light and bounce surface to get the item lighted the way you want. I have my camera set to Aperture Priority of f/8 or better for good depth of field. The lighting I am using gives me a slow shutter speed of 1/30th of a second or slower. A good reason to use a tripod and remote shutter release (or camera timer) to avoid a blurry picture.

Fantasia Mickey Desk Clock. © Scott Thomas Photography 2008
Nikon D70/50mm, 1/30s, f/9, ISO 400, +1.0 EV

Fantasia Mickey Figurine. © Scott Thomas Photography 2008
Nikon D70/50mm, 1/25s, f/11, ISO 400, +1.0 EV

Further Reading: How to Take Better Photos for eBay

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