Macro with sky in background?

[Lightsped]

I am trying to picture how these type photos are set up.... Can anyone help? How can this effect be done, besides going to a beach and laying on the side of a sand dune and aiming up at the sky with a toy in the foreground?

(Chrome) Sandtrooper

 

[DB_Cro]

Photoshopped sky?

 

[Lightsped]

Its possible, but I really don't think the sky is photoshopped. The reflection of the sky in the helmet is why I doubt the sky is photoshopped. I could easily be mistaken though.

 

[DB_Cro]

The transition from sand to sky on the left side looks strange to me.
Anyways, not implying that this shot is fake, but maybe it's the easiest route.

 

[Ysarex]

Close focus wide angle lens. I do it all the time.

Joe

edit: Here's an example. This is shot with a wide angle zoom (24mm -- 90mm) that can close focus.

 

[Lightsped]

I have a 14-24mm f2.8 lens. I guess what I am having trouble with is the physical setup up the shot. It appears as if the Lego minifigure above is standing on a hill of sand. That is not inside a bowl or whatever. How would I get a mound of sand like that and get low enough to get the sky in the background?

Thanks

 

[TrolleySwag]

Do you need a macro tube to do this?

 

[Ysarex]

I have a 14-24mm f2.8 lens. I guess what I am having trouble with is the physical setup up the shot. It appears as if the Lego minifigure above is standing on a hill of sand. That is not inside a bowl or whatever. How would I get a mound of sand like that and get low enough to get the sky in the background?

Thanks

A lot of sand and a shovel.

Joe

 

[Ysarex]

Do you need a macro tube to do this?

Not if the lens is designed to close focus.

Joe

 

[480sparky]

Could also be a studio shot. The reflections can be from enlargements.

It looks like the same cloud patterns in several of the shots.

 

[Overread]

I agree with Sparky; that looks to me like a custom background. The blue being printed and then held far enough in the background it blurs. If wrapped over (say in a light box and wrapped from back to top) it would also account for the reflection on the trooper.


Also I would say it looks more like sea than sky.



The use of a background to give false blur is well used. I've known people do it for bird shots at feeders where there is no suitable background; thus they put up a blurry screen behind (sometimes its done to emulate woods or a scene others its just a natural monocolour); then just lure the bird to the screen with food.

 

[Derrel]

I would vote for any combination of compositied backdrop, OR a photograph/poster as background, and reflections from blue paper with white cloud cut-outs, with the Lego mini-figurine on a mound of sand. The photo under discussion could have been arrived at in its final form in any number of ways. Maybe even the old classic way of a split-field filter and some PS work to defocus the backdrop. split-field filter - Google Search

There is more than one way to shoot a tabletop type shot, and more than one way to shoot this on-location. All done in-camera, on location, all in-strudio and in-camera; and a few possible optional combinations. So many people are really good at creating anything they want to create using software and editing, as well as old-time photographic techniques that have somewhat fallen out of mainstream use these days. Overread's comments above are worth reading closely...it MIGHT NOT be what we think we see at first glance!

 

[snowbear]

I agree that it doesn't have to be at an actual beach - go to the local building supply store, grab a bag of sand and put it on a table in the back yard. Use a trowel to sculpt it into the dunes and shoot up at the figure.

 

[nycphotography]

I have a 14-24mm f2.8 lens. I guess what I am having trouble with is the physical setup up the shot. It appears as if the Lego minifigure above is standing on a hill of sand. That is not inside a bowl or whatever. How would I get a mound of sand like that and get low enough to get the sky in the background?

Thanks

Build your sandscape on a table.

 

[nycphotography]

Use a hair dryer to smooth out any tool marks.