Photo Setup
Lighting - Natural and Artificial
Backdrop
Angles
Camera - Selection and Settings
Lighting
To begin our discussion, we'll start with what is, in my opinion, the single most important aspect of taking good photos: Lighting.
Lighting is critical because the camera needs adequate light to "see the image" and take a good photo. Even if you have a really nice camera, insufficient lighting will likely cause your photos to come out blurry and/or grainy.
There are two types of lighting: Natural and artificial. In both cases, you'll typically want to utilize indirect lighting.
Natural Lighting
For those of us without access to a nice lighting setup, utilizing natural lighting is generally our best option.
Somewhat opposite of nature photography, when taking pictures of Lego, you aren't necessarily looking for lots of shadow or contrast. You just want a nice clean photo of the subject material.
Since we are looking for indirect/semi-flat light, your best lighting will come on a bright, but overcast day. A white/beige room with plenty of windows is good for an indoor setting, but the best when using natural light would be to take the picture outside. Try to take the pictures near midday, since that's both when the light will be brightest, and also when the sun will be most overhead, which will reduce the amount of shadows on your MOC. If you have some white posterboard that's large enough to serve as a backdrop, that will help to bounce some of the light onto the MOC as well (more about backdrops further below).
Artificial LightingArtificial lighting is the preferred light source for most FOLs, because it is consistent and not weather/time-dependent. A good lighting setup can be as inexpensive or as pricey as you want to make it. For the purposes of this tutorial, we'll stick with just providing some tips that are applicable for any budget level.
The main factors you want to consider for artificial lighting are what type of bulb to use, and how to achieve the proper light levels.
First, I recommend investing in a pack of "daylight" bulbs, which have a more natural white light "temperature" compared to your average light bulb. Your normal household light bulb typically has a warmer yellowish tint, which will affect the color of your MOC in a photo.
Personally, I like to use LED daylight bulbs, because they are cooler and seem to give off a more diffused light (and are also more energy efficient).
For most MOCs, you're going to need a minimum of two light sources. Three is better, and four is best! The idea with multiple light sources is that you're trying to light the MOC from multiple angles to eliminate shadows. Here is a photo showing a common and simple lighting setup:
Notice that the lights are pointed at the sides of the light box, which lights the model indirectly. This helps to reduce glare, and creates more even/diffused lighting (similar to shooting on a cloudy day outside). Using a white box will help to maximize the amount of reflected light. Note that this user appears to be using warm lights instead of daylight bulbs. I prefer the starker white of daylight bulbs, but that's personal preference.
Now, some models are not going to fit inside a light box, so you can try other options like putting some tissue paper in front of the lights and pointing them at the model from several angles (left, right, and above from the front are suggested). If you do this, be careful that your lights are not hot and will not create a fire hazard! (a good reason to use LED bulbs).
Here's my personal photo setup, as an example of one with larger-capacity:
As you can see, I have the table well-lit by overhead task lights, as well as two LED floodlights, and even an open window for additional natural light. All of the lights are "daylight" bulbs, so that the hue of the lighting is consistent among the sources. I also have positioned all of the lights far enough away that by the time the light hits the subject material, it is somewhat diffused and doesn't produce too much concentrated glare.
Finally, I have a tripod and bluetooth shutter control to help keep the camera stable during photos. This is extremely important, and will help ensure your photos come out nice and sharp, instead of fuzzy and blurry.
Backdrop
More to come later!
Here are some additional resources, if you're interested in reading more:
Classic-Castle.com - Amazon's Photo Setup PatentNXTProgams.com - How to Take Good Photos (excellent resource)How to Add a White Background in GIMP - By Ayrelego