Gunpla Contest Photos DOs and DON'Ts!

[@demiboi0315]

Do's: Show gunpla feet. Don'ts: Have said pics pay-walled.

[@nameputhpong9041]

Hey man, if u good at smth, u dont do it for free.

[@First-Name_Last-Name]

I personally like it when modellers don't just show their kits in dynamic poses, but also includes several close-up,high definition pics in "idle/static standing pose" of that kit in the front/side/rear. It always gives me ideas to -steal- I mean, to refer and add on my next build project.

[@kaferrat]

I also don't mind what most would consider plain/static poses. I absolutely love large close up detail shots...especially if the builder has put work into the kit with scribing or scratch building. Another thing I love is seeing WIP pics...especially just before primer/paint & see everything the builder added to the kit. Once paint goes on you lose all that info. Things that bother me are collages. They might look cool graphically...but it bugs me not to be able to click & enlarge a photo within the collage & you only see it as a small thumbnail. Cropping feet or ends of weapons/hands when taking pics. Move your camera back 1-2 inches & take a pic of the whole kit if you're doing a full length pic of it.

[@ninjaguy_12]

I know it wasn't to long ago but i remember taking that picture of the unicorn Gundam on my doggo, it took 20 minutes for me to get her to lay there and not move while I took that photo cause she didn't like taking pictures at all. I knew damn well I wasn't gonna win but I felt proud to get my dog to lay there and let the Unicorn Gundam be on her for a few pictures. Obviously whenever I decided to enter another contest I'll try not to have my kit on my dog lol 12:51

[@ZakuAurelius]

Thanks for the cute doggo! 👍

[@Edward-Not-Elric]

That picture was adorable.

[@atlas4647]

Beginner phone camera tips: Take your picture in 1:1 aspect ratio and zoom in, have a decent lighting setup

[@TheChannelOfNonsense-j4m]

26:42 Mecha Gaikotsu has done that before with the MGEX Unicorn by puting flames on the monitor in the background.

[@digitalbaka7722]

Tip I have shared a LOT online: Use the box! The bottom portion of your kit box is usually pretty plain fare and great for a background. Too many people use the front of the box, especially when using the boxart pose, and it's super distracting and hard to see any of the kit. But the inside or bottom will let you show your work without letting anyone know your desk needs a good cleanup. Bonus tip, move the kit away from your background. If you put it right up on the wall or paper you're using, the shadows can be equally distracting.

[@sonicslv6132]

This. I was about to suggest the same thing. The bottom part has nice white finish and not glossy enough. The inside top part has good matte grey texture, for better contrast if the model is light colored. Also they typically in good condition unless you crushed your box or damaged it heavily. Typical damage in the corner most likely will be out of frame so don't worry about it. Also if the box is too small to fill the full picture frame, as the video suggests often: crop your photo. Also on lighting: modern smartphone camera can usually give better result in dark or night mode when in low light rather than using flash. Can make much better artistic photos this way with minimal lighting, as long as the result is not noticeably grainy.

[@kingscarletbuilds]

Quick tip for beginners, Take multiple photos at different distances of the same spot to make sure you got the subject you want in focus with the right lighting

[@kaferrat]

To add to this. The closer you are to the subject, the less that is in focus. It's a lens, depth of field (what's in focus) issue. The more you move back, the more you have in focus. It doesn't take much distance to make a difference.

[@weusedtobeangels]

That photo with a dog gave me a good laugh 😂 lol thanks to whoever sent it

[@DarrenC_1024]

He was entering 2 gunplas there: The Unicorn Gundam, and the Gaia Gundam.

[@VERYSALTY]

The dog photo though 😂😂😂

[@bombomos]

For contests are only one photos allowed? Or can we send, like 5? Also 13:19 background is at Epcot in Orlando. Id know that chinese arch and islands anywhere

[@zhengyingli]

I have no intentions of joining any contest but I appreciate the helpful photography tips.

[@vproject2564]

Gunpla Mooks and hobby magazines are great references for photography.

[@Dracobyte]

Nice. Thank you for the advice!

[@floridamattsreviewsvlogsan3892]

There is something called Magic Phone Eraser where you can magically erase background stuff in your photos so that it’s just you in the picture.

[@NeoSlashott]

I wonder if Video mode works because of the angles the kit poses then frame by frame until the perfect angle (without the blur of course) and then save the pic?

[@ocimau5]

I understand the point you're making about the unicorn in a different pose for every picture, especially for competition. But let's be honest, those pictures are pretty freaking incredible! Does anyone know the builder? I'd like to follow them

[@Undeadtroll]

25:11 Is the downtown Waterwall in Houston TX.

[@ZakuAurelius]

Nice! 👌

[@Edward-Not-Elric]

Edit: Ah, my question was answered later in the video. Guess editing the BG is probably a step too far. 13:10 I'm not sure if photo editing of any kind is allowed, but if it is, the people could be edited out fairly easily, as well. Especially if you used a tripod to take the photo. Could just take a few photos when the people moved and blend them together.

[@medicdadx3745]

Thought I’d see one of mine in there, it was my first contest. I got honorable mention! Multiple poses outside.

[@DingoOnMy40]

dang it you have to keep reminding me to work on my kit. Hmm sure a lot of unicorn builds

[@davidhovik7176]

The Unicorn kits are from a previous Unicorn contest...

[@DingoOnMy40]

@@davidhovik7176 oh i completely forgot

[@jimmythegbo2250]

Is it got any plan on doing Z ver.ka

[@ZakuAurelius]

Yes I’ll be reviewing it asap

[@senator4511]

Stupid question but can I send photos of my model to deem if it's suitable for the AoZ contest? I've got no clue if the piece itself is appropriate in terms of aesthetics, and it's also my 'first' Gundam kit (I've painted a lot of miniatures though), so I'm curious if I should even bother entering if it's not thematically or aesthetically appropriate.

[@miqs9]

I think it's ok as long you photos follow every Contes guidelines

[@elsapallo5491]

finally, the fblfp

[@budimanaji90]

Hello zaku..I just wondering where did you get the gundam weapon book ? Thank you :D

[@ZakuAurelius]

Those were actually gifted to me from a friend

[@roynobody]

great insight

[@FunnyBunny84]

My unicorn @ 22.03...I actually gave away my unicorn breaking out of the cage, and the guy I gave it to dropped it while putting it on his shelf 😢.

[@razrafz]

some of these also have unflattering poses

[@person906]

What about 2 poses? Like say my entry has funnels. Would it be acceptable if I had a main neutral pose and then shot or two of a pose with the funnels deployed?

[@ZakuAurelius]

Absolutely you can if you want to. I probably won’t ever have any hard set rule for my contests saying that you can’t submit images in different poses. I’m just suggesting it’s better to have fewer poses 👍

[@GojiraFan-in9oo]

This feels like a mini semi gunpla roast

[@ZakuAurelius]

Sort of? Lol but I intentionally didn’t comment much on the builds themselves. The video is meant to focus on the photography

[@davidhovik7176]

You obviously weren't paying attention on what he was saying...

[@sublow]

THIS IS WHAT MY UNICORN LOOKS LIKE AT A GRILL OUT

[@geo0711]

I know you extended the AoZ contest date out to June, but is it too late to enter at this point?

[@rickytoddbotelho9555]

I voted for the dog 🐶🐕🐕🐕❤😛

[@husseinazeez4045]

Was the contest for Gundam unicorn or Am i seeing only Unicorn Gundams 😅

[@sublow]

Just came to say A+ thumbnail preview

[@luisespinoza3877]

Tell me this was a “unicorn contest” bc this cant be called a photo contest if there is legit only unicorn

[@drcsyntax5903]

If you spend thousands on your kits, hundreds on your tools. Spend a few hundred to get yourself a good camera and use that instead of your phone for everything. There is a huge difference in capable of the cameras, as awesome as phone cameras are these days. I switched from my phone to my 6400 with a decent lens and it's night and day different

[@kekoa_ok]

I see a lot of examples of people sending photos taken like they’re being posted on Instagram and not a contest of your MODEL being critiqued by someone who needs to inspect it

[@vustvaleo8068]

meanwhile there are people who hired professional photographers for their entry.

[@kidrobot.]

it baffles me how these modelers take such bad photos

[@ascensionindustries9631]

Photography is it's own skill and requires certain equipment. Cell phone cameras suck and need a little touch with photoshop to at least help adjust the lighting in order to bring out the details. And when you see "This commercial was shot on an iPhone," they still had lenses attached to that phone.

[@kidrobot.]

@@ascensionindustries9631 you can take good pictures with a camera phone. and it's more about the setup than the quality, as these examples are showing

[@First-Name_Last-Name]

Heck. I've been building models and entering contests for 20+ years and still can't take a decent photo even with all the modern equipment softwares and available. I have the inborn/innate ability of taking pics with a DSLR and making it look like it was taken by a Gameboy Camera.

[@darktitan3025]

For me it's a combination of "I've spent weeks/months on this build and I don't have much energy and patience left for pictures" and "what if I post this online and no one likes it?". So I just take a picture for myself and call it a day

[@kaferrat]

@@ascensionindustries9631 While Photography is its own skill...cell camera technology has come a long way & does a bang up job & for entering contests there's really no need for DSLR's. I have a DSLR & proper studio lighting equipment...but I take most pics with my cell & a $15 LED desk lamp. Crop in cell & done. People think it's all about the equipment...it's about knowing what you're doing. 😉

[@rearera]

I'm hoping you got permission to use these pics and just didn't steal them ...

[@seed4212]

is lazy gunpla pose.. is very normal

[@jonhy8351]

Mine are cooler

[@kidrobot.]

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