Mastering Model Photography: Shibui Techniques for Simple Yet Impactful Groundwork Bases
The Early Großer Hund encounters a recent bushfire zone.
Hey everyone, I’d like to share some of my recent practice and progress with you. Photographing the base of our models is a unique skill set, and I'm working to improve both the white background detail shots and the dark background “atmospheric” shots. Here are some results from testing different heights and angles.
While working on these shots, I started thinking about how I can best share my photography process with you. Over the years, I've received many requests for help with photography, and I believe I’m now better prepared to provide a solid summary and basic guide for taking great photos. I think the best way to deliver this will be through a video, so I’m planning for that now.
The first base I want to showcase is the Early Großer Hund base. It’s fairly simple but still story-driven. Bushfires are a common occurrence in Australia, especially around Canberra, as I’m sure you’ve seen in the news. I aimed to give the base a burnt look with a few touches of color that match the rust spots on the machine. The goal was to create a dark backdrop that allows the brighter-colored Hund to stand out.
More or less, it’s a kind of yellow over purple-grey-brown. You’ll hear me mention this again: I’m getting the purple component from Tamiya XF-63 “German Grey,” which I highly recommend adding to your collection. I use it extensively across this series of groundwork—both terrestrial and lunar. It really works!
This base also exemplifies what I consider to be "shibui" modeling—where simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. Sure, big bases can be cool, but sometimes, after we’ve finished a model, we might not want to invest as much time or energy into the base. There may not be that much left in the tank. So, sometimes a simple, refined base can be just as impactful, if not more so.
