The Origami Forum

Hello everybody!

As some of you may have noticed, I've been practicing making my photos of models look better. Up until now I had been posting my photos in the "what have you folded lately?" thread. I've gathered a small collection by now, and I will post what I have here. I'll probably add more later.

All of my pictures were taken in my backyard. [Edit:] The models up to the cherry tree are from a digital camera, and the tree and afterwards are from my iphone 6.


Phoenix by Satoshi kamiya


Saber tooth Tiger by Ryan Dong


Asiatic Elephant by Satoshi Kamiya


Sheep by Satoshi Kamiya


Quetzel designed by me


Spinosaurus by Satoshi Kamiya

I also tried some photos indoors, with artificial lighting and a backdrop.

Grim Reaper by Miyamoto Chuya


Hermit Crab by Satoshi Kamiya

These look great! I especially like the spinosaurus, and the brachiosaur and smilodon on the "what have you folded lately?" thread were pretty cool too!

Would it be too much trouble to go through and add names of the models and their creators? Some are pretty obvious, but there are a few I don't think I've seen before...

Thanks Tony!

No, it's no trouble. I have added the names of the models and designers.

I also use a Canon Powershot. Although probably not the same one . Do you set it in P (program) to choose between the different settings? Do you know how to use most of the camera's options? Are you using macro (the flower option) for focusing?

Judging by the links you shared on my thread I think you want to accomplish a "depth of field" in your pictures. Am I right? Here's one I took with my Powershot about something that isn't related to origami.



Please let me know if that's what you wish to accomplish and if you need assistance, OK ? Also, do you know Spanish?

My camera's full name is PowerShot SX150 IS. I haven't explored most of it's features.I typically use M (manual) so I can adjust the exposure as needed. I do use the Macro option as well.

Yes, that and photo is exactly what I'm trying to get! Does that effect need a background that's far away? I was close to getting some of my photos to look like that but my back yard isn't that big and there's not many other places I can go.

Y si, este ano es mi tercer ano de estudiar espanol en mi escuela. Yo se bastante espanol para hacer una conversacion, pero no hablo perfectamente y no se como usar accentos en mi computadora.

I'll do my best to help you. It might also be useful that you search for how to take a depth of field picture with a compact camera.

First off, you don't need a background with that much space in order to take a depth of field picture. Here's one I took to show you, using just the sofa as background.



Here are the steps I follow; if you don't know how to follow a particular step with your camera, you can check your camera's user guide.

1. Set the AF frame to center
2. Set it also to macro mode: don't forget the subject can't be further than 50 cm from the lens.
3. Set the self-timer to 1 or 2 seconds: that way you can avoid moving the camera when pressing the shutter button.
4. Use a leveled angle in relation to the subject and place it in the center of your frame: If the subject is in the ground you can place yourself and the camera in the ground in order to use it as support.
5. Just press the shutter button half way down in order to focus the subject.
6. If you wish to place the subject somewhere else in your frame, once the subject is focused, keep on pressing the shutter button half way and then move the camera slightly in order to alter your frame. Another option for doing this is using the AF lock.
7. Press the button completely in order to take the shot.

I asked if you knew Spanish because Oscar Osorio wrote two articles about photographying origami folds for the 4 Esquinas electronic fanzine. They're a bit too technical but they're still useful reads. His articles are in issues 4 and 5. You can download them from here: https://www.origami-shop.com/es/libros- ... 8_487.html

Hope this helps .

These are my cherry blossom trees. I put on the mc overnight and wanted to photograph them as soon as I got up in the morning. Unfortunately, it had rained overnight, and I didn't want to get my model wet. I ended up using a base that I call a "marshmallow stand" because it looks like a little marshmallow. The tree never actually touched the ground. In the first picture, I hid the base under some mulch, and the second one from behind looked like this:

Yesterday was a nice sunset, so I took some new photos of some of my most "photogenic" models in my backyard. I later found out that the sun was extra orange from some distant wildfires.


Brachiosaurus by Shuki Kato


Roosevelt Elk by Robert J Lang


Deer by Satoshi Kamiya


Brachiosaurus by Shuki Kato

I expect Digital camera discs have to be changed when they get full..
Amazon do tons...i would like to know if you'd share tips on photographing finished models...i also have your c.ps im stuck with..Those Amazon vouchers :are up for grabs to anybody who can figure out the collapse s

A few more sunset photos.
Oh, and I forgot to mention: I've started using my phone's camera. The digital camera was too much work to upload everything and change the batteries all the time, and my phone is convenient because it can autofocus and also automatically uploads to Google Photos.


Pikmin designed by Brandon Wong



Dancing Crane by Robert J Lang


Asiatic Elephant by Satoshi Kamiya

NeverCeaseToCrease wrote:
Deer by Satoshi Kamiya

I really like the lighting in this picture!
And outside pictures with natural lights are generally very nice, be it for origami models or other topics.

I totally agree with Kabuntan. That's gotta be my favorite picture among the ones you've taken and shared here!

I love the composition, the angle, the focus... Perfect timing!


PS: Bear in mind that taking pictures with the sun at the back of the subject alters the subject's colors, due to all the shadows. When taken to an extreme, it's called backlight photography.

More of the same.


Deer by Satoshi Kamiya and some plastic models


Fairy by Hubert Villenueve



Hermit Crab by Satoshi Kamiya. My brother happened to be standing in the way of the sunlight for the second one.


Boy designed by Brandon Wong

If you remember some of the mossy photos from a while back, I have potted some of that moss and have started to use them to photograph small models. I have started here with Yoshizawa's rabbits. I love the simplicity of the model and fuzziness of the paper!



I also took a few photos without origami:



I will be sure to take and upload more photos with these moss "pots!"