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So you want to play Game of Thrones dress up and have a photo shoot? Easier said than done. But, it’s not impossible. You’ll need to have a high-quality camera, some amazing costumes, some willing friends or family, and patience. Here’s how to put it all together.
Get a Nice Editing Program
For editing, you’re probably looking at top-of-the-line software like Adobe Lightroom. You can also use programs like GIMP if you’re really good with that software and know how to manipulate images. If you use a PC, you can also try Paint.net, though it may be less capable of doing images the way you want them.
Gather Your Cast Of Characters
Gather up your friends, and start discussing costumes. You’ll want to at least have neckwear, although you won’t necessarily need to go all-out with full costumes if you’re doing just head shots. If you are doing full body shots, obviously the costume will be a necessity.
Go Shopping
Next comes shopping. If you’re doing more than a head shot, you’ll need to round up some costumes. Here, you have a lot of choices. Going with period pieces will make things look the most authentic, but it’s also the most expensive route. You can buy halloween costumes, but there may be a continuity or authentication problem (some costumes look a little fake or cheesy).
Something like a Margaery Tyrell costume, complete with a Margaery Tyrell crown, can be done pretty simply and cheaply. But, a Jon Snow costume is a little more difficult to pull off, if only because of the chainmail, the fur, and sword.
If you do decide to go shopping online, Renstore.com is a good place to start. It has a lot of authentic period pieces that are worn at Renaissance festivals. They don’t have everything you might need, but it’s one of the few places you can pick up authentic shoes and pants – items that are not easily found elsewhere.
Another good resource is the Central Coast Renaissance Festival’s website. The organization maintains information about its own festival, but it also gives you some ideas about how to put together cheap and easy costumes that would, coincidentally, be ideal for a GOT shoot.
Using Good Cameras and Lighting
Get a decent 3 or 4-point lighting system. This will make editing a lot easier, and you’ll be able to define shadows just the way you want them without editing tools. Ultimately, shadowing directly in the image will yield much better results than trying to add it in after the fact, and it will be much easier for you to edit the picture.
Choose a good camera, preferably a DSLR, and a Nikkor (or similar) lens. Don’t mess around with the optics – go with a Carl Zeiss lens. Because you’ll be doing close-ups, you only need something like a 50mm – 200mm lens. Of course, a tripod, or some stabilization equipment is a must.
The quality of your equipment will really drive the final result.
GUEST BLOGGER: Pauline Holland is a costume designer and hobby photographer. She is looking forward to this year’s Game of Thrones inspired Halloween parties. Her articles mainly appear on lifestyle blogs.