cover photo credits

inside cover - Bzanna

clockwise from top left

BerryPie

Umi

Jmelo

Jmelo

Umi

AsiaShaMecca

BryonyRae

AsiaShaMecca

w ith so many challenges in the

Sims community the competition is fierce

so we wanted to prepare a set of tutorials

to help you create the best photos

possible. Follow these tips and you will be

sure to receive higher ratings and a better

chance at winning!

At Simatography we have many helpful

mentors and members that can give you

feedback and help you improve your

photos. Drop by and ask for some help.

Try joining a Shutterbugs Showcase

challenge for more practice to improve

your skills.

introduction

table of contents

6 Camera Basics and Cheats

8 Screenshots vs Photographs

12 Creating a Photo Set

16 Lighting

18 Getting Some Action

20 Stop Action Photography

22 Exploring Camera Angles

24 Off With Their Heads

26 Working with Multiple Sims

32 Gallery

52 Credits

www. .webs.com

Getting Started

tips and cheats

All tutorials here are based on the assumption that you are

using Camera Mode and basic cheats.

Though mods may have been used in some of the contributed

photos, no mods were used to create the photos used in the

tutorials.

Camera Mode Basics

Once you have set up your photo hit the TAB

to get to Camera Mode. You will notice that

your camera moves more freely so you can

take photos from almost any angle.

Don’t just move the arrow keys and your

mouse. Use these keys too…

Q and E to move camera up and down

W and S to move forward and backward

Z and X to zoom in and out

shift + A or D to tilt the camera right or left

Getting Started

tips and cheats

All tutorials here are based on the assumption that you are

using Camera Mode and basic cheats.

Though mods may have been used in some of the contributed

photos, no mods were used to create the photos used in the

tutorials.

Cheats Mode

Hold Ctrl + Shift + C to open the cheats line at the top of

your screen. Type the text exactly as below.

TestingCheatsEnabled true

Allows other commands to become available. After you have

typed this, go back and type…

buydebug

You will see new items available in buy mode - there are

some good props here to help you create actions.

MoveObjects on

DisableSnappingToSlotsOnAlt on

These two allow you to move objects and Sims to your liking.

HideHeadlineEffects on

Removes thought bubbles and plumbobs

Screenshots vs Photographs

S ims 3 presents us with so many possibilities for fun screenshots - we follow our Sim

around town with our sim-camera at the ready, snapping photos of the action along the

way. You will definitely build up a gallery of fun game memories this way.

W hen you are in a competition however, submitting screenshots often leads to

quick elimination. Why? Many reasons really. Competition is fierce and the winning

photos are usually the ones that stand out as being unique. Random screenshots are not

often very artistic or creative; Sims don’t always end up in just the right position for a

great photo, game-generated Sims don’t have great fashion sense, lighting is usually

horrible, and the backgrounds are not always the best for making great photos.

K eeping all of this in mind, the purpose of this tips booklet is to help you learn to

take better photographs, and leave the screenshots behind (most of the time).

C reating a great Sims photo can take quite a bit of

time and patience, but the result will be worth it.

Step 1 - build a photo set with attention to detail

Step 2 - dress up your Sims to suit the theme

Step 3 - set your Sims to action then pause to hold them there

Step 4 - using the cheat “MoveObjects on” move the Sims into

the approximate position you want them in

Step 5 - set your camera angles using Camera Mode

Step 6 - reposition your Sims until you get them framed just

the way you want them, taking photos during the

process. Use stop-action photography to get the

perfect expressions and poses - see page 20

Screenshots of new features get us excited, but do they

pass the test when it comes to challenges?

This screen shot of a band is too dark - the lighting is dark

and unflattering, you can’t see the Sims very well and the

piano player is blocked, they have poor fashion sense, and

the Sim in front that is watching them is a distraction.

C reating a great Sims photo can take quite a bit of

time and patience, but the result will be worth it.

Step 1 - build a photo set with attention to detail

Step 2 - dress up your Sims to suit the theme

Step 3 - set your Sims to action then pause to hold them there

Step 4 - using the cheat “MoveObjects on” move the Sims into

the approximate position you want them in

Step 5 - set your camera angles using Camera Mode

Step 6 - reposition your Sims until you get them framed just

the way you want them, taking photos during the

process. Use stop-action photography to get the

perfect expressions and poses - see page 20

We followed the steps listed and created a photo with

better lighting, Sims that shine and a star subject positioned

in the front. Each of the Sims can be clearly seen and the

set was decorated especially for this scene. If you don’t like

the music notes there are even mods that you can install to

make then disappear - you will find a list on the last page.

Creating a Photo Set

Generic settings make generic photos

and

Generic = Boring and Lifeless

O ne of the things

that judges will look for in

photo-based Sims contests is

the setting that the photo

was taken in. If you really

want to grab the attention of

the judges and fans be sure

to take some time to make a

unique setting with attention

to details

turn this...

into this!

Creating a Photo Set

Generic settings make generic photos

and

Generic = Boring and Lifeless

Step 1

Once you have decided on a theme

for the photo find the location and

start setting up. In this case, for our

swimwear photo we decided to set

it against a tropical sunset so the

first step was to locate the sunset

and mark it with some hills on the

terrain.

Step 2

Don’t forget to consider what is

outside of the lot you are working

on. In this case we used the town

editor tools to place stones and

palm trees in our line of sight so that

the background would be filled in

and pretty too.

Step 3

Work just on the section of the lot you will use for your photo - as you can see on the

right, we transformed just a small section of the lot on the beach that was already in the

game.

Pay attention to details and take your time. Move things around, and see how they look

from the angle that you might photograph from. Try different things to see what works

best. This set took about 1 hour to create. Some contest winners will tell you that it takes

them 1 to 4 hours to create the perfect set. Taking your time to create a unique setting is

one of the keys to getting your photos noticed.

Lighting

P aying attention to the lighting in

your darker scenes is absolutely crucial.

Look at what you see demonstrated here.

Without added lighting the shadows are

too heavy and your Sim cannot be seen

well. It is obvious in the two examples on

the right that adding just the right lighting

can make your Sim come to life.

I don’t think we need to give you a step

by step instruction on this one. The photos

along the bottom should make it clear. The

lights shown are the most popular as they

direct light well, but experiment with

different lights including ceiling and wall

mounted lights for different effects.

Tips for Photos in Public Places

You cannot build or add lighting on a

community lot while your Sim is there be-

ing photographed. You can get around

this by turning the community lot into a

residential lot then have your Sim move

in. Once your Sim lives there you can

build and move lighting around while you

are photographing for that perfect pic in

the park or around town.

Getting Some Action A ctions and poses can really make or break a photo. The usual, day to day

movements that our Sims do when standing around or interacting with other Sims

can work at times, but if you really want to be interesting try working with props.

There are many items in the game that your Sims can use to discover new actions

and poses. Take some time to experiment with the actions that your Sims go

through when using various objects and you will be sure to discover some useful

poses for your next photo shoot.

Useful Cheats

Use TestingCheatsEnabled true

along with buydebug to unlock fun

interactive items that you might

not usually have available. Use

MoveObjects on to place your Sims

and objects into position for better

looking composition.

Getting Some Action A ctions and poses can really make or break a photo. The usual, day to day

movements that our Sims do when standing around or interacting with other Sims

can work at times, but if you really want to be interesting try working with props.

There are many items in the game that your Sims can use to discover new actions

and poses. Take some time to experiment with the actions that your Sims go

through when using various objects and you will be sure to discover some useful

poses for your next photo shoot.

Stop Action

Spend time pausing your Sims in

action to see what each step of the

animation looks like. Take many

photos to see which pose works

best for your current photo shoot.

See page 20 for more details on this

technique.

O ne of the best methods to discover

unique poses and facial expressions is to use the

stop-action method. Explore this method with a

variety of in-game action sequences and you never

know what you will come out with.

Step 1 - start the action

Step 2 - hit pause

Step 3 - position your camera

Step 4 - un-pause then quickly pause again

Step 5 - reposition camera as needed

Step 6 - take photos at each position then repeat

Warning! You might laugh so hard you forget to

breathe - like we did during this photo shoot.

Stop-Action Photography

O ne of the best methods to discover

unique poses and facial expressions is to use the

stop-action method. Explore this method with a

variety of in-game action sequences and you never

know what you will come out with.

Step 1 - start the action

Step 2 - hit pause

Step 3 - position your camera

Step 4 - un-pause then quickly pause again

Step 5 - reposition camera as needed

Step 6 - take photos at each position then repeat

Warning! You might laugh so hard you forget to

breathe - like we did during this photo shoot.

Stop-Action Photography

O ne of the most beneficial camera tricks

to help you choose the best photo of your Sim is

to pause the action and move the camera around.

Don’t ever settle with just one photo of your

subject.

Step 1 - pose your Sim and move into position

Step 2 - set up your camera angle and shoot

Step 3 - re-position the camera and shoot again

Step 4 - repeat (take many photos)

Tip for Challenge Submissions

Don’t submit pics of the same position taken from

different angles. Choose the best one, then move

your Sim to a different position for more photos.

Exploring Camera Angles

O ne of the most beneficial camera tricks

to help you choose the best photo of your Sim is

to pause the action and move the camera around.

Don’t ever settle with just one photo of your

subject.

Step 1 - pose your Sim and move into position

Step 2 - set up your camera angle and shoot

Step 3 - re-position the camera and shoot again

Step 4 - repeat (take many photos)

Tip for Challenge Submissions

Don’t submit pics of the same position taken from

different angles. Choose the best one, then move

your Sim to a different position for more photos.

Exploring Camera Angles

Off With Their Heads J udges will agree that one of the most common flaws in photos of Sims is cutting

off their heads. There are times when having part of the head or face cut out of

the photo has positive impact - it may be done for a certain effect for example.

Most of the time though, it just takes away from the photo - making it look like you

were just not being careful with the camera. Many points have been lost for this

small and easily avoidable detail.

Looking at these two portraits of a

couple the one on the left has their

heads cut off a bit while their bodies

are taking up most of the photo.

This technique tends to look sloppy

and can draw attention away from

the faces and more to the clothing.

Aim to keep your Sims heads fully in

the photo for better balance.

Off With Their Heads J udges will agree that one of the most common flaws in photos of Sims is cutting

off their heads. There are times when having part of the head or face cut out of

the photo has positive impact - it may be done for a certain effect for example.

Most of the time though, it just takes away from the photo - making it look like you

were just not being careful with the camera. Many points have been lost for this

small and easily avoidable detail.

In the two photos along the bottom

the technique of cutting off part of

the heads or face is done with a

purpose. In this case the technique

is creating a dramatic impact,

drawing attention to the facial

features and eyes. So you see,

cutting off heads can work, but be

careful how you use this effect.

Working with Multiple Sims

Working with many Sims at one time can be tricky but it is possible to create well

composed group photos, even without using mods. You just need to learn how to keep

them all under your spell and doing what you tell them to.

C ommon mistakes when taking photos of

groups of Sims are included on the next pages

along with tips for improving. In the photo

above the Sims are too spread out so there is

too much background - this makes the actual

Sims seem less important in the photo. Also,

the background is sort of lifeless and bland.

Joy Begins at the Heart by Evergreen

Working with Multiple Sims

Working with many Sims at one time can be tricky but it is possible to create well

composed group photos, even without using mods. You just need to learn how to keep

them all under your spell and doing what you tell them to.

U sing a variety of tricks and a lot of

patience you can end up with an eye catching

photo where the Sims are in action and really

drawing our attention. The photos in the

centre and top right show examples of well

framed photos where each Sim in the picture

draws our attention and stands out.

Joy Begins at the Heart by Evergreen

A void this...

Below

Make sure that your Sims are not blocking each

other out - the photo looks sloppy and leaves

us frustrated and wanting to push them out of

our way so we can see what’s happening.

Above

Too many of the Sims are looking away

from the camera. If the main focus of your

photo is meant to be the Sims then they

should all be facing the camera unless the

action they are doing is meant to be

showing them facing somewhere else.

Above

Too many of the Sims are looking away

from the camera. If the main focus of your

photo is meant to be the Sims then they

should all be facing the camera unless the

action they are doing is meant to be

showing them facing somewhere else.

Below

Don’t just leave your Sims in the position

you found them in when you set the

actions in motion. These Sims are too far

apart leaving too many boring empty

spaces in the photo. These empty spaces

make the photo less interesting.

Above

Sometimes you just want everyone to

see what a great job you did on your

set design, but don’t try to get it all in

the photograph. In this photo we

almost forget to look at the Sims

because we are more interested in the

scene and the set design. It is supposed

to be a photo of a group of Sims.

T ry these tips and tricks...

T ry these tips and tricks... Turn “free will” OFF

Set your Sims near the correct

position and begin their actions

or interactions with one another.

Set them up to do many of the

same action so that they stay in

a similar position for a longer

time.

Use MoveObjects on in build or

buy mode to get them into just

the right position

Don’t forget the lighting

Keep moving things around until

you get it just the way you want

and take many photos from

different angles.

Be patient! It can take many

trials to get what you want.

Good photos tell a story, especially photos with

groups of Sims. Decide what story you are telling

then try bringing it to life in the photo.

Gallery of Greatness

T hese next few pages showcase such a tiny

fraction of the many amazing photos I have

come across since creating Simatography. I

have chosen a few to share here because they

fit into the theme of this particular tips

booklet, but they do not represent ALL of the

great Simtographers that inspire me.

T hank you to all of the members at

Simatography who have inspired me with their

amazing creations. You deserve to have your

art praised so I hope you do not mind that I

have shared them here. For those reading, if

you want to see more, drop by Simatography

and peek in the photo galleries.

SuperPogimon has a way of making Sims stand out. Even simple photos of Sims

standing still or in a line and they come to life. What is the secret? Attention to detail…

clothes, facial expression, poses, positioning, backdrop and props.

Surfers by SuperPogimon

Sims Model and Photo

competitions will often

come up with themes for

assignments that require

quite a bit of creativity.

The trick is to use colour,

backgrounds, poses,

clothes, props and all of the

little details to make it

come together and stand

out and tell a story.

These are two great pics

that were used as

challenge entries and you’ll

find a few more on the next

few pages.

Art Class by PistolKitten

Sims Model and Photo

competitions will often

come up with themes for

assignments that require

quite a bit of creativity.

The trick is to use colour,

backgrounds, poses,

clothes, props and all of the

little details to make it

come together and stand

out and tell a story.

These are two great pics

that were used as

challenge entries and you’ll

find a few more on the next

few pages.

Escape from the Dollhouse by BryonyRae

Meet the Family by KittyKatLion

Mirror, Mirror by BryonyRae

Joy by PistolKitten

a stunning portrait by HarrywasHere

P ortraits can take on

many forms, but one thing

they should all have in

common is that the subject

is THE focus of the photo.

The background also plays

an important role - it must

add to the mood and

interest of the photo

without being distracting

or overshadowing the

model. This is a tricky thing

to accomplish sometimes,

but these simtographers

have created some great

examples.

two portraits of Nico Bello by WickedKnight

portrait by Island

portrait by KittyKatLion

by HarrywasHere

by KittyKatLion

Some need no explanation - they just inspire you to say WOW!

by KittyKatLion

by PistolKitten

by KittyKatLion

Full body shots should not be boring… details, details.

There are times when you want a Sims back to the camera for effect

Sometimes breaking the rules is what works. Not seeing their faces directly creates some

mystery, as if they are sharing something that we can’t really know. The effect really adds

to the mood here. by KittyKatLion

This one I just thought was awesome. I love the way the curtain frames them,

how the lighting makes them shine, and how the great facial expressions tell the

story. by HarrywasHere

P hoto-album style pics have

their place too. Not every photo has

to be a perfect, artistic composition.

Though in truth, creating a good

photo to have the look and feel of a

real-life snap-shot actually takes a bit

of work too.

wedding album by KittyKatLion

Busted by Umi

Credits

and other interesting tidbits

A special thank you to all of the reviewers who gave

valuable input into this project.

Allium, Madison and Asiashamecca of SF Magazine

BryonyRae and JMelo winners of SAP and hosts of TNT

Umi and Pistolkitten - two of many great Simtographers

The Simatography Moderators and Admins

And thank you of course to all of the simtographers who

I was not able to include here, but who inspire me

like crazy!

Created by...

Minraed Arzhel

for Shutterbugs Simtography Club at

Tutorial Models

in order of appearance

Alfajores DeLeche and Clementine Ambrosia

Vamp Band - game generated sims

Tia Maria

Minraed Arzhel

Honey Chiffon

Kailead Navarro and Sancho DiMorales

Cyril Finnmore by Dr.Musix

www. .webs.com

Credits

and other interesting tidbits

A special thank you to all of the reviewers who gave

valuable input into this project.

Allium, Madison and Asiashamecca of SF Magazine

BryonyRae and JMelo winners of SAP and hosts of TNT

Umi and Pistolkitten - two of many great Simtographers

The Simatography Moderators and Admins

And thank you of course to all of the simtographers who

I was not able to include here, but who inspire me

like crazy!

A few helpful mods...

Many Simtographers and Machinima makers use mods

with no concerns, but I do feel compelled to add a warning.

“use at your own risk”

ALWAYS check to see if the version is compatible with the

latest patches, updates and expansions.

As mentioned, all of the photos here were created without

the use of mods, so it is possible. It just sometimes takes

more work.

Awesome Mod

ChaosMod

No sleep Zzzz’s or Vvvv’s

No Music Notes

a

production