InterviewsNovember 15, 2023· Updated Apr 29, 2026· 9 min read

How to Take Better Pinball Photos with Jon Geier of Darkroom Pinball

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How to Take Better Pinball Photos with Jon Geier of Darkroom Pinball

My name is Jon Geier, and I run the Instagram account @darkroom_pinball where I have combined my love of pinball and try to put a good positive light on the local pinball community we have in the Northeast Ohio area. Working with the tournament directors, venues and local operators, I try to help get more people into the pinball scene. I am a self taught photographer with most of my knowledge coming from various Photography forums which has helped me be able to tackle the demands of shooting in low light and harsh reflective surfaces that is pinball.

The Fundamentals of Pinball Photography

Let’s start with some photography fundamentals. These are the basic concepts that help make any photo you take look a little better, whether they are pinball related or just some candids you’re taking while out with family or friends. I'll try to include a few examples of each concept below.

Deciding What to Shoot

For Friends Playing a Machine or Location Shooting

Composition & Framing

In a controlled environment pinball shoot (such asyour home) using a DSLR you have many more options. Glass off the machine is my preferred method while using a flash aimed at the ceiling to fill the scene by reflecting back off the ceiling onto the playfield. Reflections are insane on a glossy surface like a playfield and the metal and plastics on machines. Using a flash allows you to use a fast shutter and really get the camera in the playfield to give the appearance you're under the machine. To create great action scenes, introduce a fresh clean never used pinball (Ninja Balls work great) with a piece of tape under it or a glue dot under it to keep it in place. This is fun but really creates no room for error as that reflective pinball shows everything and requires editing afterwards to remove unwanted reflections.

In either environment, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with the rule of thirds and try to get as close to your subject as you can in order to avoid the candid snapshot look. The rule of thirds helps direct the viewer's gaze to the main focal point of an image, whatever the subject may be. You decide what that focal point should be by how you align your camera. Always try to lead the eye into your photos. I always remember this (9th grade art class doing a drawing looking down an alleyway or street), your eyes are leading your brain down the alley. Create that 3D look by doing this. Images that are flat don't accomplish this and you don't have that instant wow factor.

Lighting

Reflections can make an image go from boring to awesome and fresh if you play with the angle it's shot at. Obviously, the machine is the star of the show as it's putting off its own light show but framing a light fixture into the scene will show a scene of scale and create more than a tight zoomed in image.

Editing

Here are some of the main things you will want to adjust.

Exposure
Highlights
Shadows
Color temperature

The Gear You Need for Better Pinball Photos

On Phone Cameras

If you want to increase the quality of your phone photography efforts, you can try experimenting with a dedicated light source, a handheld stabilizing gimbal, a tripod, or third party lens systems.

Dedicated Camera/Lens systems

I currently use a Sony A7iii with a Sigma 24-70 2.8f lens. Typically I’m running 1/160th shutter speeds at 2.8f and ISO 4000. I’ve found this to be very close to what works at most places and usually can just adjust the ISO up or down depending on the light in the spot, while leaving other settings unchanged. Sometimes I adjust the F-stop to create more depth of field (lower aperture settings typically result in a shallower depth of field, meaning less of your image will be in focus) but most times I’m focusing on one particular player on one machine allowing the other people to blur out.