It’s been a busy couple of weeks of planning, but I’ve hardly taken any photos of toys. Does that mean I’m still a toy photographer?
Nice New Outfit
We’ve rolled out the new blog design.
You like the cut
You like the fit
Wide in the shoulders
Trim at the hips
Fugazi – Nice New Outfit
I must thank the incredible efforts of Shelly and Lizzi in getting this done. Their behind the scenes planning, testing and debugging made the implementation of the new layout seamless.
Sunny’s amazing work in creating our new logo deserves two special acknowledgements. Firstly, thank you for the amazing new logo we now have. Secondly, thank you for putting up with Shelly and my constant requests for tweaks and changes.
I was called upon to sprinkle some code magic over the top of all this hard work.
But during all this planning, tweaking and rolling out, not a toy photograph was taken.
Project Planning
There’s been much planning for some upcoming LEGO projects. Shots have been planned, locations have been scouted, editing techniques have been tested and trialled and words have been written.
Planning v. Doing
You hold me down
You hold me down like a magnet
And this is not all that I am
No this is not my name
Bikini Kill – Magnet
But with all this planning, not a single toy photograph for these projects was taken.
Moss Hospital
After my post about shooting with the dry, burnt tones of summer, I started planning to create a moss hospital; a mosspital!
Moss in the morning let’s you in
Is it a field day make me sin
It’s only warm, might let you stay
Moss in the morning might be way
Melvins – Joan of Arc
I salvaged the last reaming moss from around our property and our neighbours. I nursed it back to verdant health.
And not a toy photograph was taken.
So, with all this activity, planning and execution, but not a single photograph of toys being taken, does that still make me a toy photographer?
A doctor is still a doctor when they aren’t doctoring. So yes, I’m still a toy photographer even when I’m not taking photographs of toys!
– Brett
Have you ever had time away from your camera, but still found yourself being a toy photographer?
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Happy to have help contributed to the look of the site! No worries….I have had clients who request for 20 revisions before. I have been through much worse!
Oh I have those clients too at my work. That’s why I tried so hard not to be one of them. It’s difficult when you add time zones and different countries into the mix. But hopefully it wasn’t too painful for you. We love what you created for us. Thanks again.
Hey! I love the new design and logo. You all did a great job creating it. I am in a constant state of planning despite just beginning. I’ve only done one detailed shot so far. My mind, however, is working overtime. We are what we want to be even when we aren’t doing it.
I love the “We are what we want to be even when we aren’t doing it” notion.
Yes, I know too well the overworking mind and the overflowing list of ideas. Make sure you document them! And document them so you can make sense of them!! I still have notes on my phone that were obviously made in a snap moment of inspiration that I don’t know what I meant?!
Heh, you plan way more than I do 🙂 I just go shoot things, and hope it works out. I’ll do some pre-viz ahead of time, and maybe test out some minifig poses before I head out tho.
As for being a toy photographer but not picking up my camera, I have spent a bit of time recently improving the “business” side of my setup (websites, business cards etc.) and getting all that sorted. I’ve also been doing some blog writing for my Foundations series.
There is a whole lot more to photography than just pointing ones camera at things and going “click” 🙂
How long did it take you to get the moss back to being healthy? I’ve been thinking of making my own mossy world, but I am not sure of the care and feeding of such a thing.
So much more than just a “click”!
I don’t always plan so extensively. But when I’m waiting for arrivals for projects, the anxiety is kept at bay with some planning. At least I feel like I’m not just waiting that way.
I was lucky to find some moss that had mostly escape the summer sun. It spent about a week in a bucket of water to get it back on its way to full health. Moss is pretty hardy, as long as it’s kept watered and out of full sun! I’m no expert, but my wife is pretty damn handy in the garden. So if you’ve got any questions, ask me and I’ll ask her and then pretend that they’re my answers!
I can’t even tell you how much I relate to this post at the moment, and was even considering writing a post about it! So you’re definitely not alone here. Between the podcast and going back to work, there have been a few weeks lately where I didn’t shoot anything, or only took a shot or two for a specific post or podcast episode. It feels good to be busy though, and while I’m not shooting as often I am coming up with new ideas that I want to try. Now when I do sit down to photograph, I come prepared because I know I don’t have as much free time as I used to.
There’s definitely something about having limited time and being focused on using that time efficiently! But there’s also something I like about letting ideas evolve over time. But that rarely happens when they aren’t given the time.
Oh to be busy and focused, and have ample spare time to meander as well!
Hi Brett,
You’re certainly still a toy photographer when not photographing! The thought processes and associated work (i.e. mossing in the “mospital”) do count as part of the photography preparation. Personally, I do find that despite being busy, the ideas are still there and when I can shoot, it’s more focused shooting, aiming for getting the shot I really want rather than spraying bullets, if that makes sense.
That said though, daylight sure is getting less available for us as the sun sets earlier and earlier!
Hey Janan!
Aiming true rather than spraying bullets wildly…love it!
I do like the planning element of toy photography, but I also like the organic outcomes that sometimes surprise me when I have no plans.
And yes, the dwindling daylight is slowly becoming a factor. I could capture some golden hour shots before I left for work not too long ago. Now I’m arriving at work and the sun is still yet to poke its head over the horizon. How long is it until daylight savings??