Moss. We seem to talk a little endlessly about it’s use in toy photography, and today it’s my turn to jump on the ‘we love moss’ bandwagon!
As you might know if you’ve been keeping up with my posts, I’ve just come back from a week in the Lake District. The place is incredibly green (even when covered in snow!). There are green trees, there is green grass, and there is green moss.
I could have photographed for hours in some spots. At Derwentwater, a lake near Keswick, I even found a place where a whole day could easily be spent taking toy photos. It had a rocky beach, it had moss covered rocks, it had trees and it had endless fields of moss in every shade you might want. Perfection for an outdoor toy photographer.
Awesome tree time!
Moss discovery
Across the whole of the Lakes, the moss just called to me to get my toys out and play. Here’s some of the moss patches I found that I particularly liked.
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- Bushy moss
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- Rocky moss
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- Wall moss
There are a lot of slate and stone built walls in the Lake District, and everywhere you looked, there was a wall with some kind of moss growing on it. So awesome! I often had to stop myself from trying to take photos at every wall we came across!
Walls of wonder
Whilst I mostly took a lot of landscape photographs without toys in (*gasp*), my toys did also get to go exploring in the green wilderness. I would never deny them (read: me) that chance!
Moss photography at it’s most peaceful. (High Rigg fell in the background there.)
Which way are we going? I’ve only just learnt to read a map!
A great hike in the Lakes requires a good walking stick.
Mossy rocks with Rey and BB-8 looking out over Derwentwater.
Be brave. Go on an adventure.
I won’t carry on about how wonderful moss is for a toy photographer, about how it scales so well for LEGO, about what it adds to photos in terms of textures and colours. We’ve shared all that before, and will almost certainly continue to wax lyrical about it for many years to come. But I will carry on a little bit about how beautiful the Lake District is, and how it makes for an amazing playground for toys! There is a location here for all types of outdoor toy photography and if you ever find yourself the North of England, it’s highly recommended to get out there for a couple of days! Make sure you bring your raincoat though! It can get a little damp!
(P.S If anyone is seriously interested in this as a location for a toy safari, let me know! Transport in the area is a little patchy but if there is any interest, especially from UK folk with cars, we could look at arranging something! I’ll take any excuse to get back up there!)
There’s even loads of cool geology there for me to bore people with…
(BTW that indicates I am pro-Lake District Toy Safari!)
Ha! Love it! Learning about rocks is cool and if the Lakes has something other than moss, it’s rocks! ?
Very glad you are pro-Lake District safari! ?
Moss is magical. And you’re right, it scales beautifully with LEGO as well as with any other sized toy. I’m in Southern California, so it’s dry and arid here. Last winter we had an abnormally wet winter and I had an amazing patch of moss grow in my backyard, maybe 18″ x 36″. I took so many fun images there. When the wet weather passed, and the temps started to rise, I watered that little patch daily, but it eventually realized that moss had no place growing in my backyard, or for that matter anywhere else in Los Angeles, and died. So when I want to include moss in my images I have to resort to the kind I have to buy at the local craft store. It’s okay, but lacks the magic of living moss.
I’m all for a toy safari in the Lake District…but only if it’s 2020 or later. Please wait!
Aww, I’m so sorry your moss patch didn’t make it! Would something like Shelly’s mini-garden world work for you, or is it just too dry?
I think by 2020 we could be looking at a return trip! But remind us in 2 years! ?
What a beautiful post about so beautiful place! I’m totally moss man! I loved and photographed moss long before starting toy photography. That’s why moss became obvious location for my photos. Lake District seems like a paradise for me and my figs. Now I have to go shoot something on moss! Thanks for inspiration Lizzi!
Lizzi, I am so down for a trip to the Lake Country for a toy meet-up. Maybe we can rent a passenger van to move people around. Thats what we did in Iceland when I traveled there in a group of 10 people. I know the weather would always be iffy, but can we plan for something summer like in 2020? I will start saving my pennies (and miles) now. Great post as always!!
What a wonderful post, Lizzi! Moss never gets old for toy photos! I kind of want to make a shirt that says “I love moss” or “Moss Rules” haha!
Will definitely be writing a moss haiku!
😉
I’ve never given moss much thought, but your post really drove me this weekend when I went to Rosedale in The North York Moors. Some great moss on the walls there and I got some great shots, all due to inspiration from this post. Thanx a million.
Wow wow wow! This location is absolutely stunning. I not only want to do a toy safari there, but move there and live in a little cottage so I can just shoot there all the time! Great photos, Lizzi 🙂