Today I want to give you an alternative take on bringing toys on vacation: It rarely works. Sure, it sounds like a great idea. Who wouldn’t be excited about combining their favorite hobby with some highly anticipated downtime? I love the excitement of packing toys that fit whatever exotic locale I’m visiting. I want to capture a unique photo of the fabulous sites. In its pristine and ideal form, taking toys with you on a vacation sounds like the perfect combination. But the reality rarely lives up to my expectations.
Off to a good start
Recently we took a family trip to Ouray, Colorado. This was a chance to drive my newest toy, a 2017 Jeep JK, on challenging Jeep trails and visit picturesque abandoned silver mines. I love the Colorado Rockies and my imagination was overflowing with fun photo ideas involving expansive mountain vistas, blue skies and small sparkling streams.
My photo adventures got off to a great start due to some unexpected quiet moments at the beginning of our trip. I had plenty of time to get the toys out and play while I waited in Price, Utah for a new drive shaft for my Jeep. It’s times like these that I’m grateful for my crazy hobby. While the family sat around bored, I was busy setting up photos and having fun playing and photographing toys. The trip was off to a great start!
Harsh reality sets in
Once we reached Ouray, our family adventure really began, and toy photography had to take a backseat. Because I’m committed to a fun family vacation, my need for good light, interesting locations and time to concentrate on my photos were put aside for the greater good. I know I’m lucky that my family supports my hobby. While they may be tolerant as I set up my photos, my guilt always gets the best of me. How can I justify hours of toy photography fun while they patiently wait? Therefore, I limit myself to one photo or 30 minutes per location. Often these photo opportunities happen when we stop for lunch. While I can guide the location, I usually have to make do with whatever is at hand; both light and scenery.
So here I am the guilt-ridden mom taking toy photos while the family mills around waiting for me to finish. Let’s just say, my concentration isn’t that great. Even with checking focus a million times and trying multiple angles I almost always miss the photo. There is always some detail I miss in my haste: tack that is visible, a hair piece askew or a forgotten accessory. Sometimes the location isn’t really what I had in mind, but I’m making do with what I have.
I call all these photos my near-misses. And while they may not be the perfect photo taken in an amazing location, they’re important for my creative process.
The alternative take
While bringing toys on vacation rarely results in a great photo, there is a real value to me in this exercise. It’s never easy for me to carve out the 2–3 hours it takes me to put together figures into photo ideas. But once I have the scenes ready to go, I will take them out multiple times until I get the photo I want.
All those photos I’ve taken on vacation, that I never quite capture, get me closer to the images I’m hoping to achieve. They’re still an important part of the photographic journey.
“Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.”
– Arthur Ashe
I’ve written before about chasing the image, and taking toys on vacation is one aspect of that process. Rarely do I get the perfect photo the first time out. Often, I must play with figure choice, accessories and location multiple times to get the right combination. So, after years of taking toys to exotic locations and trying unsuccessfully to combine toys and vacations, I know it rarely works. But this doesn’t mean I’ll stop trying. There is real value to this creative exercise that gets me closer to what I’m seeking.
Conclusion
I’m sure this alternative take on bringing toys on vacation won’t be popular. We’ve talked about the positive aspects of toys on vacation many times, but rarely the ugly truth. Sure, it’s a fun and silly part of any trip! But for me, it’s also a balancing act that rarely nets an amazing image.
Don’t worry! Even while I reveal this alternative look at taking toys on vacation, I’m not going to stop the activity anytime soon. Experience has taught me that I will probably capture mediocre photos AND annoy my family members. But it’s still valuable for my creative process.
Have you ever taken a winning photo while on vacation?
I hear You Shelly.
This year I have prepared meticulously for my trip. We have planned a visit to the Salt Mine in my home town – Wieliczka and visit to the Błędowska Desert. So I packed a gold digger with a pickaxe and a space miner, as well as a Rey doll, a Javas, a Tusken Raider and of course R2D2 and C3PO I also packed the Landspeeder from Hot Wheels. As you can see, the desert was supposed to be Tatooine.
Both of these expeditions in terms of photography were partially successful. We literally ran through the mine [probably due to sanitary restrictions], I managed to take only two photos, of which I am moderately happy, and regretfully we passed places that were great for photos, but there was no time to stop there. It was better with the desert, my family gave me time to take pictures, which turned out quite well, but for example, I completely forgot about the landspeeder, which did not even leave the bag.
Fortunately, I always take some more universal toys with me, just in case, so I consider the whole stay in my home region to be quite successful.
And I agree, taking toys on vacation is more of a search than finding, but also an exercise in patience, compromise and above all in letting go.
It sounds like your vacation experience was very similar to mine. I too had toys that o packed that never saw the light off day. I did enjoy three photos you posted from this period and I think you did a great job with what time and toys you had. Even though we may not have been a successful as we would have liked, I think the experience makes us more careful with the looking.
I love your last line…an exercise in letting go. So true!!
The irony here is I was a landscape photographer until COVID invaded the world. Lockdown forced me to find a new way to express myself and, as you know, toys became that outlet. My wife and I are currently planning a trip and she is actually excited this time about my photos. She was always patient waiting at the hotel or on site while I was photographing landscapes, but I always knew she would rather be doing something else. When we began planning this trip she was the first to say “You’re bringing some toys, right?” She also said she wants to help me do some setting up of toys to photograph. Who mows, maybe she will become as obsessed as I have. Then again, she may decide it’s just like landscape photos and I obsess over tiny details too much.
Great article as usual but maybe I won’t let my wife read it just yet…
Todd if you look back at my other posts I often say this: taking toys on vacation is hard. But if your wife is in board you’re one step ahead. I hope she will become addicted to this fun hobby as you!! Personally I think having a stylist / extra pair of hands along would be helpful!!
I think the biggest obstacle to great photos is not being familiar with locations and light. I’m sure you had the same issues with landscape photos.
Let me know how it goes!!
I couldn’t agree more. I’ve had difficulties taking pictures on vacation for years now, which is kind of ironic considering I wrote a blog post here titled “I’m a travel photographer” ^^’
I already find it kind of difficult when I’m alone: sometimes it takes me days before figuring out how to take photos in a location I’m not too familiar with.
But the biggest obstacle is not travel itself but what you mention: the social context. Whether it’s with family or friends, I find myself not able to focus on photography. It’s not even that I can’t find time to take photos or I miss the photo, but my brain is too focused on being with people. I’ve now reached a point where I know that if I go on any kind of trip, short or long, with other people, carrying toys in my backpack is more a matter of FOMO than truly planning some photos.
Maëlick I completely agree! I take my toys out of habit and hope! But ultimately I prefer hanging out with my family and friends. Hope springs eternal though.
I don’t photograph toys per se, I photograph dolls, and I’m not sure how welcome that is here (????). But I have become pretty good at what I call “hit and run” photography. Set it up, get the shot, leave. The biggest Issue I have is curious bystanders wanting to chat with me while I’m trying to get the shot, sometimes even standing in my light and casting shadows. I don’t mind talking AFTER I’m done, but grabbing quick shots requires pretty intense concentration.
Wendy thank you for sharing your experience. I agree that taking photos of your toys, no matter how much time you a lot yourself takes concentration. I’m glad you have it down to a science.
And as for as doll photography, of course you’re welcome!! We have much to learn from each other. Welcome to our community!!
I do a lot of hit and run photography with the toys I carry in my purse when I’m out & about. The results are also hit and run – sometimes really good other times not so much. I haven’t been on a big trip with my toys yet so I can’t judge how a vacation trip would affect what I do – Excellent article, Shelly!