Problems afoot

When it comes to this blog post I’ll have to ask you to bear with me. This certainly wasn’t what I was expecting to write about this month. But unfortunately my plans have gone somewhat off the rails.

The year started so well, with positivity and productivity on my part. My recent part in taking photos for the Crazy Arms 2 Kickstarter by Crazy Bricks, (which was successfully funded last week, hooray) had definitely refueled my interest in doing more LEGO photography. I feel I’d been very action figure focused for a while. But with the goodies I’d received from Crazy Bricks, I had some great ideas for something of a personal project as the new year began. I had decided to embark on grand diorama build. Well grand is relative when you’re four bricks tall, right?

But alas, two weeks of furious building has now ground to a halt as I contracted COVID. Since then and over the past two weeks, I’ve been away from my studio setup and my camera — so no chance to finish building said diorama. It was time for a new plan and a new post.

But with no camera available and not being allowed out of the house due to having to self isolate, it wasn’t looking good for a blog post coming together in time. As much as I racked my brains, all my ideas needed new photos. And all of my unused photos had no BTS shots to accompany them. I was at a loss for what to do. But then, when browsing my personal photos, I came across Miniland.

Happy Birthday to me

Last year, and for my 37th birthday, my girlfriend took me to LEGOLAND Windsor (here in the UK). Now this isn’t the first time I’ve been to LEGOLAND. I was taken to Windsor for my 18th birthday and I also visited Bilund when I was very small, 4 or 5, I think. But there’s something about being older that made me appreciate Miniland all the more. Maybe it’s building Creator Expert or Ultimate Collector’s Series sets, and the scale of the builds in question. Who knows?

Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton

If you’ve been to any LEGOLAND, you’ll know that Miniland is typically one of the first things you encounter when you arrive. The world rebuilt in LEGO, from every famous landmark, to miniature versions of cities, to the actual launch of the space shuttle. Ironically, we took a sharp detour the wrong way and didn’t end up here until we were on our way out of the park. But after a day of rollercoasters and rides, and before we hit the shop for some very fortuitous discounts (I was for no clear reason given staff discount when buying the Mos Eisley Cantina. 25% off — happy birthday to me!), we found ourselves wandering through the various fabulous builds on show.

World tour

Now when it comes to my photography efforts on this one, I am throwing it out there straight away, I only had my phone and it was a typical summer’s day in South England. By which I mean it was grey all day, with no interesting light. And we dodged the various drizzles and downpours between the rides all day.

Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
It’s great how the plants are chosen to fit to scale
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
I couldn’t help myself, I still ended up crouched in the shrubbery trying to get to the figures eye level
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
Back in the bushes again
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
Blasted sheep blocking the road
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
It’s the automated cars, boats and trains that bring these scenes to life
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
London’s skyline stretches off to the horizon
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
I always found it interesting that it’s not a world for minifigures
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
Damn photo bombers
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
With the right scene you can still get your framing right
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
Danish canals had all the working bridges. How else would the boats get through?
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
Yes I’m led on the floor at this point
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
Maybe this is where Master Wu hangs out
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
I was so low for this photo that I almost got run over by the train
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
Obviously the windmill worked with rotating sails
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton
I might have been harassing this truck driver
Miniland at Legoland by Tom Milton

Now I may have been running around snapping pics with my phone, but I couldn’t help myself. Some toy photography yoga definitely took place. I guess you just can’t kick the habit of wanting to get to your subject’s eye level. I’m always trying to frame things more accurately I suppose.

I hope you enjoyed this brick-built trip around the world. Usual service will resume next month when, I hope, my plans will be back on track. I have to admit, the diorama build I talked about is nowhere near the scale of what you’ll find at Miniland. But I’m looking forward to get back to work now that COVID is leaving me.