“Why?”

That’s a question that’s been looming over me since Shelly first asked that I use it for my introductory post to this shiny new blog. At first I thought it would be easy to explain why I do what I do. I take photographs of LEGO, because I love LEGO! Simple. Submit post. Move on.

I was so wrong. The more I thought about it, the harder I had to search for the answer. What once was a simple, one word question became something much bigger.

Why? Well, why what? Why do I photograph toys? Why do I choose LEGO as my subject? The “why” itself became only the first part of a much larger puzzle. So, I thought back to when I first started taking LEGO photos, a little over three years ago. And this James Allen quote came to mind:

For true success ask yourself these four questions:

Why?

Why Not?

Why Not me?

Why Not Now?

That first photo three years ago may have been the first one I took of a LEGO figure, but it definitely wasn’t the first I’d seen. I’d followed and loved the work of Mike Stimpson and Chris McVeigh for some time. While looking at Mike and Chris’ work, I’d often think to myself, “Man, I wish I could do that…”

That’s where James Allen’s four-part “Why” question comes into focus.

“Why?” Well, I love LEGO, and I think I’d be good at photography. “Why not?” Well, I don’t know if I’d be any good… “Why not me?” Yes! Everyone has to start somewhere. If Mike and Chris could become LEGO photographers, what’s saying that I can’t do it too? And finally, “Why not now?” 

The road to Someday leads to the town of Nowhere

-Tony Robbins

Yes, why not now? If I always “wished” I could become a LEGO photographer, I’d never actually become a LEGO photographer. So I took the plunge, devoted myself to it, and the rest was history.

“Cliffhanger,” my first toy photo!

Fast forward three years and hundreds of photos, and I’m happy to say that I am, legitimately, a LEGO photographer! Now, as I look at the “Why” question, I think of it in terms of my particular style. Why do I take the photos I do, in the way that I do?

Now that is the easy part! I photograph LEGO because I love it. I always have. As a child, I collected it and devoted at least a third of my bedroom to a custom built LEGO city. What I love most is the literal infinite amount of possibilities that LEGO bricks and minifigures present. As a photographer and creative person, what more could I ask for in a subject?

Day Job – If it’s not there in 30 seconds or less, it’s free!

Any followers of my feed will also notice that I take a lot of Star Wars and superhero photos. That’s because those universes mean so much to me, and while I’ll never get the chance to direct a Justice League film or have a hand in the Star Wars universe, I can play around in the worlds I love so much – and inject them and their characters with my own personal brand of humor. I can recreate Tatooine on my desk, or pit Batman against some of his dastardly foes. I can give The Flash a day job as a pizza delivery guy, or show how much Stormtroopers secretly love cats. Again; infinite possibilities await.

In a world of infinite possibilities, there is no space for the impossible.

-Mark Desvaux

lego-stormtrooper

Domesticated

I want to thank Shelly for allowing me to bring some of those possibilities to this blog. I look forward to exploring the “Why” question further, as I continue to learn and grow as a photographer and a storyteller. And, along the way, I hope I can help you discover your own “why.”

–James