The Raptor Pack Day
April the 22nd, just like every 22nd since 2013 was Raptor Pack Day; a day where the Toy Dino Squad invite us to share our dinosaur photographs.
I’ve played along in the past. I’m a forgetful knucklehead and the 22nd either slips past me, or it’s on 22nd that I’m reminded by seeing someone’s dino post (usually the 22nd for them on the other side of the world so it’s the 23rd for me?), but when I do remember, or I’m reminded, I join in.
“Come at me bro!”
This Oviraptor was a lovely gift from @jagsaurus for winning last month’s Raptor Pack Day.
Chatting with Jaiken(@dinoczars), co-creator of @tds_rex and the #toydinosquad tag, I was shocked to hear that these monthly gatherings only amass around 5-10 participants nowadays.
Let’s go where the raptor goes
To the mountain in a cosmic glow
We’ll have a genuine terrestrial show
On a mountain, on a mountain
Bad Religion – Beyond Electric Dreams
There’s been a lot of talk lately about disappointment and disenchantment with Instagram. I’ve been one of those voices, disappointed with the current state of affairs; stories, algorithms, shadow banning etc. I long for the salad days.
So serious
About the stuff we lack
Dwell upon our memories
But there are no facts
Minor Threat – Salad Days
Save the Raptor
However, despite our current misgivings, Instagram has given us some truly wonderful things, and Raptor Pack Day is one of them. The guys behind these monthly gatherings have given us four years of connecting toy photographers from all over the world through dinosaurs. I’ve discovered some amazing toy photographers through the Raptor Pack Days’ tag; toy photographers that I would’ve never known about, like @jagsaurus, if it weren’t for theses monthly gatherings.
“What do we want? Raptor Pack Day! When do we want it? ROAAARRR!”
The Raptor Pack Days don’t care what form these dinosaurs come in. The Raptor Pack doesn’t discriminate; LEGO, Safari Ltd., Schleich, Christmas cracker dinosaurs are all welcome.
The sky broke down
That rainy sound
Gotta save me
Dinosaur Jr. – They Always Come
For these reasons, and many more, we should be thankful. And we should be doing all we can to keep the Raptor Pack Days going!
How about we all jump on board and give this great day a much-needed injection of participation? I don’t ask for much, but if you could post your Dino photos on the 22nd of this month with the #toydinosquad tag (and every month after this one), and show the Toy Dino Squad some much deserved appreciation and love, I’d be grateful.
-Brett
Let’s not let the Raptor Pack Day go the way of the dinosaurs!
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Thanks for the love, support and rawrsome write-up.
I really appreciate this thoughtful spotlight being pointed at our global Raptor Pack.
Thank you for the Raptor Pack Jon!
I love Raptor Pack Day! And not just because Jon is my friend, but because it gives me a chance to step outside my LEGO box. I now have a nice selection of raptors, both the LEGO and non-lego varieties. I enjoy photographing both equally. I even ordered a new raptor to take with me on the SF Toy Safari. Yup, come the 22nd I will be ready!!
Me too! Both the love, and the new toys! My lovely Oviraptor gift from the last Raptor Pack Day has got me hooked on “yet another” line of toys. I’ve been scouring the interwebs and the local stores to find him some friends to play with! 😀
I admit, the Raptor Pack has completely eluded me. But such is the nature of Instagram I guess, following so many people and their crazy algorithm for what you get to see when sees a lot of things not get presented to the viewer.
I despise the ephemeral nature of Instagram and Facebook, well most social media I guess. Once scrolled, never to be seen again.
If we’re talking about salad days, let’s talk about Flickr… not their new “feed” that is trying to combat the rise of the others, but their groups, their community. I miss those days. I’m thankful it’s still there, but saddened that it’s not used as much as it once was, that its light is fading and that it may well be gone in a year or two with the shuffling of Yahoo’s assets.
And again, though I’ve said it before, that’s why I’m evermore grateful for the resurgence of the blogs like this one, creating a snapshot of the toy photography community, an archive that is so much more accessible than Facebook, Instagram and even Google+ will let us be.
I’ll have to find his pieces of the one dinosaur I have and put him back together before May 22nd and join in on the Raptor Pack days.
Missing things is unfortunately the norm nowadays. And that’s why I felt it necessary to shine the spotlight on the Raptor Pack.
I’m glad this post has brought these fantastic days to your attention (take that algorithm!) and can’t wait to see your Dino shots!
I’m in, but I have two questions:
1) raptors only, or are herbivores invited too?
1) IG only, or can we use Google+?
I asked Jon, and he answered that “technically they like to focus on raptors”, but they’re “pretty loose” so they’d appreciate all contributions. And yes, it’s an IG thing, but he did say “who knows what could be next?”.
Hope that answers your questions mate, and hope to see your dinos on the 22nd!
Tony, Please don’t let the ‘rules’ stop you! Every once in a while I will post a photo of a T-Rex. Because honestly, who’s going to say she cant crash the party!
I’m more of a Triceratops kinda girl, but I do have one raptor and I’ll be sure to take a photo of her for the 22nd! Thanks for letting me know about the Raptor Pack Day!
Yay! More dino friends! 😀
I would love to be a part of this! I’ve marked my calendar. I’ve been meaning to play around with some dinosaur shots – this will be the perfect excuse. Thank you.
Yay! More dino friends on the 22nd!! 😀
I’ve always tried to add my two cents to raptor pack day – but I’ve got to admit I’m so busy these days its a wonder I’m posting anything at all. On another note I’m running out of raptors to take pics of as my papo raptor has left me feeling rather inspirationally flat as of late.