One of the largest issues with toy photography, especially for those of us who shoot primarily in a studio, is finding suitable backgrounds. I recently tried to build my own background using foam and some craft paints. This is the result. I got this idea from a channel I stumbled …
As I write this, the world is rapidly shutting down due to COVID-19, the so-called coronavirus. Like many businesses, my office closed to encourage social isolation, and I am now working from home for the next month. My first thought was, “Woohoo, I don’t have to wear pants!” My second …
It can be intimidating to create art in public places. It can be doubly difficult when that art is a niche thing like toy photography. This post is about how I gained confidence with shooting toys in public. If you are like me, the most intimidating aspect is a fear …
Many of the characters who inspire me come from the pages of comic books. Beyond the characters and stories, comic book covers have a life of their own. Some covers have become iconic and many are proper art in and of themselves. Recreating these covers seems like a natural extension …
Dave’s Log: Toydate 20191114 I preordered a sweet new Optimus Prime action figure from ThreeA Toys today. I can’t wait until it shows up! Dave’s Log: Toydate 2020128 Good News! My new Optimus Prime action figure arrived at my studio today! I don’t have time to play with him right …
The very last thing I did in 2019 was break my foot. This was not my wisest move, and has lead to a lot of problems and frustrations as my ability to be creative with toy photography suffered as a result. I don’t recommend it. It was not a complete …
The background I want for an image depends entirely on what story I want to tell. Sometimes I want an elaborate, realistic image. Other times I want something simple. Sometimes I want pure black. Pure black has all sorts of benefits. I like it because black sets a certain mode …
Happy New Year! Welcome to 2020. A lot of people use this time of year to to reflect on the past year and set goals for the new year. When it comes to my creative self, I dislike setting goals. Art is too much of a fickle mistress to plan …
A Very Special Deadpool Christmas
Sometimes my inner vision is stronger than my real vision. Where one may see a pleasant beach scene, I see an Imperial invasion.
With the right tools complicated shots become easier. Take a peak behind the scenes taken with a Platypod, Lume Cube, and bee smoker.
Over the past few years I’ve really come to love Photoshop. It is an amazing photo editor and allows me to create any world my demented little brain can imagine.
If you are a Star Wars fan, and a toy photographer, you’re likely going to run across an image that contains lightsabers. You may be wondering how such effects are made. There are many ways to create lightsaber effects, however the way I use is to simply do it in …
For my entire toy photography career any non-LEGO shot I took used pre-made models. Aside from some props, what came in the box gets put directly in front of the camera. I was inspired to try something new, and I ended up with this image: This post is a behind-the-scenes …
I have always been fascinated by the way different photographers go about making their images.
Adam Savage, the famous MythBuster, is fond of saying, “I reject your reality, and substitute my own.” With clever use of toys and Photoshop, substituting one’s own reality becomes child’s play.
On my last post, a review of the LEGO Creator Harley-Davidson Fat Boy, I got an interesting comment. I love getting comments on my posts, and I try to respond to as many as I can. However some comments inspire a more in -depth answer. This post is one of …
The profile of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle is a classic sight on American highways.
A while ago I was browsing all the options at the LEGO store, and I noticed something intriguing. I had an idea, and I had the strongest desire to see if I was correct. So I ordered a Technic BMW Motorcycle, and a Boba Fett buildable figure. I really didn’t …
On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong became the first human to walk on the moon. How did he get there? In the most powerful rocket ever made by mankind, the Saturn V. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the first time man walked on an extraterrestrial surface, and brought …
