Reflector: Your Enlightened Friend
Learn how to use reflectors to turn flat images into well-lit masterpiece, all without the need for additional artificial lights.
Category: How To…
The Scary Leap from Concept to Creation
Adam Burke shows a toy photo mashup three years in the making: Disney Toybox Monsters Inc. meets NECA horror’s scariest killers.
Learn to Light Your Toy Photography, Part 2: Modifiers
Light can be daunting for the beginner to understand. This post offers Dave’s advice for beginners to help remove the mystery of lighting.
Learn to Light Your Toy Photography, Part 1: Angles
Light can be daunting for the beginner to understand. Enjoy this essential guide to lighting for new toy photographers.
BAAM! Create Practical Sand Effects in Your Toy Photos
Practical effects can be fun. The BAAM! drain cleaner is useful for adding a burst of compressed air to energize your toy photography.
Meet DTG Figures: Toy Photographer Turned Action Figure Customizer
When you’ve been scrolling through toy photographers on Instagram for a few years, sometimes it all starts to look the same. The same action figures, the same action scenes, the same clever cinematic effects, the same dramatic lighting. Though I never really tire of the endless variations on the same …
Quick Tips: Shooting Toys in the Snow
Toy photography in the snow is a great deal of fun. These tips will help make the most out of your next winter shoot.
How to Photograph LEGO Cities
Learn how to effectively photograph large LEGO cities using a very special Ninjago MOC, from wide shots to details.
So You Want a Beskar Mando? Try This Custom Black Series Project
Learn to turn your Star Wars the Black Series Mandalorian action figure into a custom beskar armor version with articulated cape.
Tips & Tricks: Building Backgrounds from Your Recycle Bin
Toy photography doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Learn how to build effective backgrounds using items from your recycling bin.
Diorama: A Tutorial, Part 4 of 4
Properly scaled backgrounds are hard to find. This tutorial series walks through building a simple diorama for 6″ action figures.
Diorama: A Tutorial, Part 3 of 4
Properly scaled backgrounds are hard to find. This tutorial series walks through building a simple diorama that is properly scaled for 6″ action figures.
Tips & Tricks: Indiana Jones Sunset Silhouette Effect
Alan offers a simple tutorial for creating a sunset silhouette with your toy photography. All it requires is a light source and some household items.
Diorama: A Tutorial, Part 2 of 4
Properly scaled backgrounds are hard to find. This series walks through building a simple diorama that is properly scalled for 6″ action figures.
Diorama: A Tutorial, Part 1 of 4
Dave offers simple tips for making a brick wall diorama for your toy photography. Part 1 of this four-part series covers carving the foam wall.
Customizing 6-Inch Action Figures with Jon Black (@12parsecscustoms)
Star Wars 6-inch action figure customizer Jon Black, @12parsecscustoms on Instagram, shares his process, sources and tips for making custom figures.
Shooting Into the Sun
Putting the sun directly in the background of your shot can make a dramatic image. Follow this tutorial to learn how to do it with your toy photography.
Troopers in the Mist: Creating Atmosphere
Atmosphere can be a fantastic element to your toy photography. We explore three options for doing so with Matt Frederick.
Mia the Rabbit: Shooting a Custom Plush Character
Mia Rabbit is a small quiet bunny who loves to travel and eat sweets. Danboard—the cardboard box character from Japan’s YOTSUBA&! anime—first inspired me to create my own character. I started shooting Danboard in 2009 for fun, and in that same year I went to New York to shoot backstage …
The Floor Is Lava: Creating a Diorama for Multiple Scales
Remember that game played as kids? “THE FLOOR IS LAVA!!!” Furniture became the high ground where play and fantasy ruled the day. One of the reasons I (and I’ll assume many other toy photographers) do this kind of work is just that – play and fantasy. For me its entirely detached from my career as a professional creative (although it does make use of related skills). Toy photography is a chance to create just for fun. And its a rabbit hole…