Here are a few questions to ponder before jumping right in. Is action figure photography expensive? How will learning lighting on a small scale help me on a larger scale? Also, an action figure photography help me explore my creative side?

Taking pictures of action figures does not have to be expensive. Some action figure photographers spend a ton of money to purchase large-scale or highly detailed action figures. I would not recommend starting off this way. Invest the money in making a detailed scene that makes the photo come to life. I started off with fifteen-dollar Toy Story action figures. Believe it or not, these twelve-inch figures are highly poseable and look fairly realistic for such a low price point. Maybe you have action figures lying around at home that has been loved by your children. Those are free and can be used to make great photos as well. Side note here: notice I said “make” great photos. That is something I’ve thought a lot about recently…the difference between “taking” and “making” photos. The photos that stand out are usually the ones someone spent time creating, versus quickly snapping a picture of something they saw. Of course, this is not always the case, but it might be something worth considering. Now, back to purchasing items for action figure photography. A dollar store is a great place to find inexpensive items to set up a scene. Foam core makes great walls for a diorama. Next, you can use wrapping paper or scrapbook paper to glue to the foam core to create realistic-looking wallpaper. Once the walls are set, think of what you want the action figures to be doing. Placing action figures in a room, standing or sitting without them doing something, is nothing more than taking a picture of an action figure inside of its box…not very exciting. After you have a vision for what they are doing, consider the props you want to include to help the figures come alive. For example, if the action figures are watching TV on the couch, one of them might be holding a remote out toward the television, while the other is scooping popcorn into their mouth. You can find items at a dollar store to help create props, too. This can help to keep the cost down. Once you have an idea of what you want the figures to do, but you don’t have a clear vision for it yet, consider the storytelling aspect of photography. Every photo should evoke an emotion and/or tell a story.

What is the story behind the photo? Some of the best photos have a story to go along with them. The story might be about why the photographer took the photo, or where they were when they shot it. But, usually, the best photos tell the story for the photographer. An action figure standing in a scene, looking straight at the camera, does not convey a sense of purpose in the photo. So, think of the story you want to tell. The story can be something as simple as the action figure doing something it wouldn’t normally do. For example, going back to the Toy Story action figures I have used—the whole idea of toys playing while no one is watching is intriguing to me. So, I began to brainstorm ideas of what Woody would do while no human eye is watching. From here, I looked to see what other toys I already had to utilize in the scene. I found large Legos, Mr. Potato Head, and a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. From here, I picked a place in the house that had a neutral background (to eliminate distraction) and a spot where I could either use some natural light, or I could easily set up a flash that would be able to bounce to create soft light. The kitchen seemed to be the best spot to check all of these boxes. After that, I thought about what Woody and his friends would be doing in the kitchen. See how I am creating a story. Preparation is key in action figure photography. If you are stuck here and you cannot think of what you want the action figures to be doing, do not despair, seek help. There is nothing wrong with looking to the work of others for inspiration. That is exactly what I did. Is this called copying? Well, I did not use the same toys in my photo (except for Woody), the scene was different and the lighting was not at all the same. I look at it as inspiration. So, Woody is in the kitchen with his friends. He grabs the grape jelly and yellow mustard, as well as the cell phone charger cable he sees lying around. Next, he builds a set of stairs out of Legos, which he climbs to tie the cable around the two bottles to create a tightrope. What does he do next? Yes, of course, he grabs something to juggle while walking across the tightrope. And, where are his friends while all of this takes place? Mr. Potato Head and Michaelangelo (he’s the purple one, right?!) are staring up at him with their hands stretched toward him, almost as if to say “tada”.

Alright, that is the overdramatized version of the scene I created, but the point is, the photo leaves the viewer questioning and thinking about what transpired in order for Woody to end up where he is. The photo shows Woody doing something, not just being “an action figure”. Suffice it to say, creating a story for the viewer draws them into the photo and evokes emotion that leaves them desiring more, or at the very least thinking, wow, that’s one creative photographer. Another important aspect of photography that often leaves people in awe of photos is creative lighting.

Practicing lighting a small scene in action figure photography can be an invaluable lesson to help light scenes with actual people. Picture a scene with three walls, where three action figures, Buzz, Woody, and Jessie are playing a game of Catan. They are seated at the living room table with the board game laid out in front of them and not to mention a few snacks to go along with it. Who doesn’t love a good old-fashioned Hershey’s bar to snack on during game night? How should one light this scene?

Diffuser set on top of foam board walls with light shining at an angle from above

Well, consider what the lighting would look like if this were a real scene with people playing in their living room. Do you want the lights to mimic overhead living room lights, or do you want the light to come from another source like a window? Of course, there isn’t actually an overhead light or window in the scene, but here is where playing around with lighting can teach you how light functions. For this scene I described to you, I used a Litra Torch because of the ability to easily adjust the intensity and angle of the light within the scene. In addition, I shined the Litra light through a diffuser to spread the light more evenly, avoiding harsh light and/or shadows.

Behind the Scenes: camera to the left, diffuser to the right, Litra Torch 2.0 & wired remote in the middle

This still left me to figure out which direction the light should come from and how high or low to hold the light to perfectly light the set. Before firing the camera, I looked to see where the light was falling and where there were heavy, dark shadows. Then, I moved the light around, front-to-back and side-to-side, while watching to see how the light changed in the scene. I specifically watched to see how the light affected the eyes of the action figures. Just like I would want the human eye to be lit in this type of scene, I also wanted the action figures’ eyes to be seen. Once I got the light where I thought I wanted it, then I began to take test shots. Taking time to see where the light falls with the naked eye before jumping to taking photos can save a lot of time and frustration when the photos just are not coming out how you’d like them to. I learned a bunch about light by “playing” around with it. I might have played with the light more than I did with the action figures.

Speaking of playing, let’s touch on posing. Here is the part where you get to play around with the figures before photographing them. But, before you do, looking at images of humans doing the action the figure will be doing can help make the photo look more realistic. You can also do the action yourself and take notice of your hand position, stance, head angle, etc. The slightest adjustment to the angle of the hand can take a photo from looking staged to a more natural and realistic-looking one. Next, consider the angle. When posing action figures, positions that look great from one angle might not look so great from another. Before introducing the camera, look at the posed figures from multiple angles, horizontally and vertically. Once you believe you’ve found a vantage point that looks good, then place the camera in that spot and use live view mode (if your camera has this setting) to see the scene “through the camera”. The advantage to using live view mode first is to be able to see all parts of the photo with both eyes while looking for distractions within the scene. At this point, you can even take the photo using live view mode, if you prefer. If not, at least you have viewed the whole scene almost as if it was an actual photo. One thing to look out for when you pose is overlapping objects, especially the arms of figures that cross over each other. I cannot tell you how many times I posed the figures from above, only to find out when I lower my viewing angle, the arm of one figure is in front of another. Their arms are typically away from their bodies, up in the air or out in front of them. This is why there are instances where one part of a figure’s body might cross over another and it typically does not look good.

This helpful hint might not fall under a specific section, but I want to share it anyway. To create the scene with Buzz, Woody, and Jessie playing Catan, there were a few other props that were needed in order to create the reality you see in the photo. In the background, there are photos of the characters. To create real-looking photos, I printed the framed photo on real, semi-glossy photo paper. In addition to that, I wrapped the printed photo around a small piece of foam core and glued it to the back to create a 3D framed photo. These are the small details that can add to the photo. Behind the table, there are boxes of actual games that I also printed, then folded to create a realistic-looking game box. These small touches are not super expensive, but they can be time-consuming. I could go into more detail on how I created all of the props in the scene, but I will leave that for another time. Sometimes, all of the small details add up to a lot in the end because they help create a feel that would otherwise be missing. In this case, a realism that portrays real toys, playing with real toys.

As I mentioned earlier, an important piece of all of this that made it all possible is showcasing photos. First off, I would not have had the creative vision for this photo (and several others I am currently working on) without someone taking the time to showcase their work. I cannot always pull ideas out of thin air and often look to others to help spark my creativity. Thankfully, someone took the time to put together their best work to share with others. Through their work, I was able to find enjoyment in a type of photography I would have otherwise discounted. But, in order to choose the best work to send out into the digital world, being able to properly organize photos and choose which ones to share is crucial. For me, using a Work in Progress (WIP) folder, as well as a Final Edits one, helps me to keep my photos organized. There are times when I have edited a photo, but there seems to be something missing. For some reason, I cannot put my finger on it at that moment, and going back to the photo at a later time will save me the hassle and embarrassment of publishing a photo before it’s ready. On the other hand, the Final Edits folder will contain photos that are ready for the world to see or just a handful of people I choose; it’s up to me. What makes this all possible is a great service called SlickPic. Through SlickPic, you can organize your work into folders and choose who you would like to share them with. You can even choose to make the photos private so they are only visible to you. Once you’ve chosen photos you want to share as a part of a portfolio to gain clients, SlickPic will be there to help you create a professional portfolio website. You can choose from many different layouts or you can leave it to a SlickPic designer to do it all for you. It is really that easy. Now that I have created several images using action figures, what do I do with them? First, I upload them to SlickPic, then I decide on when to share them with the community. SlickPic has a community of photographers I can share my work with. It is a great place to gain exposure and possibly gain business. It is a great place to showcase your photos for the world to see or only a small community of people (if you so choose). SlickPic is designed so you have the control to choose. I don’t know about you, but I have taken many photos that sat on an external hard drive for years, hiding away, until SlickPic gave me a place to organize and share those photos. Now, I enjoy taking pictures even more because I feel as if they have a purpose.

If you want to see some work from the pros I mentioned earlier, here are a few links:
https://www.duaneshootstoys.com/
https://www.youtube.com/c/sirdork730
https://www.mitchelwutoyphotography.com/

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If you like nature and you are looking for a bit of a photographic challenge, you might want to consider photographing birds.  Maybe you are already into bird photography, but you are quite getting the types of shots you are hoping for.  Here, I will take some time to share some tips and tricks that will help you get the shots you have been waiting for.  Be prepared though, as I mentioned earlier, it will be challenging.  It takes practice to get the shots you see the “pros” taking.  

Do Some Research

The first step is to do research on the bird(s) you want to photograph.  Research can take many forms.  You can search for information on the Internet and in books, but you can also research birds by watching them.  I might even dare to say, this type of research will go farther in making the great photos you want to see than doing a Google search.  This is not to downplay the importance of researching the species of birds in your area or where you can find them, so you can go and watch them.  But, observing their habits and behaviors in their natural habit might be some of the best research you can do.

It might take several trips to the same location to determine what time of day a certain species visits that spot.  You might find there isn’t a specific time of day it visits, while that might not be ideal for shooting them, it is good information for you to have.  You might also find another species you want to photograph more, which might lead you back to research step number one, Google.  In addition to visiting locations at different times of day, try to visit different times of the year.  Not only could the subject of your shots change, for example nesting eagles in the winter, but the visibility you have could also change.  This year, I visited a nest of eagles several times over several months.  I was able to see the eaglettes grow from tiny babies into almost fully grown juvenile eagles.  What I did not account for during my visits, was how drastically the visibility of the nest changed from the winter to the summer months.  As the leaves grew back on the tree branches, I was scarcely able to get a clear photo of the eagles in their nest.  Lesson learned….I still enjoyed watching these eagles grow, but my photos were not so great.

Observe Before you Shoot

Once you’ve nailed down a location or a couple you would like to continue to visit, be ready to go and observe.  Before even lifting the camera to take a shot, look around.  What is the lighting like?  Is it consistent or are there well-lit areas and shadowy areas?  What type(s) of birds are there?  Are they moving from spot-to-spot?  Are they intimidated by your presence?  Are they interacting with each other, or with other birds there?  Spend some time looking for behavior and action because those are the ingredients that typically make some of the best bird photos.  

“Bird on a Stick”

There’s a term photographers have coined called “bird on a stick”.  Bird on stick refers to a photo where a bird is stationary on an object, usually a stick.  If you like “bird on a stick” photography, that’s okay.  What I will say, though, is that “bird on a stick” photos don’t typically stand out as much as action shots of birds doing something. Again, photos of birds strategically placed in their natural habitat can be absolutely stunning.  In fact, I’d venture to say it’s important to practice photographing stationary birds before attempting to capture birds in action, but the action shots are usually the ones that grab the viewer’s attention. The preparation that goes into capturing action shots (and just being in the right place at the right time—-more on that later), helps them to be the ones that usually stand out to people because they show something that isn’t seen every day.  In fact, it might have taken the photographer ten trips back to the same location at five different times of day to nail that shot.  

My Lucky Break

Talk about being in the right place at the right time— I visited a spot for the first time ever.  It was a beach location where seagulls, oystercatchers and various other birds spend their time hunting for food.  About five minutes into the trip, while on the way to a group of seagulls, out of the corner of my eye, I see something huge flop down into the water about twenty feet away.  I look over to see this huge mass of a dark blob on top of the water.  Before I could think of what to do next, this dark blob started to ascend into the air.  It was an osprey that had just caught its lunch. 

Fortunately for me, it turned around and flew back toward me just in time for me to snatch a few shots of it with a fish in its talons.  I have visited this location twice more since, to find some gulls and that’s about it.  Although this may seem to contradict what I said earlier about visiting several times before getting “the shot”, there are times when just being in the right place at the right time is the way to get the shot.  I’d venture to say, the odds increase as you visit and spend more time in a location, though.  

Adjust Your Camera Settings

If you aren’t set up to take a photo in the location you’re currently at, the right place or right time won’t matter at all.  Prior to walking the beach, I made sure my camera settings were already set for the photos I was anticipating.  I considered at least two very important things: the exposure and moving objects.  What does this matter?  If I am prepared to shoot a moving bird, I most likely use focus tracking.  Of course, the exposure is important but also balancing the right shutter speed for a moving bird, while getting a proper exposure is just as important.  These are things I considered before stepping foot on the beach and this is the reason I was able to quickly capture a shot of a flying osprey when I wasn’t ready for it.

What should you look for when preparing a spot to photograph?  Are there distracting colors or objects in the background?  Is my subject far enough away from the background for it to be blurry? Do I want the background in or out of focus?  How much of the scene/environment do I want in the shot?  Where do I want to place the subject in the frame?  Once you figure this out, take a test shot to see if all of what you’re hoping for appears in the scene.  It’s okay if the bird isn’t in the frame yet, make sure everything else is set so you are ready when it is. 

Going back to something I mentioned earlier, “bird on a stick” or a term that I think I coined, “swan on a pond” (we’ll see if it catches on)—Before taking to the streets to photograph birds in action, I practiced with stationary birds in my backyard.  I think it is important to learn your camera before venturing out to take action photos.  I set up natural-looking bird feeders to get natural looking photos.  If you take a medium-sized limb from a tree and cut a piece, you can bore a long trench down the center.  Then, melt some suet for a short amount of time in the microwave.  Fill the trench in the limb with the suet and hang it in a location where you can control the background and every other aspect previously mentioned.  Wait for the birds to come and be ready to fire away.  I spent hours in the doorway with the slider door slightly ajar, with my camera poking out, so I could capture woodpeckers feeding.  It was well-worth the effort.  This was taken from right inside the house, with a Sigma 150-600mm lens.

 I was able to spend time waiting for the right moment without the pressure of having just driven far to possibly come home with nothing.

On that note, be prepared to come home with “nothing”.  There are days you might venture out and come home to a memory card filled with photos to delete.  But, remember, even though you came home with no photos to share, you did not come home “empty handed”.  In fact, the time you invested in learning about the birds you desire to photograph and how to set your camera to take these photos is worth it.  Eventually, this type of investment will lead to the kind of photos you are hoping to take. 

To Sum it Up

If I could sum it up, practice using your camera and research the subject you want photos of as often and as much as possible.  Be prepared before taking the shot by knowing your subject and by having your camera settings set before the action begins.  Most importantly, don’t get frustrated when you don’t immediately land the types of shots you see others getting.  Who knows how long they spent waiting for that shot or how many years of practice it took them to get where they are.  

How SlickPic Can Help

To track the progress of your bird photography journey, consider a SlickPic account.  I have used SlickPic to store bird photos.  It is amazing to be able to see the progress I have made and to keep track of the places I have visited with organized folders.  Slickpic can help you to organize your photos so you know where you were when you took certain photos and it can also help you share your amazing work.  Check it out!        

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