Toy Photographers Podcast

Toy Photographers
Toy Photographers Podcast

The official podcast of ToyPhotographers.com! James Garcia interviews photographers around the world who are turning LEGO, action figures, miniatures, custom creations, and more into amazing works of art.

  1. 05/09/2022

    ’Newbies’ chat with Ben Piper

    In this final installment of the special miniseries focused on toy photography from the beginner's perspective, Terri (@greenehenphotography) and Ariel (@those_wonderful_toys) had the opportunity to chat with Ben Piper of Project Piper Customs (@projectpipercustoms)--what a treat! Toy photography has opened up such world of opportunities and a world of creativity for us all; whether we came to toy photography through our love of toys or our love of photography (or somewhere in between), we've all found a home where we can create, share, inspire, be inspired, and collaborate. What better to wrap up our series than to chat with another member of the community who, like so many, came to the craft of toy photography through the hobby of collecting and, later, customizing toys. Ben Piper is a UK-based creative and photographer, and his passion is evident not only in his creations but also in his photographs, his YouTube videos, and his social media channels--and, of course, in this conversation! Listen in as we chat about: How Ben's journey to toy photography began and where it's taken him How he views development and growth as a personal "leveling up" process How he views social media, the algorithms, and growth The case against needing allllll the gear--especially when just starting out The power of community and how reaching out to others forges friendships and collaborations Why he decided to share his process and tips via YouTube Advice for new and aspiring toy photographers You can find Ben on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/projectpipercustoms), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/projectpipercustoms/), and YouTube (https://www.youtube.com). And be sure to check out Ben's series on YouTube focused on beginners--each episode is chock-full of fantastic info!

    1h 3m
  2. 02/07/2022

    How toy photographers share Hygge

    For our January podcast challenge Sabrina (@theperrylegoadventures) and Shelly Corbett  challenged the community to show us their best hygge themed photos! We were so pleased by the response with over 50 entires this month! Clearly we all need to share a little hygge to combat the winter and Covid blahs! What is hygge? The urban dictionary defines it as A Danish word (pronounced HU-guh) meaning social coziness. I.e. the feeling of a good social atmosphere. Urban Dictionary While most people associate a feeling of hygge with winter, it can be enjoyed in any season. Hygge's origins are from 18th century Norway but the Danes have embraced it and made it their own. According to visit Denmark - "in essence, hygge means creating a warm atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life with good people. The warm glow of candlelight is hygge. Cozying up with a loved one for a movie - that's hygge, too. And there's nothing more hygge than sitting around with friends and family, discussing the big and small things in life. Perhaps hygge explains why the Danes are some of the happiest people in the world" According to our toy photography community coffee, hot chocolate, reading, going on walks, eating good food and sitting by the fireplace all represent hygge! Check out our discussion and make sure you check out all the fabulous images from the tag #tp_sharehygge. This past month we learned that we ALL need a little more hygge in our lives! As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts! Are you new to toy photography? If so, what questions do you have? Not new to the gig? Share your insights and advice—we’d love to learn from you! Leave a comment below or join our communities on MeWe, Facebook, or Instagram!

    45 min
  3. 01/31/2022

    A conversation with Tom Milton

    Cinematic. That’s the word that comes to mind with even a quick glance at Tom Milton’s (@tomtommilton) images. Look further, and you’ll probably have a question: how does he do it? A few parts vision and inspiration, a boatload of talent, a fair share of intention—oh, and a really big and heavy camera setup!  In this episode of the Toy Photographers Podcast, Shelly Corbett (@shellycorbettphotography)interviews Tom, someone whose work she’s admired for years. We’ll learn how Tom creates his images using two lenses (yup, two!!)—a fairly standard prime and an anamorphic lens bolted to that one. Manually focusing not only but two lenses and balancing a setup that weighs quite a few kilos, Tom’s images represent his style, vision, and intent.  Listen in as Shelly and Tom discuss: Tom’s background as an artist and his journey as a toy photographer  How Tom’s setup and process forces him to slow down and how slowing down influences his craft The ways photography—and toy photography in particular—encourage you to look at the world differently The role of everyday objects, familiar places, and DIY ingenuity in Tom’s images His influences—from the cinematographer Roger Deakinsto Star Wars, LEGO, and popular culture  The amazing year Tom had in 2021—including winning the Lego Build and Capture Photo Contest 2021on Flickr with this incredible image How Tom attributes his range and ability to a matter of choosing what’s right/best to tell the story he wants to tell Tom’s favorite memories of 2021 (and it’s such an inspiring answer) Tom’s take on social media and his creative vision The two blog posts he’s written in the last year that stand out to him the most: “How Far Would You Go to Photograph a Toy?”and “Welcome to Mustafar” Goals and vision for 2022 Advice for new toy photographers As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts! Are you new to toy photography? If so, what questions do you have? Not new to the gig? Share your insights and advice—we’d love to learn from you! Leave a comment below or join our communities on MeWe, Facebook, or Instagram!

    1h 5m
5
out of 5
36 Ratings

About

The official podcast of ToyPhotographers.com! James Garcia interviews photographers around the world who are turning LEGO, action figures, miniatures, custom creations, and more into amazing works of art.

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