Collector Spotlight: Greg’s Toy Photography
In this feature, I interview collectors and feature photos and information about their collections. If you have an awesome collection or know someone who does and would like to suggest someone for a Collection Spotlight, please drop me a note to let me know!
Today’s spotlight is a little different from the past ones. This time I’m talking with Greg, a collector and talented photographer who focuses on getting awesome studio shots of his collection.
Mechazilla: Can you give me a little background on yourself?
Greg: I’m a 33 year old IT geek by day and toy geek and photo geek by night. A trifecta of geeky goodness, indeed.
Mechazilla: When did you start collecting, and what got you into it?
Greg: The day I stopped being a kid with his toys and transitioned to collector was the day I rode my ten-speed to Jamesway to buy the first TMNT action figures. I guess toys are in my blood and always were.
Mechazilla: Can you tell me about your collection? Do you collect any particular toy lines, characters, etc?
Greg: I have a lot of toys but my true loves are the Batmobiles and Batman figures and statues. It took me 20 years to finally get a Super Powers Batmobile and it’s one of my favorite toys.
Mechazilla: When did you get into toy photography, and what got you into that?
Greg: I’ve only been into toy photography for a little over a year. I took photography in high school but that was an awfully long time ago. I got a 5MP camera and the only thing constantly around was the toys. I started out just using them to practice my technical skills. I never expected that I’d start doing it for clients.
Mechazilla: What sorts of equipment do you use for your photography?
Greg: I use a Canon Powershot A640 10MP camera. It’s ‘technically’ a point and shoot but it has full manual capabilities and an excellent macro focus so it works just fine. My main lightbox is actually a translucent shelving unit that I purchased at Target for under $20. My main incandescent lights are in $6 fixtures from Wal-Mart and my 500w halogen rig was bought for under $30 at Home Depot.
Mechazilla: Do you have a studio space set up, or do you put your photo pieces together and break them down as you go?
Greg: I have a ‘studio’ of sorts in my basement. It’s just a whole lot of shelves littered with playsets and other diorama materials. Everything pretty much stays up all the time. I just move the tripod to whatever shelf I want to work at.
Mechazilla: Do you have a favorite toy photo (or photos) you’ve taken?
Greg: I finally managed to get an Abe Sapien figure from Mezco and I took a series of photos in the fresh snow in my backyard with him and Hellboy. It was twilight and I had an LED flashlight to add enough light to get a shot.
Mechazilla: In your opinion, what makes a good toy photo?
Greg: Any photo that makes you look at a toy and you say “I have to get one of those!” is a great toy photo. I don’t know the formula for making such an image but every once in a while I stumble onto it. Out of over 10,000+ photos shot, I think I’ve hit the mark three times.
Mechazilla: Do you have any advice for someone who might be looking into toy photography as a hobby?
Greg: Get a camera with manual settings. It’s the only way to get control of what the camera sees.
Mechazilla: Anything else you’d like to share?
Greg: Take a lot of shots of the same thing. Take a shot, change the exposure, take it again, change the exposure, repeat. For every shot I post, I took at least three more and chose the best.
Learn what ISO and f-stop and white balance are and how they affect your final shot.
Don’t be afraid to try something absurd. Cool shots usually ensue.
If you see an image you love and want to know how it’s done, don’t be afraid to ask the photographer. Most of what I learned was from asking better photographers than me on Flickr.
Mechazilla: Thank you for taking the time to talk with me! I look forward to seeing lots more of your photos in the future.
You can see all of Greg’s portfolio of photos in his Flickr account:
