Practice Makes Permanence
I went into this travel week with high expectations. With my upcoming group show just around the corner I was hoping for just one more killer image to include. As the week progressed I realized that the most important task at hand was not the perfect image but practicing my craft. I took the focus off the […]
To Thine Own Self Be True
When I first began blogging, it was just myself and my friend Boris. Then we invited one of the most influential toy photographers of all time to join us: Avanaut. We invited Vesa (his given name) to join us because we will be putting on a group show of toy [photography in 2015. It is very hard […]
Help! Who Should Be My Travel Buddies?
One of the ways my family copes with the chaos of the holidays is we escape them. Next week we are off on another travel adventure that will undoubtedly include some outdoor toy photography. I have to start packing my Lego mini figures soon, but I don’t know which ones? Frankly I’m overwhelmed and a bit frazzled going into […]
Bridging the Gap
On IG the other day I came across a comment that touched a nerve: I feel like a jerk posting images of awesome things with the shiddyest (sic) camera. I love those high quality shots just as much as any other Lego fan. But at the end of the day, it’s just a bunch of […]
To Each His Own Way Be True
Artists have varying ways of working. Some like to pre-visualize their image. Others make elaborate sketches before they begin setting up their scene. And others, like me, simply shoot from the hip. When I pack my mini figs for an outing I will take 20-40 mini figs with me always keeping in mind my destination and their relationships. I […]
Say It Loud…
It’s not easy being a toy photographer. If you happen to take photos of Lego outside I’m sure you’ve had a few awkward moments. You know the ones I’m talking about, the ones where people look at you in that weird “What are you doing?” sort of way. Or how about the time you told […]
The Marketing Beast
I have been reading Show Your Work, the follow-up to Steal Like an Artist. I can’t say I am as enamored with it as I was with his first book. I was really hoping it would be full of interesting tidbits that would spark interesting conversations and future blog posts. But all it has done is make […]
I Need a Plan
I’m running as fast as I can and it’s not fast enough. I am trying to be a full time artist on a part time basis. This is a fools errand and I think I may end up making myself crazy. My husband and I talk about the tradeoff between keeping the photography fun and […]
Few and Far Between
Twelve significant photographs in any one year is a good crop. Ansel Adams The godfather of the zone system, Ansel Adams, knew what he was talking about. Great photos, significant photos, are few and far between. This is still true in this day and age when every one has a digital camera and the feedback loop is […]
Another Kind of Diary
Painting is just another way of keeping a diary Pablo Picasso This also applies to me and my photography. I love to look back at my photos and think about where I took them and who was with me at the time. Each photo is an instant flash back to (mostly) wonderful memories. This past […]