30/365: I'll Let You Guys Handle This30/365: I'll Let You Guys Handle This

Been mulling this idea around for a week or so. I kept putting it off because I knew it would take awhile to get right. Finally, a Saturday evening I wasn't working! Hit the jump for the lighting specs, and a chompier shot...

Yes, I love toys. Always have. These days, most of my toys are made by Canon and are sold at B and H, but I still have a few that were made by Mattel and sold at Toys 'R Us. The unfortunate army men here were a recent purchase from Cracker Barrel (as were half the Xmas gifts we gave this year). Saw them and knew there would have to be a shot done with them in time. Our antagonist is probably a familiar character to some of you. When I was six I wanted a He-Man figure something fierce. The ACTION figure, not his physical figure, although I do have a similar physique now that I'm 30 ;) Anyway, Mom tried to get him for my sixth birthday, but by the Power of Grayskull, He-Man was He-Soldout. Some may recall the evil twin He-Man character? I forget his name, but he was exactly the same toy...except he was blue, with blood-red hair. And one helluva scowl. Despite the obvious nature of the imposter, Mom tried to pass him off as He-Man Himself, to me, on my birthday. Uh, he's blue!? I didn't fall for it anymore than Man-At-Arms would have.  However, I did get a He-Man Big Wheel as well that year, which made up for the Buff Blueman in a bigtime, bigwheel way. And then just last year, Mom scores another obscure victory on eBay, a thing she is getting quite good at, and for Christmas, I get the He-Real-Deal, atop Battlecat no less. Thanks Mom. I can never fully repay your momminess, even if I get you that Jaguar someday. I won't even get into the Rub-a-Dub Doggy story.

Back to the photo. Had to create an atmosphere for this one, so I quickly sketched a fantasy desert-like landscape with some pastels. I knew it would be thrown out of focus, so I didn't worry about the fact that any drawing skills I may have once had have completely atrophied. Hung that from a c-stand. Fired One speedlight with a tight grid aimed at the sunset area. This makes the background seem to glow with its own light. Tried to mimic the effect of the sunset light on the beast and the fucked army men with a speedlight in another grid, full CTO, behind and overhead. Not quite the right angle, for the sunset light, but close enough for me. To bring up the general ambient light, I shot another speedlight into a shoot-thru umbrella, a little behind and to the left. This light has a little direction to it, but all it really does is bring up the details in the shadows and beef up the overall exposure.  The last speedlight has nothing but direction to it, it was gelled blue and fixed with a tight snoot, camera left and aimed to the side of the scene. My countertop was visible at the bottom, and I was going to let that slide, but my wife had a stroke of genius and we taped a piece of wood on it to complete the scene. If all that makes NO SENSE, here's a visual guide that may help.

Setup for my 30/365 shot.

And here's an even funnier take on the scene:

30b/365: I'll Let You Guys Handle This

Thanks for stopping by again folks, happy weekend to ya!