Masters Class: Portraits

 When discussing toy photography, one of the most artistic and realistic genres is portrait shots. Up close, from a distance, full body or head shots, portrait pictures add a sense of realism to toy photography that can leave you stunned. 

For this weeks Masters Class we are proud to offer a collaboration between two of the premier artists in the portrait toy photography genre, @catalyst_hobbies and @toyetic40s

I have asked these talented gentlemen a few questions regarding the process behind their shots, their inspiration and vision, and how they come to produce their amazing works of portrait toy photography. 

Grab your pad and pencil and be ready to take some notes as we dive into another lesson here at the Masters Class.

What is your go to set up for lighting when you set out to make a portrait shot?

TE- “I got a table set up in my studio that I use for nearly all my pictures that has a four separate desk lamps with color changing lights for whatever particular setup I need and a 55” TV that I use if I need digital backgrounds. For my portraits I leave the TV off for a completely blank background and try to use minimal light that corresponds to figure I’m featuring.”

CH- “I mainly use 3 lights in my shots. I use a white light overhead light to help get a soft glow. For my main lights I use a #lumecube for warm and cools lights and a rgb ulanzi to add colors in to the shot.”

What inspires you to make a portrait shot? Do you research images for reference, or do you just freestyle it based off the figure you’re shooting?

TE- “I’ve been doing this for about a year and a half or so and at the beginning I used almost exclusively digital backgrounds for almost all my shots, but then I found that a lot of images were more interesting if I used no backgrounds at all. It was a better way to simply feature the figures without trying to integrate a fake backdrop. I just try to feature the action figures in the best way possible, because the portraits are more about mood than they are storytelling. It all depends on the figure itself. For Vader, I wanted him to stand straight and tall, showing no fear. For Darth Maul, he’s crouched showing his more unpredictable nature. For The Phantom I wanted him in shadow as much as possible.”

CH- “I was highly inspired by @zombieclown_photography and @no.chewing and the portrait shots they do. I did do some research in camera setting and how to get the black backgrounds in the shot. But when it comes to the shot it’s pretty much freestyle.”

When it comes to taking a portrait shot of your figure, do you prefer up close shots of the face/upper body of the figure? Or do you prefer to contain the whole figure in the shot?

TE- “I almost always prefer to show the whole figure. I try to showcase the best aspects of the figure by putting it in the best possible pose for that particular one.”

CH- “When taking a shot I prefer to get get as much of the body as I can. When doing final edits I will create a canvas and fill it with image and eye it till it looks natural.”

When setting up your portrait shot, do you prefer to have the figure the sole focus of the shot? Or do you prefer to have any kind of props or effects in the shot to showcase the figures abilities/powers?

TE- “For the portraits I’ve done, there’s usually been an accessory included but it has to be important for the character. All my Sith figures featured their lightsaber, which integral to who they are, but that also gives the figure a fun light source to play with in the photos. For The Phantom, I wanted his blaster in the photo. For Superman, I wanted his cape to be billowing.”

CH- “For the most part I prefer a solo figure. I like to have the figure almost look like they are preparing for battle or a serious situation. If the figure has an iconic look with an effect I will try to recreate it. Such as Yusuke from Yu Yu Hakusho.”

What is some tips or tricks you can offer for pulling off a great portrait shot? Lighting, setting, mood/tone etc?

TE- “For me you just want to have minimal things distracting you from the figure at hand. You want props and lighting to be as minimal as possible while still showing the subject in the best possible way. Create the best mood for the subject without overdoing it or overwhelming the image.”

CH- “Have fun and don’t sweat it. I will take hundreds of shots at a given time and maybe use 10 of the shots. Be willing to experiment. Take a shot move the light closer or further away. Change the temperature of the lights use more cool or more warm. Be willing to to change your settings on your camera. This can help make your image have a darker feel or have a brighter feel.”

What do you use to shoot your pics? Camera/phone, and what are some tips for using your preferred device to take a portrait shot (shutter speed, iso, lighting controls, etc)?

TE- “So my setup is pretty low tech. I still use my IPhone to capture all my pictures and use phone apps to try and add effects. For my portraits I do use “portrait mode” on my phone, which is awesome for really making my backgrounds as dark as possible and really focusing on the subject.”

CH- “All my portrait shots are shot on my Canon Rebel xs. Most of my shots are shot at a shutter speed of 1/200 to 1/80. I play with my iso but mostly have it on auto. My F stop is around 5.6 but will play around with this. Most importantly my best friends are my tripod and shutter remote. This allows me to change the lighting but keep the same shot each time.”

Lastly, what is your favorite figure or line of figures for taking portrait style shots and why?

TE- “Lastly, I would say my favorite line of figures (at least up until recently) to take portraits of were Star Wars Black Series. A lot of that has to do with my love of Star Wars, which is still my #1 geek obsession, but also because the Sith and Jedi have lightsabers, which make for fun light sources within the photos themselves and are super eye catching. That being said, the Mafex Superman photo I took for this collab was very satisfying, as it may be my single favorite action in my collection. The cape and face portraits on the figure are so expressive and the figure’s pose-ability is AMAZING!”

CH- “For the most part my favorite figures are Lord Drakkon Evo 3 from the Power Rangers Lightning Collection and any Halo Master Chief. I guess these are my favorite more for nostalgia. I’ve been watching power rangers since episode1 of season one. The same goes for Halo. I remember playing all the Halo games with my friends in late middle school in to high school. Taking these characters pictures remind me of a much simpler time even if it’s only for a moment.”