Toy Photography is a fun hobby for everyone and has grown that it is being used for product material for toys. It has reached its peak of interest that everyone wants to try it out and mode would start indoors and would venture to have the courage to take it outdoors. When they have done all they could some would try to take a risk of using their subject in places that either it might damage the toy or that’s where the mishap happens with unknown consequences.
But to be a Toy Photographer there are risks involved and this is what separates those who dare to enjoy further interest in the hobby. This also shows that you don’t care for the value of the toy that it doesn’t matter to you if it gets soaked in the mud or have it covered in dirt. But you still have precautions and are aware about the surroundings and surfaces when you shoot your subject.
For those who have been shooting outdoors surely you have lost a lot of accessories during on location shoots that it is nerve wracking having that experience repeat to you so many times despite being careful. It comes with the hobby when you try to get out of a good shot that suddenly an unexpected thing happened.
This was an experience that happened on 15 April 2018 while shooting at a nearby walking path in Sturt Linear Park while living in South Australia using a Playmobil Special Plus “Beachgoer with Scooter” Set No. 9084. It was an autumn Tuesday afternoon and the weather was just right. The set was acquired a few days earlier in downtown Adelaide at Toy World since they were the only store to carry the Playmobil brand in the city though there was another store, but that’s outside the city which is another story to tell.
The Location
Rarely, I would shoot a particular toy for just sheer enjoyment in the great outdoors. But I also write toy reviews and the usual routine for producing content is documenting the product and its content indoors on a studio set up and then capturing the product outdoors in scenery as the cover photo. The original idea was to shoot on location at Brighton Beach, but that would take a bus or bike ride to get there.
Since this is just for content choosing an alternative location would be fine and heading to the Sturt Linear Park’s pathway has enough terrain to shoot the scooter. But I didn’t count on having a mishap when I decided to use the bench as its surface since it’s leveled with having the street as a background.
The surface of the bench is made of wood planks with gaps in-between them and the sides are constructed with concrete and wires on the side. In the past I have lost accessories on my shoots from a weapon’s tripod to tiny missile or fire effects because of being irresponsible in my early days as a Toy Photographer. But in those days I don’t have a plan it was an improvisational experience and most of that experience was shot at night this was in broad daylight.
The Accident
With shooting toys I try to cover ground in the surrounding location and the City of Marion, which is one of the suburbs outside Adelaide has some of the best park reserves that has better terrain comparing it to the ones that is in the City of Makati in the Philippines that really lacked the organic set up that is already more concrete.
This was not the only set I have with me during this day, but the Scooter was the highlight to shoot early in the afternoon when not everyone is around and it was almost rush hour for some that are heading home.
The set up was to shoot the Scooter with the Playmo Figure riding it with all the accessories including the towel and the tiny sunblock. I had it positioned on top of the bench and at that time there was no wind that day. But it was quick and unexpected that it blew the scooter going to its side and the tiny sunblock fell off in-between the gaps of the plank-like surface that caught me off-guard.
The Recovery Plan
Of course, like anyone shooting outdoors and experience an unexpected mishap would cause panic. From the photos taken the tiny sunblock fell into the gaps revealing that it went into one of the plant pots inside the bench through the gap in-between the wooden plank.
Now, there are swirling ideas what to do is either I run home to check if I have anything to use in getting it out, which will take 5-15 minutes to get back or try nearby stores to see if there’s something I can use to fish it out. There was a nearby store that sells strings for fishing equipment and had a chat with one of the staff asking him if there is something for me to use in getting it out while showing a photo of the object that fell off from that gap.
He was gracious to suggest and try in getting something at Officeworks next door giving me a quick solution that I buy a long think solid object and something that would make the object stick in getting it out of the gaps. Going to the nearby store I bought a ruler long enough for its reach and a pack of blue tact, a clay material that can be reusable. After getting the ones I need I head back to the location.
The Lesson
Immediately after acquiring the necessary materials I head back to the location where it fell off. There are still no people in the area but I can see more cars going back and forth Sturt Road. It was a mix of intense anxiety at the same time anxious about getting the sunblock out from the pot inside the bench.
At first, the blue tact attached to the ruler looks like it will immediately work. But you have to be patient as the sun won’t be down. There were attempts on getting the sunblock out but it’s not sticking to the blue tact. It was challenging since when it did get attach to the clay material it was on its side that won’t fit between the gaps.
I patiently tried to get it out and this was less than five minutes that felt like 20 minutes. But it was finally fished out of the gaps and seeing this experience have taught me I make sure when shooting in surfaces to see if there are gaps in-between and have the perspective ahead if it’s going to be risky with what you plan to do. Sometimes it’s not worth the effort that you might lose or damage the toy.
Like every lesson you learn from it and use that experience to be more responsible not only in taking precautions in your toy shoots that you can also apply it to life. The kind gentleman at the store was gracious I couldn’t remember his name or face anymore but I know the store since this happened over two years ago and I’ll never forget how it also give you an idea about shooting toys on location.
After that day it never stopped me from shooting at the same location only this time on a different surface that is much safer that following day. The outdoor experience may not have the control of lighting that indoor shoots provide. But the experience to just have the tunnel vision in where to shoot in unknown terrain is something.
You can never be prepared for everything but always has precautions and have the necessary tools in your bag that sometimes might surprise you that will help you in the mishap you might experience. Just always be ready for everything if things go down south. It might be good or bad but always keep it as a lesson and this one was an experience in that situation I’ll never forget.
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