Toy Photographers Podcast

Recently Shelly Corbett chatted with Sabrina Perry and Chris Whitlow about one of our photo challenges: #TP_Geometry. We had a lively discussion regarding Geometry - what's it good for? It turns, a lot! Geometry is an important compositional tool and can turn your photos from ok to fantastic with a little awareness of how and when to use it. A few of our take aways With any good discussion, our insights were many. Here is a partial list of what we cover in this conversation: Using any word associate with math is probably not the best selling point Formal composition is your friend. In fact, its really important! Understanding the various forms of mathematical composition can help you understand why an image works. This gives you a stronger base to work from. Composition is only one tool in your photography tool box. Photography has a lot of moving parts to keep in your mind at once. What? Those guidelines on the back of my camera and phone have a purpose! Yes, turn them on!! Check out all the image t

I was thinking the other day about how the Covid pandemic has changed my creativity. Soon I wondered "am I the only one?" There is success a definite marker between pre and post pandemic that I wonder if I'm the only one who has noticed a shift. I decided to reach out to members of the blog and see if anyone else has noticed any changes. Enter Sabrina, Joshua and Dave...all friends willing to come onto the podcast to discuss how the pandemic shifted their creativity and their process. During this roundtable we tackle topics like: How did you use creativity in your life pre-pandemic? In the two years since Covid entered our lives, has that changed? Has this change been related to the pandemic or just a shift in your own creative growth? How do you use creativity in your life now? How has your creativity impacted those around you? What changes have you noticed in the community at large? Check out a the image that we discuss over on the blog.  As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts after listening to

  For this episode of The Toy Photographers Podcast Shelly & Sabrina discuss minimalism in toy photography. If you're not familiar with the concept of minimalism the Adobe website defines minimalism as: “like other forms of minimalist art, minimalist photography is about stripping a subject down to its essence. Create photos that cut through the clutter with clean lines, empty spaces, and only the essential elements.” So we decided to challenge our community to create photos where 'less is more'.   Toy photography, like other photography communities, isn't immune to trends. In the past few years Ive seen a shift to elaborate set-ups featuring multi characters. We wanted to see what would happen if we eliminated complex set-ups. How would the story be effected if the viewer was presented only with the essentials? As always, our community came through with a variety of ideas that showcased the idea of minimalism and how this approach can effect both the story and viewer response. Check out a few of our favo

In this final installment of the special miniseries focused on toy photography from the beginner's perspective, Terri (@greenehenphotography) and Ariel (@those_wonderful_toys) had the opportunity to chat with Ben Piper of Project Piper Customs (@projectpipercustoms)--what a treat! Toy photography has opened up such world of opportunities and a world of creativity for us all; whether we came to toy photography through our love of toys or our love of photography (or somewhere in between), we've all found a home where we can create, share, inspire, be inspired, and collaborate. What better to wrap up our series than to chat with another member of the community who, like so many, came to the craft of toy photography through the hobby of collecting and, later, customizing toys. Ben Piper is a UK-based creative and photographer, and his passion is evident not only in his creations but also in his photographs, his YouTube videos, and his social media channels--and, of course, in this conversation! Listen in a

Welcome back to the Toy Photographers Podcast and our special series exploring toy photography from a beginner’s perspective! In this episode, your hosts Terri Greene Henning (@greenehenphotography) and Ariel Figueroa (@those_wonderful_toys) talk about editing and post-processing images. It's easy to look at a photograph and think only of the photograph itself--not all the work that went into planning and creating the photo or all the work that went into the image after we pressed the shutter. Some of us (Ariel!) love to edit images, while others (Terri!) much prefer creating and taking photos to making edits after the fact. Listen in as we discuss our styles and what works for us: What it means to "edit" our photos Tools and programs we use in post-processing Why and how we edit (and why we don't) A walk-through of our editing process How we view post-processing as part of the creative process How to learn from others through behind-the-scenes videos and social media Opportunities and limitations in

Welcome back to the Toy Photographers Podcast and our special series exploring toy photography from a beginner’s perspective! In this episode, your hosts Terri Greene Henning (@greenehenphotography) and Ariel Figueroa (@those_wonderful_toys) pick up where they left off in Episode 4 and their discussion of photo backgrounds, and move into chatting about lighting. Listen as Terri and Ariel discuss: Foam and printed dioramas Digital backgrounds How to find/use digital backgrounds  Lighting options and what we use  The frustration of keeping lights charged! Paying attention to light Importance of creating routines Where we look for inspiration, tips, tricks How this simple trick by photographer Reggie Ballesteros helped Terri understand light/direction of light! Be sure to check out all the images discussed in this episode on the blog!  As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts! Are you new to toy photography? If so, what questions do you have? Not new to the gig? Share your insights and advice—we’d

For our January podcast challenge Sabrina (@theperrylegoadventures) and Shelly Corbett  challenged the community to show us their best hygge themed photos! We were so pleased by the response with over 50 entires this month! Clearly we all need to share a little hygge to combat the winter and Covid blahs! What is hygge? The urban dictionary defines it as A Danish word (pronounced HU-guh) meaning social coziness. I.e. the feeling of a good social atmosphere. Urban Dictionary While most people associate a feeling of hygge with winter, it can be enjoyed in any season. Hygge's origins are from 18th century Norway but the Danes have embraced it and made it their own. According to visit Denmark - "in essence, hygge means creating a warm atmosphere and enjoying the good things in life with good people. The warm glow of candlelight is hygge. Cozying up with a loved one for a movie - that's hygge, too. And there's nothing more hygge than sitting around with friends and family, discussing the big and small things in

Cinematic. That’s the word that comes to mind with even a quick glance at Tom Milton’s (@tomtommilton) images. Look further, and you’ll probably have a question: how does he do it? A few parts vision and inspiration, a boatload of talent, a fair share of intention—oh, and a really big and heavy camera setup!  In this episode of the Toy Photographers Podcast, Shelly Corbett (@shellycorbettphotography)interviews Tom, someone whose work she’s admired for years. We’ll learn how Tom creates his images using two lenses (yup, two!!)—a fairly standard prime and an anamorphic lens bolted to that one. Manually focusing not only but two lenses and balancing a setup that weighs quite a few kilos, Tom’s images represent his style, vision, and intent.  Listen in as Shelly and Tom discuss: Tom’s background as an artist and his journey as a toy photographer  How Tom’s setup and process forces him to slow down and how slowing down influences his craft The ways photography—and toy photography in particular—encourage you to

  On todays podcast Shelly Corbett talks with Alan Rappa, Sabrina Perry and Joshua Kittleson about Criticism: how to find it, how to take it. We all want to get better at our craft of toy photography. One way to get better is to practice, but without constructive feedback, it's hard to know what's working and what isn't. But as I’m sure you’re well aware, constructive criticism is hard to find on social media. So where do you go? In this roundtable discussion we will: Discuss the importance of constructive feedback to help take your work to the next level What to look for in constructive criticism Share times when we've received criticism The pros and cons of social media and criticism Discuss when and how we've sought out criticism How to find a trusted circle of friends to turn to for criticism that matters As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts after listening to the episode; leave a comment below or join our communities on MeWe, Facebook, or Instagram! Also, please be sure to “revisit” the b

On this episode of the podcast Sabrina Perry(@theperrylegoadventures)and Shelly Corbett(@shellycorbettphotography) discuss the latest toy photography monthly challenge #tp_nostalgia. Nostalgia comes from two Greek words Nostos meaning homecoming and Algos meaning pain or ache. For some people, nostalgia is about remembering the good old days fondly. For others, nostalgia is a bittersweet remembrance of the past. A lot of times it can be both. This challenged seemed to be the perfect way to end the year. It felt like a way to share a little bit of the good old days in our toy photography, and people did that. But, it also was a bittersweet way to remember the past. A time before the pandemic. Is toy photography inherently nostalgic? Do we as toy photographers gravitate towards certain toys, and ideas because they stir feelings of nostalgia in us? What makes a photo nostalgic? Listen in as Shelly and I discuss these questions and more as we tackle toy photography and nostalgia in the midst of a pandemic. As

Welcome back to the Toy Photographers Podcast and our special series of toy photography from a beginner's perspective! I (Terri) am a former high school English teacher, and I find myself often seeing similarities between literature and toy photography. For example, when I taught novels, we talked a lot about character, plot, and setting. These days, I find I can definitely apply those same ideas to toy photography. Characters are our toys; the plot, the story we hope to tell in our photograph, and setting—well, that’s where we can have some real fun. Setting isn’t about where the action takes place. Setting can also create a mood and a feeling. The same is true for the settings of our photography! In this episode, Ariel (@those_wonderful_toys) and Terri (@greenehenphotography) talk setting and scenes--and all the decisions that come with each. Listen in as Terri and Ariel discuss: How they conceptualize and set up their scenes Pros and cons of indoor vs outdoor scenes Props, accessories, and fabricated ba

Same toys. Same setting. Same month of year, day of the week, time of day. Same photo? Perhaps that depends: Are YOU the same photographer you were?  In this latest episode of The Toy Photographers Podcast, Sabrina Perry (@theperrylegoadventures) and Shelly Corbett (@shellycorbettphotography) discuss the latest monthly toy photography challenge: #tp_revisit. During November, Sabrina and Shelly encouraged each other and the community to revisit a previous photograph, concept, or composition and recreate it anew (#tp_revisit). Throughout the conversation, Sabrina and Shelly highlight specific community photos tagged in the challenge as well as their own and discuss a wide range of topics, including:  Prior challenges and podcasts related to revisiting and recreating photographs How revisiting prior ideas or compositions can be a practice in reflection and growth and show the passage of time The subtle—and not-so-subtle—changes photographers made from one photo to the next The transition from taking a phot

Toy photographers face a lot of choices each time they set out to create an image. Which camera? Lens? Aperture? ISO? Shutter speed? What story am I trying to tell? Where do I want to set the scene? And the whammy of them all: which toy(s) would best serve my purpose and intention? With SO many toys to choose from–LEGO, Playmobil, Funko, action figures that run into the hundreds, and so many more, where’s a newbie to start? Especially a newbie without any toys? Spoiler alert: if you’re just starting out and have few or no toys, that will quickly change…very quickly!! In this episode of the Toy Photographers Podcast, your hosts, Terri (@greenehenphotography) and Ariel (@those_wonderful_toys), discuss the many choices facing newbie toy photographers when it comes to toys. For Ariel, toys came before photography; Terri, on the other hand, didn’t own a single toy before embarking on a daily photo project in January 2021. Together, they’ll chat about the choices they make for their own photography and some of the

Look up Chris Perry’s (@thecreativechip) YouTube channel, and you’ll see the tagline “Make Time for Your Creativity.” Perhaps that’s the best summation of Chris’s approach to toy photography: put in the time, make the commitment, and grow. And that approach definitely seems to working!    Cinematographer, videographer, and toy photographer, Chris Perry, otherwise known as The Creative Chip, creates images filled with emotion and story. In this interview, Sabrina Perry (@theperrylegoadventures)—and no relation!—chats with Chris about his work, his inspiration, and his journey as a toy photographer.    Listen in as they chat about:     Their journeys to becoming toy photographers     The personal stories and experiences that have motivated them and inspired their images     The emotional elements of toy photography     Being vulnerable on social media     The intersection of “real life” and their creative lives     The power of synchronicity     Music as inspiration     Goals for the future

October: What comes to mind? Apple cider and pumpkin spice? Goblins, ghosts, and monsters? Foliage and fallen leaves? Slasher films? All of the above? How did toy photographers capture the season? Well, listen in and find out, as Sabrina Perry (@theperrylegoadventures) and Shelly Corbett (@shellycorbettphotography) discuss the latest monthly challenge: seasonal photos (#tp_seasonal)   As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts! Are you new to toy photography? If so, what questions do you have? Not new to the gig? Share your insights and advice—we’d love to learn from you! Leave a comment below or join our communities on MeWe, Facebook, or Instagram!

  This episode of the Toy Photographers Podcast is the second of our special series focused on newcomers to the toy photography community. In today’s episode, your hosts, Terri (@greenehenphotography) and Ariel (@those_wonderful_toys), talk about the gear they use and have found helpful in their journeys as newbie toy photographers.    Much of the talk about cameras and gear can get pretty technical and into the weeds. Those just beginning can become quickly overwhelmed or, worse, hesitant to even begin! Rest assured, this episode will NOT get into the nitty-gritty. Instead, we describe what has worked for us, how we're still growing and developing, where we go for resources and information, how we manage to not spend a fortune on gear, and our advice for just getting started—regardless of the gear you may or may not have!   As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts! Are you new to toy photography? If so, what questions do you have? Not new to the gig? Share your insights and advice—we’d love to learn f

The toy photography community is a diverse group, and there are some incredible veterans out there—folks who have long been into both toys and photography! But what about the newbie toy photographer? Where to even begin? Well, we created this special series just for you—and perhaps for those out there who haven’t forgotten what it’s like to be a beginner!  In this first episode of a planned 8-part series, your hosts, Terri (@greenehenphotography) and Ariel (@those_wonderful_toys), both of whom have been photographing toys for less than a year, share their journeys thus far.  As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts! Are you new to toy photography? If so, what questions do you have? Not new to the gig? Share your insights and advice—we’d love to learn from you! Leave a comment below or join our communities on MeWe, Facebook, or Instagram!  

Before digital platforms made putting songs together in playlists a breeze, many of us (of a certain age, perhaps) remember spending hours at a time carefully curating sets of songs and then recording them onto cassettes and passing them along to friends and loved ones. Ah, the classic mixtape—and the inspiration for the latest toy photography challenge.  In this episode of the Toy Photographer’s Podcast, Sabrina (@theperrylegoadventures) and Shelly (@shellycorbettphotography) break down September’s community challenge: using music and song lyrics to inspire toy photography (#tp_mixtape). What started out as an idea and a pitchto the toy photographers community from Sabrina led to an incredible month of inspiring photos paired with music spanning decades and genres. More than 180 photos were tagged with #tp_mixtape! As always the full show notes and images referenced in this episode can be found on the Toy Photographers Blog. You can also find more articles on creativity and toy photography on our website,

If you’ve been watching any TV in the past year, chances are you’ve seen (or at least heard about) Marvel’s newest installments on Disney+: WandaVision, The Falcon and the Winter Solider, Loki, and it’s most recent offering, What If…? Now, you can get LEGO Marvel Collectible Minifigures to match your favorite shows and characters! But are they worth it? Listen in as Shelly Corbett and Sabrina Perry discuss the set and you be the judge (spoiler alert: YES!). As always the full show notes and images referenced in this episode can be found on the Toy Photographers Blog. You can also find more articles on creativity and toy photography on our website, toyphotographers.com. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, MeWe and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly email roundup so that you never miss a post, and join our communities on MeWe and Flickr. 

In this episode of Sabrina and Shelly talk about their month exploring black and white toy photography. They discuss what they learned, how black and white photography changed their perspective and what resources they used to get started.  As always the full show notes and images referenced in this episode can be found on the Toy Photographers Blog. You can also find more articles on creativity and toy photography on our website, toyphotographers.com. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, MeWe and Instagram. Subscribe to our weekly email roundup so that you never miss a post, and join our communities on MeWe and Flickr.