Post by rusVan on Jun 20, 2012 9:37:05 GMT -5
Cheap Toys are 80's Pop Art, associated with urban art, subculture, Punk Rock, other underground music, and Garbage Pail Kids. Their monochromatic, non-painted surface, is comparable to fine art sculptures-they are the Greek Sculptures of 80's Punk Rock and Underground New Wave. First, and above all, they are beautiful and NEVER look better than when photographed.
Most Cheap Toy collectors eventually become master self-taught photographers, because we are faced with the challenge of taking micro-photos of tiny minifigures, and we learn to do this quite well over time.
Considerations:
1) Take pictures at EYE LEVEL, so that when the shot is taken-your camera is low and level to the head of the figure. When shots are too high and we see the top of the figure's head, it makes the figures seem less important. Or, you can shoot near the foot of the figure pointing up towards the head to make your toy look like a HERO.
2) Take more shots outdoors. Evening time is always best, but if you have to shoot during the day, you can work in the shade-see what works best. That said, it's possible to break these rules and take awesome photography, but you're going to have to play with it.
3) Fans love creativity, because we are all art lovers in some intensity-GPK is ART-it's VISUAL ART. Try something new-edit photographs-play with the controls, backgrounds, etc.
4) Include other objects into your photos sometimes, to mix it up-GPK cards, boxes, other 80's items, animals, plants, cd or lp covers, bubble wrap, any random thing, etc!! For example, I've used bricks for years, because I like the contrast between the hard edged, glossy and bright plastic to the rough and matte surface of the earthtone brick.
5) HUMOR!!!! We're GPK people, come on!!! Have you ever stuck a Cheap Toy in your pocket and gone to Walmart(I have!)? Then take a random picture with your cell phone while you're in Walmart, LOL!!! You'll be a LEGEND for these kind of stunts!
5) Crop excess information out of your composition. Ask yourself, is my background working FOR me or AGAINST me. The smaller your Cheap Toy(s) is in the photograph, the less important it's going to appear in the artwork(Yes, photographs are ART).
Overall, this section is for Cheap Toy photographs that don't fit in the other Cheap Toy sections. Have fun. We have a lot of new collectors, and old collectors with old photos, and it's time to show off. Be PROUD of what you've accomplished and what you've discovered, and take some photographs from your unique perspective.
Thank you,
rusVan
Cheap Toy Moderator
The Birth of Magenta Lynn, according to legend, "One Random Morning in the Summer of 1986 She Arose from a Rose"

Most Cheap Toy collectors eventually become master self-taught photographers, because we are faced with the challenge of taking micro-photos of tiny minifigures, and we learn to do this quite well over time.
Considerations:
1) Take pictures at EYE LEVEL, so that when the shot is taken-your camera is low and level to the head of the figure. When shots are too high and we see the top of the figure's head, it makes the figures seem less important. Or, you can shoot near the foot of the figure pointing up towards the head to make your toy look like a HERO.

2) Take more shots outdoors. Evening time is always best, but if you have to shoot during the day, you can work in the shade-see what works best. That said, it's possible to break these rules and take awesome photography, but you're going to have to play with it.
3) Fans love creativity, because we are all art lovers in some intensity-GPK is ART-it's VISUAL ART. Try something new-edit photographs-play with the controls, backgrounds, etc.
4) Include other objects into your photos sometimes, to mix it up-GPK cards, boxes, other 80's items, animals, plants, cd or lp covers, bubble wrap, any random thing, etc!! For example, I've used bricks for years, because I like the contrast between the hard edged, glossy and bright plastic to the rough and matte surface of the earthtone brick.
5) HUMOR!!!! We're GPK people, come on!!! Have you ever stuck a Cheap Toy in your pocket and gone to Walmart(I have!)? Then take a random picture with your cell phone while you're in Walmart, LOL!!! You'll be a LEGEND for these kind of stunts!

5) Crop excess information out of your composition. Ask yourself, is my background working FOR me or AGAINST me. The smaller your Cheap Toy(s) is in the photograph, the less important it's going to appear in the artwork(Yes, photographs are ART).
Overall, this section is for Cheap Toy photographs that don't fit in the other Cheap Toy sections. Have fun. We have a lot of new collectors, and old collectors with old photos, and it's time to show off. Be PROUD of what you've accomplished and what you've discovered, and take some photographs from your unique perspective.
Thank you,

rusVan
Cheap Toy Moderator
The Birth of Magenta Lynn, according to legend, "One Random Morning in the Summer of 1986 She Arose from a Rose"
