Sasha's Lab's photostream  

A business trip to Delaware takes me back to where I began toy photography: in hotel rooms.

The background is a real-life hotel room. I posed Azusa on a tabletop and photographed her with the macro setting at an angle that made the scene's perspective believable.

Featuring Madoka Kaname as this month's cover girl.
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Created with fd's Flickr Toys

It's been unusually warm this winter in the Chicago area, so even though Punxatawney Phil says six more weeks of winter, I felt a Spring Chicken preview was in order. Sure, it's a house plant in the kitchen, but you get the idea.

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Happy Groundhog Day
and
Happy Toys in the Frame Thursday!

Here is an out-take, description, and some notes to illustrate how I shot Through Time and Space. Hover your mouse over the photo to see the additional notes.

1.) Some background - The twisty checkerboard was created with a regular checkerboard pattern photographed using the built-in camera on my Mac, and applying one of the crazy pattern edits in the Photobooth app . This design was printed on letter-size paper.

2.) The Set-up - The figures were posed on a table with on their bases' posts through small holes cut into the backdrop, which is laying on the table. (You can see Homura's base support just below her right knee.) The figures' poses and that disorienting twisty checkerboard background were intended to undermine a sense of up and down.

3.) Let There Be Light - Lighting and reflection was arranged to minimize shadows on the backdrop, especially the base supports. This out-take still has room for improvement.

4.) Shot from Above - The photo was shot from above, as this one is, but from an angle where the figures hid their supports. The posted photo was shot close enough to crop the background paper's border, so no post-process crop was needed.

5.) Post-processing in Picnik - Some minor color adjustments were made and the subtle rays emitted by Homura's shield were added for that "time is warping" kind of feeling. (Picnik is going away in a couple months, but until then, all the cool premium features are free for all to use.)

Continuation of the story Madoka Meets Black Gold Saw: Homura has just rescued Madoka from being sliced up by Black Gold Saw.
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Homura raced with Madoka in tow to leave Black Gold Saw's world and return to their own world and safety. With the time manipulation device in Homura's shield, it was not a long trip back, but definitely weird.

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To be continued.