Several weeks ago, I snapped a picture on my desk at home for a quick Instagram shot – it featured some Sandtroopers searching for droids. I liked the idea so much that I resolved to recreate it “on location,” so to speak. But my neighborhood has got a lot of hills and trees. Just finding an unobstructed horizon with sky in the background is almost impossible without taking a drive. So I had scouted out where I might find some patches of dirt using Google Maps (thank you satellite view) and headed out there the next day. I had a dentist appointment first thing that morning, and I was a little rushed, so I grabbed my camera and my figures in a ziploc and headed out the door.
After my appointment, I drove to the location, which was a park / trail / dog park by the bay. The best spot I found was on top of a hill with the bay in the background, but it was so windy the Sandtroopers kept falling over. After much fiddling, I finally got a stable set up, and pulled out my camera – NO MEMORY CARD. Doh!
I snapped some pictures with my phone, but not really being able to see them that well on site, I discovered later that the bay was in most of them. So much for the illusion of a desert planet! The Darth Maul shot was a quick Photoshop job to make the bay look more like desert sand in the background. The Sandtrooper / R2 shot looks a little grainy, but somehow I think it makes it look more like a vintage shot.
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Ron, those are freaking awesome shots dude. You really can’t tell that they are action figures and not real people. Also, I love the story of what you had to do get them. That kind of dedication to your craft deserves some credit. Great job!!!