Pierre-Antoine

Hi Pierre-Antoine, what led you into toy photography?

I remember playing a lot with my toys as a kid, and thankfully, I still have many of them at my parents’ house. Over the years, I continued collecting Star Wars action figures, and once I started earning my own money, most of my first paychecks went toward buying busts or statues of DC characters.

A few years ago, I was listening to a podcast about comics when one of the hosts, Joe Hume—also known as French Toy Love—talked about his passion for toy photography. Curious, I checked out his Instagram account and immediately fell in love with this creative world.

I began shooting my own toys in 2017. I found a good deal on a Golden Freezer Figuarts figure and decided to buy it; it was the first figure I ever owned that came with so many interchangeable faces. One of them has a funny smiling expression, and that became the subject of my very first shot. I took the photo with my phone, without any particular technique, but I liked how it turned out. That photo became my profile picture, and I haven’t changed it since.

Could you share details about the gear and equipment behind your setup?

I used to shoot with a Canon 450D, but recently I upgraded to a Canon 850D—and it’s been a complete game changer. The new camera has made my shooting sessions so much easier and more enjoyable. I’m really noticing the improvements in both image quality and overall efficiency!

What does a typical photo shooting look like?

I used to shoot mainly inside my apartment. Since I don’t have a lot of free time and can’t spend hours on a single session, I try to be as efficient as possible.

Because I don’t have many materials for building dioramas, I often focused on portrait-style shots. One simple trick I used was placing a garland in the background to create bokeh effects—it’s an easy way to get interesting visual results without much effort. For editing, I use the Photoshop app on my phone.

Since July, with my new camera and more time spent at my family house, I’ve been able to shoot outdoors more frequently. I’m experimenting with changing my habits by playing with natural settings and practicing new lighting effects. Lately, I’ve been trying to use only one light source to achieve “natural” lighting, especially aiming for a warm look inspired by sunsets and sunrises.

What would you say to someone new to toy photography?

There are a lot of great websites out there, like toyphotographers.com, where you can find tips and inspiration to get started and learn about lighting, practical effects, posing, and editing.

Try participating in contests as well—they’re a great way to stimulate your creativity. In fact, my favorite photo I’ve ever taken was for a contest where the prompt was Reflection.

It’s also important to take time to discover your own style. You’ll come across many amazing images in the community—some that require hours of editing in Photoshop, and others that are simply poetic thanks to creative posing and beautiful lighting.

Remember, everyone has a different set of skills, and it’s important to do what you enjoy most. Be curious about other styles of photography or any art form in general—there’s always something new to learn that you can eventually apply to your toy photography. And don’t be afraid to take your toys outside; that’s something I want to do even more myself! Most importantly: enjoy the process!

Who is your favorite toy photographer at the moment, or the one who inspires you the most?

There are so many talented photographers out there, each with their own unique style. Of course, I have to mention French Toy Love—he’s the one who originally inspired me to get into toy photography. I’m also grateful for the entire #ToyPhotoFrenchForce community; they are incredibly talented, kind, and always willing to help.

Lately, I’ve really been enjoying the work of Plasticaction. He creates amazing photos of toys playing basketball, often recreating iconic NBA moments with incredible attention to detail and creativity. As an NBA fan, it’s always a joy to discover his latest pictures.

Finally, If you had to keep only one toy, which one would you choose?

This is such a hard question to answer... If I could only keep one figure, I think I’d choose a Xenomorph from Alien. It’s one of the most iconic creatures in movie history—I think its design is absolutely perfect. I also enjoy photographing the Xenomorph doing things other than just frightening humans; it lets me explore its character in fun and unexpected ways.