Nate Strong

Hi Nate, what led you into toy photography?

The perfect storm of The Force Awakens premiering and my need to keep an eye on my teenage daughters’ Instagram accounts led me to discover the amazing world of toy photography.

Like many, Episode 7 rekindled my passion for Star Wars. I figured that if I was going to bother opening an IG account, I might as well do something with it. At first, all I had planned was to shoot a continuous series using the new Hasbro Black Series BB-8 peeking around various things in a variety of locations.

Once that started, I discovered so many incredible accounts with incredibly talented artists and immediately got hooked.

And as someone who works in a creative industry, it’s so awesome to have an outlet where I don’t have a boss, client, or budget dictating what I can and cannot do. It’s just me, my toys, and my imagination.

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

I mainly use a Canon Rebel T6i with a 75-300mm zoom lens. I also use a couple of Lumecube and Viltrox lights, along with a variety of other household fixtures when needed. For editing, I rely on Photoshop and a few apps, including Snapseed and LensFX.

What does a typical photo shooting look like?

I usually keep an ever-evolving idea list on my phone, and I like to mix up my post subjects as much as I can. So, I’ll take a look at the list, choose something I haven’t shot in a while, and get to work. Some ideas call for simple setups with minimal background, props, and lighting. Others require a diorama or digirama, multiple characters, and several lights. It all depends on the idea and the amount of time I have to devote at that particular moment—which usually isn’t much...

I mainly shoot indoors to maintain as much control over the setting as possible. All my figures and equipment have to be unpacked and packed back up for each shoot, since I don’t have a dedicated area for it—so that takes up time as well.

I experiment with lighting, angles, and posing—improvising along the way until I feel I’ve captured what I had in mind. Then, after a fairly quick edit, it’s up on Instagram.

What would you say to someone new to toy photography?

Have fun. We’re playing with toys, right? It should be nothing but enjoyable.

Engage the community for advice. Follow the greats. Check out their BTS vids or YouTube channels. Study other kinds of photography, like portrait and product.

Experiment. Try new things. Continue to push yourself. Take your time.

Don’t chase numbers. Likes and followers are nice, but you should do it because you love it.

Watch your budget—it’s all too easy to get addicted to the plastic crack. We’re living in a time where there is a surplus of incredible toys, and the pre-orders never seem to let up. When you see someone else take a fantastic shot of a toy you don’t own, it’s a powerful draw. Same goes for equipment. You don’t need expensive cameras or lights to make magic. Hear that, self? Heed your own advice!

And when you can, let other people know you like their work. Hitting the heart is quick and easy, but when you can, leave an encouraging comment, reshare a shot, or shoot off a friendly DM—it really means a lot.

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

There are way too many to choose a single photographer. I’m inspired and wowed every day by so many amazing artists, so it’s impossible to even name just a few.

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

I love to mix things up—from Lego to 1:12 to 1:6, spaceships to WWII planes, Mezco to Black Series to Mythic Legions. They all hold a special place!