Alan Parma

Hi Alan, what led you into toy photography?

I grew up in the ’80s and have always been a fan of Transformers and various other ’80s cartoons. I also spent countless hours reading Marvel and DC comic books. After I started working, I began collecting Transformers toys, and over time, I gradually expanded my collection to include Marvel and DC action figures as well.

For the first few years, I was mostly interested in buying and displaying my collection. It wasn’t until 2017 that I discovered the ACBA (Articulated Comic Book Art) community and other toy photography groups on Facebook. That’s when I really started to take toy photography seriously and became much more involved in the hobby.

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

My camera is an old Panasonic GH2, which has served me well over the years. I cycle between three lenses: a Panasonic 20mm f/1.7, the stock Panasonic 14–42mm kit lens, and a Meike 50mm f/2.0. For lighting, I use a Ulanzi Pro Mini light and a small generic LED panel, while the rest of my setup relies on standard cool and warm LED bulbs. This mix of gear allows me to experiment with different looks and setups for my toy photography.

What does a typical photo shooting look like?

I’ll admit I’m a bit messy when it comes to my setups. My backdrop is held up by scrap cardboard stands, and I use a couple of printed posters of skies—though they’re all worn out now and really need replacing. I also work with solid color felt and cartolina sheets for backgrounds, and I use colored cellophane as DIY gels for my lights. For action poses, I make wire stands out of generic GI wire, which I can twist and hide easily outside the camera’s frame.

I use a lot of sticky tack to hold figures, effects, and stands in place. I also have several DIY diorama pieces, like street and ground surfaces, buildings, walls, and more. For effects, I create gun flashes, explosions, and energy blasts using hot glue, cotton, and scrap plastic; sometimes I’ll add 3mm LED lights to enhance these effects. I also have an ultrasonic mist-maker handy for creating fog and smoke effects.

I’ve been using Photoshop since 1996 and used to edit my early photos quite a bit. But after joining the ACBA group on Facebook, I’ve challenged myself to keep everything tangible and in-camera, avoiding digital post-processing as much as possible. It’s been a very fulfilling and freeing experience, and I love not having to spend extra time in Photoshop. Now, I just do some basic tweaks—contrast, color, and sharpness—in the Apple Photos app for minor post-processing.

What would you say to someone new to toy photography?

Get a lot of inspiration from toy photography groups and don’t hesitate to comment or ask questions about other people’s posts and setups. There are countless YouTube tutorials on photography, lighting, special effects, and diorama making—these resources can be incredibly helpful as you learn.

But the most important thing is to just start shooting. I began by simply placing toys on a table, experimenting with poses and camera angles. At the time, I never imagined I’d eventually be using backdrops or even building my own dioramas. Start with what you have at home—desk lamps, scrap boxes, cardboard, paper, posters—there’s no need to spend a lot in the beginning. As you go along, you’ll naturally figure out what you need and either find ways to build or gradually buy enhancements.

Eventually, you’ll develop a style that you gravitate toward. For me, I love using backlighting to give my figures a dramatic highlight outline. I aim for a cinematic feel in my photos and try to avoid flat, even lighting. Play around, trust your instincts, and let your creativity lead you.

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

There are so many like tyo_nugroh0, akirajo9, figuremaniashow (Harold Ruiz), inspiredbyandre, etc. Maybe for now, it would be loose.joints (Thomas Villacorta). All of them are on Instagram.

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

That’s a tough one. If I had to choose, I’d probably pick the Mafex Homecoming Spidey as my favorite. Mafex Tactical Suit Batman would be a close second—they’re both outstanding figures that are a lot of fun to shoot.