Lego photography is my way of acting out my dream of becoming a film stills photographer. You see, while I’m unlikely to step on the set of a big Hollywood production, I can at least build and photograph miniature sets from the comfort of my own home.
But to create truly cinematic Lego photography, you have to get your hands dirty – or rather your camera. And that’s why I won’t let my Nikon Z8 anywhere near my brick-built film sets.
I learned this the hard way, too. A few years ago, I decided to create a snowy scene inspired by the intro to The Empire Strikes Back. I used flour to represent snow and used an airblower to fire puffs of flour towards the camera to make it look like the Millennium Falcon was blasting off into the sky.
This worked perfectly, and I was extremely happy with the effect, but it turns out that flour gets everywhere. Thankfully, I had the foresight to cover my setup with one of the best rain covers. Even then, it left a dusty film on the front lens element, and to this day, bits of flour are baked into the Nikon Z6 II’s grip.
Obviously not every Lego photography setup has to be this messy. But with smoke machines, flour, sand and even dirt from the back yard used to build environments and produce practical effects, I don’t take any chances.
My years-old Nikon D800 is battered enough as it is, and if it were to break beyond repair, I know I can find a comparable replacement on the used market for little over $300 / £300. Sure, I’d be devastated if something happened to it, but I’d be a lot more devastated if something happened to my $3,000 mirrorless camera!
And this doesn’t just apply to Lego photography. Don’t get me wrong, most cameras are pretty hardy – especially if they’re weather-sealed. But unless you absolutely have to get rid of your old camera when buying a new one, do consider keeping it as a ‘beater’ camera.
Maybe you’re heading out in the pouring rain, want to take a camera on a kayak or boat trip, or are heading somewhere you don’t want a flashy camera on show. If that’s the case, there might be life in the old DSLR or mirrorless you have in the cupboard yet…
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If you're into Lego photography, you might want to invest in the best macro lenses and the best rain covers. And if you'd like to try it out for the first time: I used a smoke machine to photograph Lego and the results are cinematic.
