The Glaciator Shoot

Go ahead and skip this if
you aren't into toy Photography!

I was determined to really work on getting a MOC [My Own Creation] set up with this challenging Lego Character I found. He is from a set created in 2009-2010. Some of the minifigs that came with this set are now 'worth' around $40 to $50 because they are not made any more. Interesting? Right? For a TOY??? 

Anyway, after all my morning chores were done and along with a walk in the woods with Charlie, I spent the hot afternoon on Saturday trying to finally work on getting the lighting for the set and shooting the minifigure to my satisfaction.

Okay, it may be a stupid and frivolous sort of thing to do for a person of my [ahem] age. But it really engages my mind and imagination.

The layout and lighting were pretty much the same as last time. I added an LED flashlight to position on Glaciator's face and gave him his red dynamite to hold.

I set the face mister on its side and turned it on. It took about 20 shots to find the right 'mist' effect.

I turned him slightly and moved him. I found a nice bright white balloon light and pushed it up to his bum. If I'd had a clear Lego Plate, I would have lit him up from underneath. I wanted the light to shine through his clear bits and yet see his face too.

The face mister was set behind him to mist into glow of the lights from behind the transparent wall.

I had to brighten his eyes in post otherwise they really don't show up at all.

Then I had the bright idea of doing a real close up of him and spray him with the mister and some water. He and the set were wet anyway from previous shots.

He looks rather menacing here with his mouth open. The first shot was taken with a very shallow depth of field and the light did not appear in his mouth.

This shot below was done with a more depth, and no flashlight on his face.

This allowed the glow in his mouth to show up. What a difference DOF and lighting makes!

I can't decide which looks better as I like them both for different reasons.

I would have liked to have 'shot' him with dynamite in both hands, but I only have one bundle of dynamite and I kept everything in the same tone of color except for his eyes.

His body is more a a grey color when seen in regular light and his red eyes are not so obvious.

This was done for my own entertainment. I'm keeping this MOC and am going to change it up slightly. It is an interesting way to play with light and I keep imagining different ways to use it.

How would a mirror reflect the light and mist? Would a different color produce a different atmospheric feeling?

And so forth.

With Saturday's temperatures so hot and humid, it was a pleasure to work inside with tiny lights and toys.

That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.

Dynamite

Also known as Dyna, or Dina.

Dyna came to us in June of 2009 after her owner passed away from her last fight with cancer. 
Dyna came from the state of Washington, near Palouse.

She was a very welcome addition to our place. We'd promised her owner that Dyna, the sometimes cantankerous mule, who was just as stubborn as my husband would have a home forever and never be sold.

We kept that promise. Dynamite lived mostly a life of leisure. Rich would work with her occasionally and the two of them would come to an understanding in the round pen and her manners would always be better.

She learned to love coming to get caught, she stood perfect for the farrier, she loved being curried and fussed over. 

She loved racing with the other gals on the farm and was always an instigator.

She fancied herself as Lead Mare and often challenged Peaches who was our Alpha Mare for many years.

These challenges always were more bluff than anything else, but they were fun to watch.

She always though ended up with Rich. Quiet and docile. As I said, the two were made for each other.

In March of 2015 Rich was diagnosed with throat cancer and we began treatment in April.

In June we noticed an odd growth on Dynah's ear. I cleaned it as best I could and then put her in a paddock to keep an eye on it.

In the end she was diagnosed with sarcoid tumors and more than likely cancer. 
Treatment for both items was beyond our rural veterinarians. We would have had to apply to transport her to the Madison Veterinary School and await their decision. 
Treatment in Madison would have also been beyond our financial means.

We watched and waited. Dynah became miserable and started to lose weight. 

There comes a point when you cannot let an animal suffer any longer. 

Dynamite aka Dyna crossed the Rainbow Bridge on September 15th.
I know that her master was awaiting her on the other side. They are probably racing across green meadows.

I wonder if Dyna ran into Peaches and her old pasture-mate Feather from Washington?

In the end. Dynamite was loved and touched so many hearts from Washington to the Midwest. She never was sold or put on auction and was given a life of leisure until it was time to go.

I always loved trying to explain her full name to people. 
"That's Dyna."
"Oh Dinah?"
"Oh no, Dyna is short for Dynamite. You figure it out!"