On a roll.

Friday we had another unbelievable day for Wisconsin. I didn't need long underwear and I didn't need a heavy jacket.

Yet I still found ice in the valley.

Cell phone shot of the creek below and the forest above.

The sun shines on this area where the ice is gradually melting into the creek bed.

This is a very curious spot. The creek is generally very narrow here, but the trickling water in the subzero weather built layers up and spread the ice out to the edges of the bank. 

This would be the normal width of the creek here when we have plenty of rain.

Charlie went ahead of me scenting for deer and mice. He did get to chase a squirrel. 

His prizes were Rabbit Pellets of course. He insists that he needs to have a few daily. After all, they are Smart Pellets!

All in a little dog's day of work.

I've also been working on two separate 'toy' story lines for my own entertainment.

One is outdoors with the orange and black Titan 13 3D articulated figure. I've set the Lego folks aside for now since my creative juices are mesmerized by these two figures.

Titan 13 photographs very well outdoors much to my surprise. 

A Toy Photographer on Flickr and Toy Photographers [.com] asked me what the back story was to Titan 13. Titan 13 is the name of Toy and all the variations of this printed figure. It is 5 inches or 13 cm tall. 

I replied "No back story yet. I'm wondering if he just got dropped into this world and we'll have to figure out what is happening by looking at the photos."

I'd like their poses and actions in the shot have to speak for themselves.

I do appreciate many other photographers who include a narrative to tell the viewer what is happening in the picture. Wouldn't it be unique to let the viewer decide? Or even yet, another thought popped into my head today.

What if I just gave each shot a one word description? 

Reflections

That would be so challenging with a piece of plastic wouldn't it?

The next two are of T13 and her dog. This Robot/Figure is my current indoor Table Top Challenge -- self imposed challenge.

Unwind

Dreams

Or...
what if there is not title but the viewer decides on the word or vision for themselves?

....

Another thought struck me. What about doing a series of shots without a narrative by me, but a narrative by the figure itself?

Happiness
Sadness
Surprise
Lonely...

Hmm, it is a thought.

And yes, I'll be bringing back the wooden guy this month. I usually pull him out to do a Valentine's themed series of photos.

With the landscape as dull as it is, I need to do something else that keeps my enthusiasm up for right now.

I got distracted again...

I've been fascinated by posable figures. I got this wooden figure in the art and drawing section of a store a few years ago. He was only about 5 inches tall and I thought it would be fun to pose him. 

I have enjoyed using him as a model, but not for drawing. The challenge is, he is super difficult to pose and he falls over quite a bit. I could use wire I suppose, but I am lazy. I want my subject to do it on his own.

[He came attached to a wire stuck up his bum so he would stand on a base. I used cutters and clipped it off. Darn, I bet that was uncomfortable!]

Balance and posing is something we used to do with our 12" GI Joes back when I was a kid. We often spent hours it seemed just posing them in active looking stances.

No matter. Even though this was a difficult thing to do, I seemed to find a way to make him look as though something was happening.

Going on adventures was trickier with this guy. A slight breeze would knock him over. However, the little wooden Dachshund was a hoot. 

And...sometimes the little dog would get in trouble....

It seemed to always work out in the end though. I generally take this duo out during the dull days of winter and mess with them.

However, I found a new very posable figure that is amazing to pose.

It is called Titan 13. A robot and a dog. 

It is a 3D printed and articulated poseable toy.

I actually ordered two of them and they were pretty darned cheap. The fact that these characters are blank slates so to speak make them great for visual stories. No preconceived notions like super heroes or licenses action figures.

I took a hike yesterday to see if I could find anything worth while seeing. The forest is dull and dry. We need moisture badly. I took this Titan 13 along.

A toy photographer friend of mine posted the other day that you can take a Toy photo anywhere. He showed the photo and then the parking lot he took the photo in. Proof is in the pudding!

So ... I did.

These guys are balanced on their own. No sticks or wires to hold them up or edit out. 

This next shot may be my favorite shot of the day.

To prove my friend's point, here is where I shot it... Charlie is patiently waiting for me to get going. He has become a very patient little dog.

I am distracted by these guys. So I will be enjoying them while the rest of the landscape stays dull and brown. Though I will be looking for interesting things in the forest to find.