9.28.15
There is not a day that I don’t want to do Godzilla toy photography. It has been a very rewarding creative experience. I’m an amateur photography that is simply informed by principles of design to capture what I like the most. Both life and art are imitation on a very deep level. Innovation is simply a higher abstraction of imitation. My photography has evolved from shooting toys on simple backgrounds to recreating memorable scenes from Godzilla movies and other Toho’s movies that have been etched into my memory. Each shot is a learning process that deepens my appreciation of photography, set design, and the expertise of special effects directors.
Yesterday, while browsing through Godzilla images on Google (like I do everyday), I came across a vintage Mothra scene and I had to redo it. Lately, I had been struggling to come up with another scene to make. But I knew I had to do it when I saw it. I believed I had all the elements to make this one better than the others. The set up was almost complete but it was missing two key elements-the two billboards! I recreated both the Bireley’s and car sign using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. I couldn’t find the exact car but a close enough match. After printing and cutting the signage was complete. The smoke and the power lines were added in post-production.
There some fine tuning required but this has been the most satisfying shot to date. It required me to go the extra mile to capture the essence of this scene. Making the props where there were none is the next step in becoming a better Godzilla toy photographer. Next time, I’ll do more and stretch myself further.
