Photographing the Transformers Metroplex Toy Requires a Larger Workspace

Yesterday afternoon Josh, Chris, and Joe of the Austin Texastron group (Facebook page) came over and we shot more photos for the upcoming Transforming Expectations book. Fewer individual toys were photographed than the last time we did this, but when a variety of upgrades and add-ons for the Transformers Generations Metroplex* is involved things are going to take time . . . and the project just won’t fit inside a standard light tent.

In order to create room to photograph the Transformers Generations Metroplex* and his various add-ons I rigged together a space using a large box, three sheets of white posterboard, and my usual lights. It wasn’t pretty to look at, but it did work. And man, even with the proper workspace getting pics of this monster and his upgrades is a major challenge.

The Transformers Generations Metroplex* toy photographed for the book was equipped with:

• Reprolabels sticks.
  
• Red X2 Toys Interception kit.
  
• TFC Gear of War pack.
  
• Unique Toys Metropolis head upgrade.
  
• 3D-printed hands from MegaMoonMan.

The next time I attempt photos of a toy that will not fit into the light tent I’ll use a variation on this setup, with the one major change the addition of two or three more lights. I really believe that extra lighting — especially some mounted to the edge of the table close in — would have made things go a bit easier.

And I need to find a large clear acrylic block to stand the bigger toys on so that shadows aren’t an issue.