It’s been a while since I got back into doing figure photography. I managed to nab Alvis Hamilton from Last Exile fame off of an etailer for a very good price of $25. Before she arrived, I had already planned a photoshoot of her in rainy weather. I just couldn’t resist those cute little gumm boots.
Usually, spring in Vancouver doesn’t yield much rain, so I waited in anticipation for the first signs of rain. My wish was granted only but a day after Alvis arrived, and I had coincidentally brought in my camera specifically for a different figure shoot I had in mind.
I really wanted to capture the dreary rainy weather that is most common in Vancouver. We were 1 day short of beating our record of 100 straight days of rain during one summer. Unfortunately, it’s actually pretty difficult to capture rain on a camera. I was drenched, but the only proof of that is the small drizzle you see rippling in the water, and part of some on Alvis. Instead, I had to resort to using photoshop to tweak the color and mood to show the desolate dreariness I wanted to portray for poor Alvis wandering the streets aimlessly.
After arriving back at the office, I told Shino that I had completed the shoot as I had said I would. He guessed that I went down to Granville Island, which never occurred to me. I immediately picked up my camera and went to it to Granville Island, imagining the perfect opportunity in such a high traffic tourist area. It was my first public photo shoot. Fortunately, because of the dreary weather, there wasn’t a lot of people around, if at all. I guess I can say I sort of blended in, like a tourist or something. Until I took Alvis out of my pocket, that is.
One of my favorite photos was actually at a shipyard on Granville Island. It very much suited the mood and the feel that Alvis portrays. I even saw a ship that had elements of Range Murata’s designs. Almost like a WWII machine. Unfortunately, there was some serious activity that would be considered dangerous for me if I were to setup in that surrounding area. If you look carefully, you can kind of see it in the background behind the boat on the left.
For good measure, I decided to change up the mood, brighten the photo, and make it more of a sunset feel.
Here’s what the original looked like:
Hope you enjoyed my little photoshoot!
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Nice shots ^^ amazing, one thing, did you took them like this or is this “photoshoped” like you use to do?
I do enjoy it a lot! As usual ^^
Such a perfect mood for this Alvis figure. Fan-ta-stic work Radiant!
Thanks! Yes, actually these are real photos. Not a whole lot of photoshop compositing happening with these ones, but definitely mood and lighting adjustments were made.
Very nice shots !
Heh, nice to see the photos, and without having to wait too long either! :p I actually like the first two shots better. Something about the puddle and the reflection off it that I really like.
Boots are really sweet alright, I need something like that in my collection as well… Maybe… ^^; So I take it she stands perfectly without her base? She does come with a base yeah?
heh, Shino. Good to hear from you. I agree, I do like the first two shots because of the puddles as well. That was my intention at first, was to capture the reflection. I couldn’t get that from the other shots because there was no water build-up from the flat surfaces, except in shot4 I guess.
The boots were definitely inspirational for the entire shoot. She does stand perfectly without her base, and yeah, she comes on a pedistal of sorts with “Last Exile” printed on it. Personally, I’m not too fond of the pedistal, but it adds some interest to the figure.
Loved the setting concepts you used for Alvis. The sunset photo is especially beautiful =)
nice picture, first I thought you combine the figurine and the background via photoshop ^^
I like first and third picture (especially third one), nicely done 🙂 this character is designed by range murata right?
thanks, Byaku-chan! The sunset one is definitely one of my favorites. I love photoshop!
thanks, Ron! I quite like the 3rd one too. the composition and color are just right. Like something out of a wedding photo. lol. Yeah she’s by Range Murata. Specifically from the anime Last Exile. (which btw, I still haven’t watched yet)
the fisrt shot is just marvelous, I was tempted to get her when I saw her at my local store, but she’s so small that I decided not too.
Thanks Valho! I managed to pick her up from Hobbyfan for $25. Not to shabby if I do say so myself. 😉