Do you challenge yourself?

[Urban Saboteur]

Hey,
I thought i'd throw this question to everyone on this forum, we are all capable of producing some fantastic stories with our little plastic soldiers and heroes of might. But i specifically want to talk about challenges, here on the forum you can take part in weekened warriors and various other themed contests.

However, when your doing an action figure sequence, do you challenge yourself? Is there areas of action figure story/dio creation that you don't feel best at, and if so how do you challenge yourself?

One of the many aspects of this hobby I enjoy is constantly thinking of new poses or stances for the figures to be in, when that scene is in my head i try best to recreate it as closely as I can with the figure, but thats not the end of the line is it?

What about after the scene is there, do you just point the camera and shoot? do you shoot from up top? from below? from either side or just from the front? What about the lighting?

So much to think about, just recently i've thrived on swapping out my initial ideas and scenarios camera angles, trying my best not to shoot every scene from the same angle, now obviously, when you do this you can change the angle of lighting, which could increase or decrease the shot,. hmm. I guess thats the price paid.

So. My question is, how often do you challenge yourself when taking pictures, and if you do, is it purely pictoral with the camera or more with the scenes themselves and the action figures involved.

In friendship
Rich

[Agent Viper]

I tend to shoot from a comfortable area and source. But I'm slowly picking up more sources inspired by others on here so that my shots are *hopefully* growing unique and beginning to take form

[SIC DETH]

I want to challange myself and I know I can take better shots. My problem is organization,space and location. I have alot of ideas dog piled in my head. So many it fustrates me. I want to do them all!!! The problem is bring the imagination forth. Its not that easy. When I get the urge to take a pic my area becomes a pig stye. This is due to me being unorganized. I start pulling sh1t from everywhere and by the time I find what I was looking for, the mood is distrupted!!! This is why I take simple pics. I feel its more about having fun and enjoying your hobby then challenging yourself.

[zedhatch]

My challenge for the past few years is steading my hands so I don't need a tripod. Beleive it or not the past 2 years have been without a tripod.

My constant challenge is tossing characters that have no business being together and figure out what they might talk about. That doesn't always work of course. Also changing up the backgrounds once in a while, I have a bad tendancy to sit in front of the Comic shop and video store.

[Crimson Pilot]

I try to get some inspiration to a scene mostly, otherwise it is what i can think of at the moment. I typically shoot from the angles I want to try for first then after that I go and snap them from all over just in case there is a better shot not thought of before. My biggest challenge is getting elaborate scenes put together but I am using a trial and error method of success. I try to picture the figures in movie scenes/situation then adapt it to something I can create for them.

[Lt. Pinpoint]

I'm still pretty new to this form of story telling. I usually just write but now I am working on Dio Stories ( http://cobrahq.freewebspace.com ). As my challenge comes from the actual story telling, my pictures are pretty generic, but I do try to change them up a little here and there.

So, there, now you have my challenge

[Dreadnok Dread]

Im a hard arse on my self all the time. From my art work to my screen printing and diographies. Im always pushing myself to the limit. if I can't spend the time to take a shot correctly why bother. why waste that energy you know. My challenge is organization kinda like sic! lol but mine is backwards. I have so much space that all my stuff gets scattered around in my basement joe room.

Every time I shoot I think of how the scene will be portrayed through the camera lens. Dave vader9900 told me a long time ago, to look through my lens while i set up so I can see whats blocked and what needs to go were. I as well push myself in my dio building. I try and push myself to the limits I have. which are time and money! lol
I have as well been Challenging myself with the quantity of shots I shoot. I try and shoot every pic like its the last one on the roll. So in doing this I make myself work harder and I control every facet of my shots. From the lighting to the camera,tripod and timer. This way to me I feel like I get better shots. I used to take 80 pictures but with the method I use to shoot now. "painting with light" all my shots come out how i want them. Don't get me wrong I still have lots to learn we all do.

Cheer DD

[rds13601]

I am trying to make sets that help fit my collection. Some have really stunk. I am using Military Modeler magazine to help guide me through! It's gonna take a while!!

[dracconian]

yes its a challenge,i didnt know i sucked so much at taking pictures.
i find it hard to convey the vision in my head.
its really a whole different world taking pictures of scenes using small plastic figures compared to regular snapshots of people.

i dont try to compete with other members of joedios i think its the wrong turn to take.

im trying to create my own joeverse and i want a certain mood..im trying to warm up to it so the diostory becomes of quality enough to actually be worth reading when its done.

the challenge to me is not to outshine anyone else but to learn from every picture i take so i slowly can think in 3d and 1:18 scale.

to reach some kind of basic quality level i guess.

[snakeling]

I'm like Han Solo I can imagine quite a bit. I have no problem coming up with ideas but I'm limited on sets and accessories and backgrounds. I try to do different stuff every time and just recently got into low light photos. I'm working on some sets thanks to the files here and in the future hope to have a Cobra HQ and lab. In my opinion the biggest challenge is having the balls to shoot outdoors regardless of who sees.

[SIC DETH]

[QUOTE=snakeling] In my opinion the biggest challenge is having the balls to shoot outdoors regardless of who sees.[/QUOTE]

I see someone else has problem coming out the closet!!! lol :D

[dancontrino]

[QUOTE=SIC DETH]I see someone else has problem coming out the closet!!! lol :D[/QUOTE]

I was at a thrift store yesterday and some dude was looking at the same figures and vehicles I was, so I said, "What do you collect?". He said, "Nothing! These are for my kids." I wanted to ask if his kids were 34 year old men, but I figured he wasn't ready to confront his problem :D Regarding this thread, Rich, I think there needs to be more positive/constructive criticism regarding the technical points of a shot. I could always rely on memberslike Craig and Flatline and Cyko to give useful critiques as well as praise if the shot deserved it. I think we should tell someone if a great shot has been ruined by bad lighting or their visible carpet and ferns :p People can't fix what they don't know is wrong and hopefully that challenges us to keep going beyond what we've already done and improve. I have to go now...too much Muligatawny :eek:

[Rick]

I only started doing this a year ago. So many ideas and so much to collect or buy or make to produce a vision or story. Some ideas are on hold until I have the set or fig to do it. Drives me crazy. I got photoshop for Christmas and loaded it, but now I just stare at it and wonder where am I going to find the time.

I try to imagine myself as either a photo journalist or another member of the team when I shoot. That's why you'll see alot of my shots from low or eye level.

Luckily I have a 4x8 dio table to create on.

I can take constructive critisism, so feel free to tell me something sucked as well or how it could be better or something you might do a little different or if an idea comes to mind with a different perspective that could add to the dio or shot.

It's all in good fun as well as an art form.

[snakeling]

[QUOTE=SIC DETH]I see someone else has problem coming out the closet!!! lol :D[/QUOTE]

I suppose I can't get much nerdier huh?

[Prince Adam]

I challenge myself to pick up the camera every day. Even if I can’t find a lick of inspiration I push myself to make something happen w/ it. It’s become my “me” time, it’s how I blow off steam. Sometimes it’s a scene I’ve had in my head for days that I’m dying to shoot and other times I just make it up as a go and everything in between. I rarely get it on the first take. Not so much because something goes wrong but more so because a new idea comes to mind and I move something (fig, prop, light, etc.) or change the angle. I might shoot twenty pictures, especially if I'm outside, and only like two and of those two I’ll only post one as they’re too similar, at least in my head. That said I’m my own worst critic.

Lately my overall self-challenge is changing it up. Firstly by making new (and more interesting) sets particularly because I tend to routinely use a lot of the same things. Now to the casual observer that may not seem like a big deal or be as obvious but I know I’m more creative than that plus it’s always a blast being able to show off a new set or prop you’ve worked hard on. Also I do a lot of interior shots; hangars, bases, hallways, etc. etc. And when I’m doing that I’m outside shooting a woodland or a field. Once in a blue moon I’ll do an urban set but those few and far between. I want to spread my wings a bit and do more snow- and desert-themed shots as well as more vehicle shots too.

Lastly I'm trying to flesh-out some of my other Flickr sets. No I don't just shoot Joes, although a good 40% of my pictures are Joe-related. There's a handful of more neglected themes that I'm looking to add to; Thundercats, DC, and Indiana Jones to name a few.

[San Pickles]

My biggest challenge is to try and create scenes without the aid of Photo Shop or other computer photo editors. I admire the members who do such fantastic work with PS and the cool effects they add to their photos. My computer is so old it can't handle PS or other programs. So I try to pull off the special effects with old fashioned camera tricks and and angles. It's one of the fun parts of the hobby for me.