An interview with @riprocketpix
By @beermanphotography
Q: How long have you been a toy photographer?
A: While I have dabbled in the field off and on since the Spring of 2001, I really took off with toy photography late last year during a rather grey and dreary Canadian winter.
Q: What got you started in toy photography?
A: Well, having been born with cerebral palsy and partial blindness, toy photography allowed me to find an outlet that helped in coping with my pain by focusing on something much more upbeat and inspiring.
Q: What is your favorite figure to shoot and why?
A: Wow, now there is a real thinker! The industry has changed so much since I started doing this, and action figures have really come a long way over the last 20 years. While picking one figure for me would be near impossible, I will say that my favorite series of action figures to shoot would be the Bucky O’Hare line from Boss Fight Studio. They’re just so bright and colorful, they really pop on camera!
Q: What is your favorite place to take photos?
A: While I try to look for new locations to shoot at regularly, my home office will always be my favorite spot! Everything I need is there, and it has plenty of natural light. Additionally, if I’m having a bad day physically, it’s comfortable. Oh, and there is the always important spot for my mandatory cup of coffee!
Q: What’s the weirdest thing that has ever happened during a photo shoot?
A: I was out in my yard shooting some Star Wars Black Series stuff, and this squirrel comes along and sits on the fence. It then proceeds to stare at what I was doing for over half an hour- even going so far as to stretch itself out as long as it could go, as if it were trying to get as close as it could to what I was doing without leaving the safety of its perch. It was both hilarious and mildly unsettling!
Q: If you could have any superpower what would it be and why?
A: Tech! I’ve always appreciated the intricacies of engineering, thus I’ve always found myself partial to the equipment of characters like Batman, Green Arrow and Iron Man. So, give me a cool car, a utility belt, and an arsenal of cool gadgets, and I think I could definitely get some serious work done in the field of crime fighting!
