Playing with Lego | Stuck at Home Photography Idea

What do you do if it's raining cats and dogs or it's really hazy outdoors, or you're just too lazy to go outside but you still want to take photos? You can either brave the weather (like what we did in the Swaggerpuff's adventure) or get creative indoors with whatever you can find, like your toys!

I was stuck at home for a long period of time because of the haze hitting the unhealthy range and I got really bored. But with boredom, comes creativity. I remembered a video I watched on DigitalRev about stuck at home photography ideas and the Lego set that the government gave to every single youth in Singapore for youth day, so I decided to do a little something with it. With the instructions manual under my knee, and a whole bunch of Lego pieces in front of me, I started building what seemed to be Changi Airport. It took me about 30 - 45 minutes to get the whole thing built because the instructions weren't exactly the clearest. I was so focused with getting the structure built that I forgot to take some photos of the process. Well, lesson learnt. If I'm ever doing this again, I'll make sure to take some photos.

I tried to take portraits of the Lego guy as creatively as I could, by putting him on top of a lens, at the top of my Changi Airport Lego structure and on my window ledge. I don't have a macro lens, so I used my dad's Vivitar 28-70mm f/3.5 - f/4.5 manual focus only lens. At 70mm, it gives a very decent bokeh and is more close up as compared to my usual kit lens (18-55mm f/3.5 - f/5.6). I could have used my Tamron 70 - 300mm lens which has a macro function, but the lens was too huge to use handheld (for me at least) and I didn't have enough space in my room to go till 300mm.

I only took a few shots with my Lego set since it was nearing dusk and the sunlight was diminishing fast, especially with the thick haze that was going on.

A failed attempt at trying to make my Lego guy look like he's doing parkour.

For those of you who wish to try doing this the next time you're stuck at home, here's a few tips!

1. Use a lens that can focus at very near distances; if you're trying to make your Lego character look bigger than it actually is, then a lens that can focus at very near distances would be apt. It'd be best if you have a macro/micro lens, but not everybody has that. I wouldn't recommend a telephoto lens since you would need to use a tripod and you'll find yourself running back and forth between your set and your camera since you'll need a certain distance in between.

2. Have a large space to play with; This is important if you're trying to make an entire city out of your Lego set, or you like minimalist photos. I was working with a tight space since I used my bay window to take the photos. Use your dining table for a start, you should have lots of space to play with.

3. Get creative; This is something I only thought of while I was writing this post, hence I didn't get to use it. But if you have a tripod, you can try using all the nooks and crannies in your house for your shots. Maybe the toilet, or even in your kitchen. Even the most unconventional places might work out and make your photos more interesting. Why do you need a tripod? For longer exposures / slower shutter speeds in areas with low light. Using a flash can be unflattering, hence a longer exposure is a better option. Of course, you don't necessarily have to use Lego sets either, you can take any small toy that you have and play around with it!

Here's the video from DigitalRev in case you were wondering!