#brickcentral member

[brickcentral]

🤩 ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: sdphoto_bricks Hello everyone! It's time to direct the spotlight toward our community members, and today we will get to know better sdphoto_bricks!

"My name is Stephanie DeFranco and I was born and raised in Roswell, NM. I’ve been a full-time photographer since 2017 and haven’t looked back since. Creating photos and watching stories come to life in front of my camera is a feeling I wouldn’t change for the world.

I would describe my photographic style as whimsical, authentic and colorful! I always try to make sure the subject will pop out of the photo with a burst of color or authentic movement.

My favorite subjects to capture in photos are characters that already have a little bit of a backstory, ex: Star Wars, Harry Potter, but putting them into situations that aren’t necessarily true to their canon story.

My go-to gear includes: Nikon z6 Lensbaby Velvet 85 Lensbaby Sweet 35 + Macro Convertors Lensbaby Twist 60 + Macro Convertors Video Lights

I’m currently living in New Mexico with my two cats, Jasmine and Ella, but traveling is my passion. I want to be able to experience new culture and document life as I live in that moment.

A few other random facts about me: I love coconut iced coffee.

I have a passion for thrifting and collecting old film cameras. And when I’m not behind my camera or on the road, you can find me on my couch streaming Disney+ & Netflix. "

Thank you for accepting our invitation and let the community knows you better!

If you want some insights on the exclusive picture and for a better view of the others, head to our blog at https://brickentral.net/.

- @theaphol, Community Outreach Manager

[archiminibricks]

Mancave morning

[brickcentral]

♥️FEATURE: @mysirenphotography

Today’s feature fits right into our new #minifigless hashtag. Even robots like to go out and play! I love the little wobbly robot that looks like its steering is veering off-course.

I noticed this cute little guy hidden in the general #brickcentral tag, so make sure to look through your photos for any submissions that will fit in our new tags. We don’t just feature new photos, hint-hint 😉.

~@glowingbrickette

“I can't help it, the road just rolls out behind me

Be kind to me, or treat me mean

I'll make the most of it, I'm an extraordinary machine”

-Extraordinary Machine, Fiona Apple

[glowingbrickette]

LEGO Lunar New Year display sets 2023, provided by The LEGO Group through @brickcentral.

The snow at the end of last year was perfectly timed to give a pretty backdrop for the display. Lunar New Year has always been a huge deal in my family, where we would have 30+ family members all piled into my grandmother’s house and consume enormous amounts of food.

[brickcentral]

🤩 ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: SKABRAM.builds Hello everyone! It's time to direct the spotlight toward our community members, and today we will get to know better SKABRAM.builds!

"Hi everyone, I’m Bram and I live in the Netherlands.

I rediscovered LEGO when my oldest son got his first set about 2,5 years ago. Soon I found out about digital building LEGO and got hooked building MOC’s of one of my favorite things: birds. I created some of my favorite birds to display in our house and published the building instructions for others to build. That was all I did until LEGO announced the Icons Kingfisher set. It got me thinking about sharing my own bird builds too.

This idea got kickstarted when I got tagged in a photo where someone used my instructions for a bird build. Apparently there was a little search for brick built birds in nature photos. I got in touch and was encouraged to participate. Since I already have some years experience with wildlife photography this seemed fun. I emptied my camera bag, filled it with my bird models and went to a local park. And here we are…

I see my photography as the final touch of my MOC. I spend a good amount of time designing and building the model, getting it out in it’s natural habitat feels like a logic last step. I try to get as close to the real bird and it’s environment as possible and aim to create realistic photos. My approach is the same as in my wildlife photography: I want to show the bird and some of its surroundings. These surroundings are important since they tell a lot about a bird and it’s behavior and habitat. Since I’m shooting a LEGO model this is a lot easier than with real birds, so I got plenty of time to focus on composition. I often try to get on eye level with my subject and to find interesting colors or lines that complement the composition. Most of my images are composed using the rule of thirds.

I prepare my photos not extensively. I think about the posing and what I might need for it (string, stand or extra LEGO parts) and throw everything in my bag when I go outside.

I don’t take a model of a coastal bird to the forest, but besides that it’s just looking for the right opportunity. Working with natural light and shooting without a tripod makes everything very flexible.

My 50-400mm lens is very versatile, so I can shoot real birds and LEGO ones during the same walk. The higher aperture (4.5-6.3) of this lens is no deal breaker since I often shoot with higher aperture to include more of the surroundings.

The hardest part might be getting the model posed right. It’s not always easy to find the right branch to clip the feet on (not all branches are in system…) and wind should not be underestimated when shooting around water (yes, I had to fish). Sometimes someone is holding a loose branch with a bird model up so I can get the right image. To compensate for the inevitable movement here I increase my shutter speed (which is already high because I shoot handheld).

Combining my love for wildlife photography and LEGO has been a bliss thus far. Working with static models and a lighter lens has it’s advantages! The gear i use is a Sony A6700 Tamron 28-75mm 2.8 Tamron 50-400mm 4.5-6.3 Tamron 150-500mm 5.0-6.7 (used for wildlife only) I do have a simple Rollei tripod, but only use it inside."

Thank you for accepting our invitation and let the community knows you better!

If you want some insights on the exclusive picture and for a better view of the others, head to our blog at https://brickentral.net/.

- @theaphol, Community Outreach Manager

[archiminibricks]

Orient express 21344

Wait a minute, wasn't that supposed to be green? 

I had great pleasure and chance to photograph this long, long, loooong set.

Illuminating the carriages from the inside in a night scenery gives beautiful effects

8 really great minifigures that fit into the era and luxury vibe perfectly.

Beautiful details

I received this set from LEGO thanks to @brickcentral for a photo shoot but all opinions are my own.

Full review with some BTS examples is here

[brickcentral]

♥️FEATURE: @bricktoygrapher

Today’s feature comes from our new #minifigless hashtag. The use of contrasting colors and saturation makes this armored snowman stand out. I love the use of desaturated blues for the background and the saturated gold to make an eye-catching minimalist still-life in the middle of a blizzard.

~@glowingbrickette

Snowman Thanos ⛄

At first, there were two snowmen. But then Snowman Thanos snapped his twigs, leaving only him to exist. ☃

[fourbrickstall]

Best minifigure for starting LEGO toy photography

Thanks to everyone for watching my third livestream on Tumblr!

To open, I answered a bunch of common questions like how I became a LEGO ambassador, if I get free sets, and how to shoot in public.

Then I showed the new LEGO Collectible Minifigure Series 24 with special attention to which minifigs are good for people starting out with LEGO photography:

Brown Astronaut with Spacebaby, Dinosaur Suit Fan, and Conservationist.

I think these are the easiest to tell stories with in a natural environment, which is how most people get started.

Disclaimer: LEGO sent me this set via @brickcentral to shoot.

And lastly, I showed just a small part of my LEGO minifig collection and pointed out other popular "starter" characters over the years like the Hiker from CMF Series 16.

Man, this minifig went hiking everywhere!

You can buy the Hiker on LEGO's marketplace, Bricklink, for somewhere between $8.50 and $30 in the US.

Or you can roll your own hiker like collin_bricks's custom minifig. This was a standout in a phone photography challenge I co-hosted last year:

See you again tomorrow! I'll start featuring members of the LEGO photography community on Tumblr Live so they can share their tips and insights.

Tomorrow's guest: @imaminiartaur

[thebrickmonster]

Team building

Why not go on an adventure with the members of your team?

Get to know each other, learn to appreciate each others strengths and weaknesses and create a more positive working environment.

Kayaking as a team brings a healthy dose of coordination and cooperation to classic outdoor fun. It is one of the best ways to build memories and bonds that will truly last a lifetime.

Fingers crossed for Batman, Joker .... and Mike (*)....hope it works out for them...

An entry for the #bc_adventurer contest on @brickcentral.

*Mike is yellow, small and didn't fit in the kayak....

[studbricks]

Hi everyone, my name is studbricks and I'm a big LEGO fan! My first LEGO set was 6008 Royal King and since then my love for LEGO has not stopped!

Although I am pictured with a camera, my knowledge of photography is not great, despite the fact that there are many quality resources to learn from, especially from members of the LEGO community (@brickcentral). I'm currently busy with a new job, but that's no excuse not to learn how to improve my photos! Don't be like me, the hardest part is getting started, but the effort will pay off!

I enjoy discussing the news from the LEGO world with the community members and I consider those moments very precious. I am grateful for the many friendships that started that way!

[brickcentral]

❤️FEATURE: @imaminiartaur

Today’s feature comes from our new #builddetails hashtag. This excellent example of the #builddetails has 100% LEGO bricks and focuses on the build’s details. This little solar charging station fits right into this urban scene.

~@glowingbrickette

SOLAR is the BESTAGON

The future is here! Let's maximize the most powerful energy around us. Solar powered scooter is the way to go!

Lego 40526 is a small but really cool pack!

[photomark6]

Play time is much better together with a friend. There was so much space in the kings garden to run around. Their dad had made them their own castle guards uniforms. It was if they were already members of the brave knights guard that followed their dad wherever he went.

Another entry into the @brickcentral monthly them for February.

I’d been playing around with this castle garden MOC for a little bit it time and finally got a story from it. Two siblings enjoying some playtime together! I think I has few more stories to tell as well!

I shot the scene in front of a monitor with a sky picture on. I wanted to go for a sunset vibe and the lighting comes from two LEDs with a yellow/orange filters in front.

[judgehoschi]

What a great month 😊 me and my family met some members of @germanbrickscollab and this was fun. It was really nice to be at the #jbslegostarwarsday 2022 @jbspielwaren and in the brick build center of @brickscreations_germany And also we had some wonderful days at the coast. This month was really wonderful and so I decided to make two collages. Thanks a lot for your support. And what I can promise: here on my account you will see more pics and only some reels. I am doing this only for fun and I like to take pics 😉 Here is my special tag for my friend @swiss_brick check his awesome account. Please check also the great artists of #germanbrickscollab they create wonderful content. @just.bricking @looks_like_lego @osnabrix @matthias.rost.hb @paderbrickz @der_legoist @datklemmt @wattn_stein @bauspassundmehr @brickscreations_germany @martin_construx @alicebrickland @brickraid_pictures @achderheiko Unpaid advertising / unbezahlte Werbung #lego #legogermany #legophotography #legopics #legostagram #legobricks #toyphotography #photography #toypic_community #stuckinplastic #brickcentral #afol #afolcommunity #kidstoys #legominifigures #minifigures #judgehoschi (hier: Hildesheim) https://www.instagram.com/p/Ch7Vm74oiuj/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[brickcentral]

♥️FEATURE: @rennerbricks

This charming photo of the wind blowing laundry away tells a simple story that is clear and concise. Even with the busy city background, the lighter tones of the city behind the laundry make the subject pop. I love the use of composition and leading lines to direct your attention to the subject and give a great deal of motion to the escaping laundry.

~@glowingbrickette

Windy day…

[thorgrihm]

The dark elves got a new (he is old) member #lego #Лего #afol #instalego #legocastle #legogram #legolife #legomoc #legominifigures #legophotography #legostory #brick #brickcentral #toyart #toys #toyartistry #toyphotography #toygroup_alliance #miniature #moc #elves #elf #geek #nerd #knight #medieval #fantasy #instagood #battle #war https://www.instagram.com/p/CFyH6kPKr3_/?utm_medium=tumblr

[tclone1971]

Scare-D squared off against Doctor Timewinter and his ice powers. The Doctor through up an ice shield to slow down the Alphabattalion member’s scythe. But Scare-D let out a terrifying war cry (muffled through his mask, of course) and charged onward. #manga #mask #maskup #socialdistancing #anime #action #movie #scifi #mtg #photography📷 #harrypotter #legophotography #toyphotography #comics #dnd #dungeonsanddragons #legomastersfox #lego #toptoyphotos #toyphotographers #toy_photographers #brickcentral #writersofinstagram #toyartistry #legoinstagram https://www.instagram.com/p/CPabxl4JkX2/?utm_medium=tumblr