Kamiko Komics: The Lost Diamonds of Katanga Part II:

Katanga's Lost Diamonds Part II: The Valley of Strange Occurences by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

Katanga's Lost Diamonds Part II: The Valley of Strange Occurences by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

Katanga's Lost Diamonds Part II: The Valley of Strange Occurences by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

Katanga's Lost Diamonds Part II: The Valley of Strange Occurences by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

Katanga's Lost Diamonds Part II: The Valley of Strange Occurences by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

Katanga's Lost Diamonds Part II: The Valley of Strange Occurences by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

Katanga's Lost Diamonds Part II: The Valley of Strange Occurences by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

Katanga's Lost Diamonds Part II: The Valley of Strange Occurences by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

Katanga's Lost Diamonds Part II: The Valley of Strange Occurences by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

Katanga's Lost Diamonds Part II: The Valley of Strange Occurences by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

Katanga's Lost Diamonds Part II: The Valley of Strange Occurences by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

Katanga's Lost Diamonds Part II: The Valley of Strange Occurences by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

Katanga's Lost Diamonds Part II: The Valley of Strange Occurences by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

Katanga's Lost Diamonds Part II: The Valley of Strange Occurences by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

Katanga's Lost Diamonds Part II: The Valley of Strange Occurences by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

Katanga's Lost Diamonds Part II: The Valley of Strange Occurences by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

Katanga's Lost Diamonds Part II: The Valley of Strange Occurences by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

Katanga's Lost Diamonds Part II: Valley of Strange Occurences by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

Katanga's Lost Diamonds Part II: The Valley of Strange Occurences by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

Katanga's Lost Diamonds Part II: The Valley of Strange Occurences by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

Katanga's Lost Diamonds Part II: The Valley of Strange Occurences by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

Katanga's Lost Diamonds Part II: The Valley of Strange Occurences by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

Katanga's Lost Diamonds Part II: The Valley of Strange Occurences by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

Katanga's Lost Diamonds Part II: The Valley of Strange Occurences by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

Katanga's Lost Diamonds Part II: The Valley of Strange Occurences by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

Katanga's Lost Diamonds Part II: The Valley of Strange Occurences by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

Katanga's Lost Diamonds Part II: The Valley of Strange Occurences by Gary  Menten, on Flickr

loads of action and awesome posing

JohnnyE4 wrote:

loads of action and awesome posing

Thanks. It was quite challenging to shoot this on what is essentially a big pile of rocks making up one side of a waterfall in a public park.

You photographed this elaborate sequence in a public park? Did you attract many curious onlookers?

A most entertaining installment! As JohnnyE4 says, lots of action. You make excellent use of the posing capabilities of these figures, changing things up between shots.

Nice selection of very detailed weaponry. Obviously the team is not too concerned about making noise. The girls' enthusiasm over tossing the grenade was quite amusing.

The costuming is superb.

Ah, yes, the riding crop incident. I believe that was ocurring about the time I first discovered your account on Flickr.

Glynnis and "The Omega Girl" aka Laura are cousins? Interesting reveal. (And a fun explanation for attributes they share in common, such as the SDH018 sculpt.)

SCU_HQ wrote:

You photographed this elaborate sequence in a public park?    Did you attract many curious onlookers?

A most entertaining installment! As JohnnyE4 says, lots of action. You make excellent use of the posing capabilities of these figures, changing things up between shots.

Nice selection of very detailed weaponry. Obviously the team is not too concerned about making noise. The girls' enthusiasm over tossing the grenade was quite amusing.

The costuming is superb.

Ah, yes, the riding crop incident. I believe that was ocurring about the time I first discovered your account on Flickr.

Glynnis and "The Omega Girl" aka Laura are cousins? Interesting reveal. (And a fun explanation for attributes they share in common, such as the SDH018 sculpt.)

Yes, it attracts attention when I shoot there. Some people stop and just watch without interrupting, Others, like a couple of municipal employees who maintain the park were very curious and asked a lot of questions, and yesterday, there was a young couple who seemed curious and had a camera with them, so I invited them over to where I was shooting and introduced them to each of the characters (Kamiko was their favorite) and since the male was obviously a photo buff and had a decent SLR and lenses, I invited him to shoot a few photos of Kamiko.  

Historically, I've been loathe to answer what I call "stupid"questions from onlookers whenever I've shot photos in a public place because mostly, the questions are petty stupid.  They'll see me setting up a tripod with a camera on it and ask things like "are you shooting photos?"  (no, I just like going about from place to place and setting up a tripod and camera for no reason,") or "why are you shooting photos?" (For the same reason  you do; because I want a photo of something." Stuff like that.  In this case though, I've learned to embrace the questions and curiosity as it can only spread interest in the hobby to answer the questions.

Back in the day when I took photos of my figures using a DSLR camera, I would occasionally have people approach me and ask questions. A few were younger people, and they were curious about the figures. More often, it was "middle aged or older" men who were interested in the photography aspect. Photographers recognize the challenges of photographing miniature figures outdoors against "life size" backdrops, and the conversations could become quite technical, and were always interesting.

Using a DSLR makes any photo activity look a bit more "serious" and even "professional." Most people seemed to think I knew what I was doing and would simply walk on by.

In the rare event when someone asked a question but seemed on the cusp of being sarcastic or rude, I would simply say "art project" and get back to what I was doing. That always worked.

It's been a while since I've set up an elaborate scene in a public space. I've become lazy... and shy. I usually use a simple point-n-shoot camera and only carry one or two simple figures (hence the recent Bratz doll photos) that I can quickly set up, snap, and put away while nobody is around.

Sounds like the people in your neighborhood are a mellow crowd. Must be a reasonably nice place.

SCU_HQ wrote:

Back in the day when I took photos of my figures using a DSLR camera, I would occasionally have people approach me and ask questions. A few were younger people, and they were curious about the figures. More often, it was "middle aged or older" men who were interested in the photography aspect. Photographer recognize the challenges of photographing miniature figures outdoors against "life size" backdrops, and the conversations could become quite technical, and were always interesting.

Using a DSLR makes any photo activity look a bit more "serious" and even "professional." Most people seemed to think I knew what I was doing and would simply walk on by.

In the rare event when someone asked a question but seemed on the cusp of being sarcastic or rude, I would simply say "art project" and get back to what I was doing. That always worked.

It's been a while since I've set up an elaborate scene in a public space. I've become lazy... and shy. I usually use a simple point-n-shoot camera and only carry one or two simple figures (hence the recent Bratz doll photos) that I can quickly set up, snap, and put away while nobody is around.

Sounds like the people in your neighborhood are a mellow crowd. Must be a reasonably nice place.

I live in a mellow, multi-ethnic suburb of Montreal. I shoot with a Nikon D800 and a 24-70 f.2.8 lens with constant maximum aperture. This is a heavy combination but in the hands of someone who knows what he is doing, yields fabulous results.

The downside of these outdoor shoots are aside from being asked questions and having to travel:

1. Weather. Shoots can only take place in good weather and the last two were shot in constantly changing light on days of mixed sun and cloud. Also it started to rain just as I was finished shooting the last shoot, and while everything was packed up and ready to go before it started really coming down, i had to walk in the rain from the falls to the gates of the park and the bus stop where I was to wait for bus. There was a bus shelter but it was mostly occupied by two adults and their two young children in strollers who had been out for stroll; none of them had COVID masks, even though I did, because it had never occurred to them they might shelter in a bus stop or be in close proximity to other people.

2. All the supporting stuff I have to bring with me; figures, different hands, weapons, props, paper towels and cleaning stuff in case a figure gets dirty....

3. You can't do much outdoors here in the winter.

All this being said, I am going to start working on some sort of changeable indoor set very soon.

Kimono Troop Command wrote:

All this being said, I am going to start working on some sort of changeable indoor set very soon.

BlondeActionMan is planning a major indoor set remodel-rebuild, and I keep saying I'm going to get started on the same thing. Rogue-Trooper has recently completed the main construction on a setting to which he is now adding details. There are some very interesting diorama builds in the Diorama section of the forum, some from currently active members and some from members who we do not see as often anymore. It will be interesting to see what you have in mind for your own "winter project."

SCU_HQ wrote:

Kimono Troop Command wrote:

All this being said, I am going to start working on some sort of changeable indoor set very soon.

BlondeActionMan is planning a major indoor set remodel-rebuild, and I keep saying I'm going to get started on the same thing. Rogue-Trooper has recently completed the main construction on a setting to which he is now adding details. There are some very interesting diorama builds in the Diorama section of the forum, some from currently active members and some from members who we do not see as often anymore. It will be interesting to see what you have in mind for your own "winter project."

My major problem is limited space. If did did not already have a small model railroad in this tiny apartment, I would have a good permanent space to build an changeable set but unfortunately I do and so I have to build something that can be stowed away.

posing TBLeauge figures realistically is much easier than posing GI Joe / Action Man figures realistically because of the way they are built with all the ball joints. As with the other figures, the biggest problems always come with the hands. For posing female bodies however, it isn't much different than telling a model on a photo shoot how to pose, though it can take a while longer to get there.

Another great installment Gary, really well posed figures and fantastic photographing!

The location is perfect for your story, outstanding stuff.

Can't wait to see more of your work.