Creator of the Week: Fog Machine on Miniatures with Fredrik Törnqvist

In the vibrant world of toy photography, creativity often emerges from unexpected challenges, as demonstrated by this week's featured creator, Fredrik Törnqvist. With the addition of the SmokeNINJA, Törnqvist breathes life into his miniature shots. Join us as we delve into Fredrik's imaginative process, how he uses the fog machine, and his tips for fellow photographers looking to explore the whimsical realm of toy imagery.

Funny story really. The idea behind this shot came to fruition from a massive frustration to be honest. The middle neck joint on the E.M.M.I. figure (the one on the floor) was totally stuck, and the lower part did not sit properly on the neck peg (it fell off more or less just looking at it the wrong way) - even though the figure was brand new out of the box. I had an entirely different shot planned beforehand, but it was nearly impossible to do with the broken part. Then again, frustration - channeled correctly - can turn into a massive seed of creativity. So in the end I let Samus show the viewer what I felt like doing as well - tearing the E.M.M.I.s freaking head off (and yes, that’s a laundry basket they’re sitting in).

Everything turned out pretty darn good, all things considered - and as a happy ending/bonus twist to the story: I’m getting a new replacement part for the figure sent out from Goodsmile Company, so YAY!

I absolutely love the SmokeNINJA fog machine. I’ve used it for a couple of shots now, and my favorite setting so far is the liquid smoke/dry ice setting. The way the smoke just floats and adds that misty, mystical feeling is so crazy. I have a lot more shots planned where I’ll use and explore the other settings more in-depth as well.

Just play around with it. Use it in any and all ways imaginable. Get to know it and its functions by heart. Experiment with shooting with a fast shutter speed to capture all the twists and twirls of the smoke, or use a slower shutter speed to get that more misty, more atmospheric style. Try, play, and have a lot of fun doing it, those are my best tips really.

Fredrik Törnqvist is a Swedish toy and action figure photographer who has also ventured into portrait and concert photography. He strives to maintain his almost childlike sense of play and curiosity. The fantasy world of toys is a magical, whimsical, serious, and sometimes outright bizarre place to explore, and he wouldn't want it any other way. He uses his collection room as a studio in his house, referring to it as his own little photo shack instead of a "man cave." That’s where his Instagram handle comes from: Fred’s Photo Shack.