All images by Felix Hernandez. Used under a Creative Commons License.
Mexico based photographer, Felix Hernandez, has created an amazing series paying tribute to his love for Star Wars. For the series, Hernandez photographed toys of Storm Troopers in studio and on location. With a keen eye for detail and meticulous approach, Hernadezâs final images look as if they were ripped straight from the films. And itâs just in time for Rogue One, which releases this weekend. Check out the entire series as well as a behind-the-scenes video showcasing the process behind this inspired body of work.
From the video, it seems Hernandez approached his series similar to many still-life photographers shooting products. Using a tabletop setup, he places the figures where he wants them then styles them with a variety of materials ranging from flour (to simulate snow) to small burning strips of paper to create a controlled smoke effect. Shot on a Canon 5D Mark III and an assortment of lenses, Hernandez takes a very methodical approach for each shot. Heâs shown taking measurements and posing each figure before returning to his camera which is locked down on a tripod.
From the photoshoot stage, we next see a behind-the-scenes look at his post-production process. A lot of work is involved in cutting out the figures from the background and compositing them with scenes that capture the atmosphere and mood heâs looking for. One image he works on during the video is of a Storm Trooper covered in snow with a foot up on rock looking triumphant in victory or out at the next potential enemy threat. The final image results from several images put together, containing various elements from other shots, such as ones with better smoke trails or lighting on the background.
Hernandezâs attention to detail and dedication to take ordinary figurines and turn them into epic photographs makes for an inspiring series. Iâve just gotten into compositing and have been pouring over tutorials to see whatâs possible. This series is a perfect example of what can be done with a solid concept, and photographic and post-production skill to see it through. Last year, I spent a bit of time shooting still-life images and decided to step away from it. After seeing Hernandezâs series, Iâm inspired to give it another go!
Check out this stunning series and more of Felix Hernandezâs work by visiting his website here.
