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Writer's picturemitchelwu

Toy Photography Behind the Scenes: Creating Dirt & Debris Practical Effects

Updated: Jun 11, 2021

Dirt & Debris effects is one of the easiest practical effects to create, and one that can have a huge impact on images. Good dirt & debris effects can create the feeling of motion and emphasize the action in an image, as well as add atmosphere and mood. On the flip side, the gratuitous use and overuse of dirt & debris effects in toy photography is pretty common. Oftentimes it's used without rhyme or reason, and is often heavy-handed, and actually detracts from the image. But used correctly with finesse, and where it makes sense, dirt & debris effects can elevate an image to a higher level.

The fun, final image!

Shot with my Canon 5D III paired with the Canon 135mm f2L. Shot at f2, ISO 1250 at 1/1250 sec. I used 2 Manfrotto Lykos Bi-Color LED lights for fill.


Thank you to my sponsors at Atmosphere Aerosol (use discount code MW10 for a special rate if purchasing from their website), Manfrotto , Spider Holster and Lowepro camera bags.

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