Shooting Skeletons In My Backyard Pond
- mitchelwu
- Sep 7
- 3 min read
When I first started photographing water scenes, I didn’t have access to a pond or stream. I improvised by shooting on my stone patio with a thin layer of water poured over it, or in a mud puddle in a dead spot on my lawn. Those setups were very cool in their own way, and I created so many different stories and worlds with them, but they were also extremely limiting. Some of the challenges was having to continue to add water to the scene, as it would either be quickly used up by my practical effects, or would simply dry up or, in the case of the mud puddle, soak into the ground. But the biggest limitation I had was the lack of any real depth to the water. On my stone patio I had a 1/16” water depth to work with, and the mud puddle might have been an inch deep if I was lucky. Here’s some examples:
Mud Puddle Shoot. Watch the full CARnivore BTS video HERE
Mud puddle shoot. Watch the full Boglins BTS video HERE
Stone patio shoot - what you can do with a little water on a stone patio is amazing.
Stone patio shoot
These limitations were why I finally pulled the trigger on having the Toi Pond built in my backyard. Designed specifically for toy photography, the Toi Pond is a 45’ long meandering waterscape with various depths, rocks, plants, and flowing water that allows me to shoot at realistic scales and play and experiment endlessly. Having this custom waterscape has completely transformed how I work with water scenes. I can now step outside into my backyard and be instantly transported into a cinematic water world, always there to create in.
This photo, “Summer Vibes,” features three 1:18 scale skeleton figures from Boss Fight Studio’s amazing Vitruvian H.A.C.K.S. collection. These incredible little figures are highly articulated and full of character, making it easy to pose them in dynamic, expressive ways. Every tiny gesture or tilt of the head adds life to these little figures. I placed each skeleton on their own faux lily pads (I’ve since added real water lilies in the Toi Pond to shoot on) and gave them tiny libations to create the feel of friends lazily floating down a river on a warm summer day.
For the shot, I waded into the Toi Pond and set up my tripod in the stream, angling my camera low to the water to make the scene feel immersive. The natural sunlight reflecting off the water added a warmth to the image, while the stillness of the pond helped create those crisp reflections that make the figures look truly part of their environment. Here's a couple BTS images...
I placed my camera and tripod directly in the stream. You can check out these and the other gear I used for this shoot at the bottom of this page.
The skeletons were positioned and held in place with magnetic gooseneck arms with alligator clips. I use these in pretty much every single shoot. They're invaluable to my setups. You can check out these and the other gear I used for this shoot at the bottom of this page.
What I love about the Toi Pond is how it opens up new storytelling opportunities. I can now create more cinematic, believable worlds for my characters right in my backyard studio. The Toi Pond is an investment in creativity and storytelling. It’s both a creative playground and a tool that elevates every water-based scene I shoot. “Summer Vibes” is just one example of how this new space lets my imagination flow.
Camera settings: 1/200 sec at f4, ISO 1250
More Toy Photography
🌐 Website: https://www.mitchelwutoyphotography.com/
📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mitchelwuphotography/
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GEAR
• Camera: Canon R8 mirrorless camera: https://amzn.to/3FArg5J
• Canon RF 85mm F2 Macro is STM: https://amzn.to/3W5TNoW
• DJI Osmo Action 5 (used for BTS video): https://amzn.to/4gFOfK6
• Neewer Mini Tripod: https://amzn.to/3HOWWWC
• Magnetic Gooseneck Arms with Alligator Clips: https://amzn.to/3V5db4S
• Metal weights (used for magnetic gooseneck arm stands): https://amzn.to/4p2tnRY
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Amazing Skeleton figures from https://www.bossfightstudio.com/
