Intermission: Photo-a-Day Project Brings Star Wars Action Figures to Life
by Liz Dwyer
Kristina Alexanderson isn't a hardcore Star Wars or Lego fangirl, but the suburban Stockholm resident's photo project CClones 365 will have you thinking she's been handling the series' action figures since birth. Inspired by the fun she and her children had playing with Star Wars Legos, Alexanderson, who works in education and takes photos as a hobby, has been posing and photographing storm troopers and clones every day this year. Following are some of her—and our—favorite shots from the collection.
Photos courtesy Kristina Alexanderson
Helping the Small Ones, January 27, 2011
"I love to tell stories, to make scenes," Alexanderson says. Yet she doesn't plan out each day's photo in advance. She spontaneously snapped this one while waiting for the train home after a business trip
We Need Some Guns, May 15, 2011
Part of storytelling is showing the emotions of the characters, which requires skill when you're working with stormtroopers and clone troopers with painted-on faces. In this photo, Alexanderson wanted to show that they're "very obsessed with guns."
Playing for Some Stone Marbles, May 20, 2011
Many of Alexanderson's images show intergenerational relationships. This one, a favorite of her oldest son, "shows that adults should play with their children."
Paper Chase, May 27, 2011
Combining the figures with everyday objects gives each picture a creative twist. Alexanderson says she likes the "feeling of trying to get away," that this image conveys.
We All Live in a Yellow Submarine, June 8, 2011
Alexanderson finds working with the Star War characters interesting because they're "such a great part of our culture." That makes them perfect for teaming up with the equally iconic Beatles.
Make a Hack4Europe, June 9, 2011
An avid supporter of Creative Commons Sweden, Alexanderson says this picture was made for a presentation she gave at a hackathon in Stockholm to show the possibilities of the movement. Does this mean Darth Vader is also a fan of sharing?
Out Fishing for Droids? July 21, 2011
After all that hacking, everybody needs a little vacation—even clones and stormtroopers. What better way to spend the afternoon than with a fishing pole?
Once Upon a Time There Was a Death Star..., July 22, 2011
Alexanderson usually borrows figures from her children's toy box, but since they didn't have a Darth Vader, she bought one specifically for the project. Don't you wonder what sort of revisionist history Vader is telling this youngster?
Is This the Missing Piece?, July 24, 2011
Alexanderson loves to photograph in black and white. This image, which she says took quite a while to pose, conveys how skillfully she's able to give emotion to expressionless stormtroopers.
Could the Trooper Be a Sand Trooper?, August 2, 2011
After a tough day battling the rebels, this stormtrooper needs a little rest and relaxation in the sand. C'mon, you know this is what you want to do after a tough day at work, too.
You Kind of Look Like One of the Droids That We're Looking For, August 4, 2011
When it comes to the Star Wars universe, Alexanderson says "there is a lot I don't know about the saga." But she certainly nailed the mood of C-3PO trying to evade capture.
In the Limelight, September 6, 2011
Alexanderson snapped this one evening after she came home and saw that the moon was rising. Inspired, she "put the trooper outside and got the moon behind."
Sleeping In, September 16, 2011
Sometimes Alexanderson's photos convey how much she misses her children, like this one she took on a trip to Warsaw. The relaxed figures are illumined with a flashlight, she says.
The Stormtrooper Is Making a Portrait, or Is it a Self-Portrait? July 31, 2011
This is the most popular of all the images posted on the CClone 365 Flickr, with about 9,000 page views. Alexanderson says the "effect of looking at the picture in a lightbox is great."
Finding Balance, October 21, 2011
"I share my pictures for others to get inspired," says Alexanderson, adding that she hopes they help people "see beyond our first impressions." This was her first daily photo project and, although she hasn't completed the year yet, she's already looking ahead to a possible project involving real people in 2012. But she's had so much fun working with the Star Wars figures, she isn't sure she'll "be able to leave the troopers behind," she says.
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| Intermission: Photo-a-Day Project Brings Star Wars Action Figures to Life by Liz Dwyer |
Kristina Alexanderson isn't a hardcore Star Wars or Lego fangirl, but the suburban Stockholm resident's photo project CClones 365 will have you thinking she's been handling the series' action figures since birth. Inspired by the fun she and her children had playing with Star Wars Legos, Alexanderson, who works in education and takes photos as a hobby, has been posing and photographing storm troopers and clones every day this year. Following are some of her—and our—favorite shots from the collection.
Photos courtesy Kristina Alexanderson
Helping the Small Ones, January 27, 2011
"I love to tell stories, to make scenes," Alexanderson says. Yet she doesn't plan out each day's photo in advance. She spontaneously snapped this one while waiting for the train home after a business trip
We Need Some Guns, May 15, 2011
Part of storytelling is showing the emotions of the characters, which requires skill when you're working with stormtroopers and clone troopers with painted-on faces. In this photo, Alexanderson wanted to show that they're "very obsessed with guns."
Playing for Some Stone Marbles, May 20, 2011
Many of Alexanderson's images show intergenerational relationships. This one, a favorite of her oldest son, "shows that adults should play with their children."
Paper Chase, May 27, 2011
Combining the figures with everyday objects gives each picture a creative twist. Alexanderson says she likes the "feeling of trying to get away," that this image conveys.
We All Live in a Yellow Submarine, June 8, 2011
Alexanderson finds working with the Star War characters interesting because they're "such a great part of our culture." That makes them perfect for teaming up with the equally iconic Beatles.
Make a Hack4Europe, June 9, 2011
An avid supporter of Creative Commons Sweden, Alexanderson says this picture was made for a presentation she gave at a hackathon in Stockholm to show the possibilities of the movement. Does this mean Darth Vader is also a fan of sharing?
Out Fishing for Droids? July 21, 2011
After all that hacking, everybody needs a little vacation—even clones and stormtroopers. What better way to spend the afternoon than with a fishing pole?
Once Upon a Time There Was a Death Star..., July 22, 2011
Alexanderson usually borrows figures from her children's toy box, but since they didn't have a Darth Vader, she bought one specifically for the project. Don't you wonder what sort of revisionist history Vader is telling this youngster?
Is This the Missing Piece?, July 24, 2011
Alexanderson loves to photograph in black and white. This image, which she says took quite a while to pose, conveys how skillfully she's able to give emotion to expressionless stormtroopers.
Could the Trooper Be a Sand Trooper?, August 2, 2011
After a tough day battling the rebels, this stormtrooper needs a little rest and relaxation in the sand. C'mon, you know this is what you want to do after a tough day at work, too.
You Kind of Look Like One of the Droids That We're Looking For, August 4, 2011
When it comes to the Star Wars universe, Alexanderson says "there is a lot I don't know about the saga." But she certainly nailed the mood of C-3PO trying to evade capture.
In the Limelight, September 6, 2011
Alexanderson snapped this one evening after she came home and saw that the moon was rising. Inspired, she "put the trooper outside and got the moon behind."
Sleeping In, September 16, 2011
Sometimes Alexanderson's photos convey how much she misses her children, like this one she took on a trip to Warsaw. The relaxed figures are illumined with a flashlight, she says.
The Stormtrooper Is Making a Portrait, or Is it a Self-Portrait? July 31, 2011
This is the most popular of all the images posted on the CClone 365 Flickr, with about 9,000 page views. Alexanderson says the "effect of looking at the picture in a lightbox is great."
Finding Balance, October 21, 2011
"I share my pictures for others to get inspired," says Alexanderson, adding that she hopes they help people "see beyond our first impressions." This was her first daily photo project and, although she hasn't completed the year yet, she's already looking ahead to a possible project involving real people in 2012. But she's had so much fun working with the Star Wars figures, she isn't sure she'll "be able to leave the troopers behind," she says.
