Grateful (3/3)

How could I not take a moment and say thank you to everyone who has ever supported my toy photos on Instagram, Flickr, G+ and especially here at Stuckinplastic? The connections forged here on the internet amongst this far flung group of like minded souls fills my heart with joy.

To be inspired by and to inspire like minded toy photographers is a great thrill for me. I wish I could name every person who has inspired me or made me feel happy with their kind words. But they are too numerous and I would ultimately leave someone out. I'm pretty sure if you find this post and read it, then you are one of those people and I am grateful for making a connection with you.

Everyone has a bucket list of some type. Often this list is filled with adventures like skydiving, climbing Mount Everest or traveling to some far flung local. On the top of my list is a party akin to the farewell party thrown by +Me2 after his adventure in search of the Northern Light. To sit around a table for an evening with all my Instagram and toy photography friends toasting, gabbing, talking toys would bring me the greatest joy. When I first saw his pictures here on the blog I actually got emotional. It was like my dream was coming true, even for a brief moment, and it was lovely.

I am looking forward to 2015 because there are possibilities on the horizon that could lead to an evening like Me2 depicted. The first is the Toy Photo Meet-up in Las Vegas, Nevada, January 16-19th. A few of my favorite toy photographers are going to attend and I hope to persuade a few more to join us. But who ever ultimatly attends, know we will be toasting all the friends we have made on Instagram. The second event is in early March and I will reveal more information as it becomes appropriate.

So thank you Instagram and Stuckinplastic friends. You bring me joy, humor and friendship everyday and I am grateful for all of it.

~ xxsjc

6474K of Friendship

The friendship dinner outside the Studio

Our friends arrived sound and safe at The Studio and decoded the message of our little green friends that every adventure needs to end with a friendship dinner just like the adventures of Nero and Asterix.

While Rudolf made a viable alternative for the wild boars of Asterix and Co. up here in the North, the secret message of our green friends talked about cloud berries and ice cream.

  

Herr K. from Hamburg.

Herr K. mentioned the good old tradition of German Weisbeer and before we knew we were all talking about our own country favorites, from crocodile to wiener.

Lady W. from S.

A great evening where adventures and stories were turned into tales for the future ...

A toast ...

Friendships were sealed ...

... for a toast full of wonderlust.

And new adventures full of wanderlust are forged into the future ...


The great quest for the Northern light has come to an end and the Crew will travel back to the corners of the earth with great new experiences, certificates and a secret key to the  light switch of the arctic light ... 

We will give you some more travel details and inside pictures in the coming weeks as we get our head around the plus 6K pictures we took on this trip. 

A trip which took us six thousand four hundred seventy four kilometers with our little VW camper ...

It's not all about the art.

Sometimes I think the goal is to make a great emotionally packed image and sometimes I don't. If it was all about the perfect photo then why are we sharing on Instagram, Facebook, Flickr and Google+? These are all social media sites aimed at connecting people with like interests. People you know and people you don't know…yet.

I recently received in the mail a very special print from +Me2. It is my favorite image of his (amongst many) and I will cherish it for many years. He is someone I wouldn't even know existed if it wasn't for this amazing thing we call the internet. This past weekend I went out photographing with good friends, all of whom I have met through the power of social media. A few weekends ago I met a couple of lovely Instagramers from a town three hours away and because of mutual interests became fast friends.

Suffice it to say, my life is filled with new, old and future friends met through my interactions on multiple social media platforms.

I may not be able to sell a photograph to save my soul, but I know my life is all the richer for the friends and connections I have made all over this planet. My only goal now is to make enough money so I can take a world tour and meet everyone in person.

Now that would be a gift of inconceivable value.

What is most important to you as you play on your various social media sites? 
Why are you participating? 
What does it mean to you?

~ xxsjc

Now if only Me2 would drop by the blog soon, I am starting to get maudlin. I dread how far I might sink tomorrow.