This post, a draft Tourmaline . began two years ago, offers an intriguing window into their passionate and scholarly approach to toy photography. Discovered among their unpublished writings, it captures the artist’s unfiltered thoughts, weaving history, personal musings, and insights into a genre they hold dear.
Draft by Tourmaline . (Unpublished, 2 Years Ago):
Driving home in my car alone tonight, I rattled off the beginning of an impassioned rant on toy photography I would share if asked. Why? Well, it had to do with a Jeopardy contest of sorts, but that’s not the topic of this post.
Instead of writing on new or filler toy photography history, I’m writing this post. Maybe you’ll become as knowledgeable and passionate as I am on the subject. Or, more likely, you won’t. Even so, let’s get into it. Just in case, I will be fact-checking myself along the way. But this is, largely, stream of consciousness.
The earliest examples of explicit toy photography, recognized to this date, were created in response to the Spanish American War, in 1898. Photography, being invented in 1840, often has still-life-arranged objects as its subject matter, as the still item is more easily captured in a yet-to-fully-be-established medium that relies so heavily on speed and light.
That said, there are very likely toy photographs that exist from the year of photography’s invention until the year 1898, but those have yet to be identified. I am the sole researcher of this genre, either because it’s fully unimportant or I am simply an early adapter—time will tell.
In the referenced time frame, there were certainly photographs of miniatures. Maquettes were created as plans for large sculptural works. These were sometimes later photographed as documentation of the museum’s collection. These types of photographs of miniatures, while certainly photos of toys per se, could not fall into the genre of toy photography as there is no story being told or larger scene unfolding. Even so, this is a hint into the world of toy photography.
Because of this, and the fact that toy photography belongs to the larger genre of still life, toy photography can be traced back to the beginning of the medium of photography.
And further, if we look into art as a whole.
That said, in large part, while some have other focuses or reasons, today’s toy photography can be categorized as amateur or hobby photography. This specific branch of the genre can be traced back to the Kodak Picture Contest from 1929-1931.
For the beginning of amateur toy photography, we can look to the Kodak Brownie. Costing $1 at the time (about $32 today), the middle-class masses could finally get their hands on a camera. Kodak would sell the camera, pre-loaded with film. The photographer would send back the camera once the film was full. Kodak would unload and develop the film, send back the camera re-loaded with film, and the photo prints from the last roll.
Kodak’s picture contest allowed photographers to send in their best shots. In that 3-year span mentioned above, some with Brownies, some with more expensive models, photographers sent in 18 toy photographs. Of all they considered their best shot, 18 photographers sent in images they’d directed in miniature.
From the Cottingley Fairies photographs created by young girls in 1914 to the 1930s photos of planes in war, to the famous Loch Ness monster photo, to the images created by the thousands (estimated) of toy photographers today, the ability to fully control the scene in front of your camera lens by means of the small-scale maquette has never ceased to entrap creative types alike.
Reflections on an Unpublished Work
Reading these words, we see Tourmaline .’s blend of passion and scholarship on full display. Their stream-of-consciousness style feels like an invitation to peek inside their mind, revealing not just facts but the deep personal connection they have to toy photography as an art form.
While this post may remain unfinished, it serves as a testament to their dedication as both an artist and a researcher, bridging historical context with a creative lens. It’s not just about toys—it’s about the enduring allure of storytelling through scale, control, and imagination.
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