Photographing 100 Years of AMA—One Brick at a Time

Some photography assignments are memorable because of the people you meet. Others stand out because of the places they take you. And then there are the assignments where you find yourself in the studio photographing a custom LEGO tow truck.

To celebrate its 100th anniversary, the Alberta Motor Association created a limited-edition Tow Truck & Roadside Assistance LEGO Set. The custom 3-in-1 model celebrates one of AMA’s most recognizable services and a century of helping Albertans on the road. The finished set would eventually need packaging—and that’s where I came in.

I was hired to photograph the completed models for the product packaging, which turned out to be a unique and technically interesting studio assignment.

Product photography is always about the details, but photographing small sets like LEGO presents its own challenges. Lighting needs to reveal the shape and texture of the pieces without creating distracting reflections. Camera angles need to make the models feel dimensional, interesting and, most importantly, fun. Every element has to be sharp, clean and carefully positioned because the final images become an important part of how the product is presented to customers.

One of the things I still enjoy most about this career is never knowing exactly what the next assignment will bring.

As an Edmonton photographer, being asked to contribute photography to AMA’s centennial project was a great opportunity to play a small role in celebrating an organization that has been part of Alberta for 100 years.

And yes, after spending hours photographing them in the studio, I can confirm: photographing LEGO tow trucks is considerably more complicated than simply playing with them.