It’s great when you can combine two of your favourite things. Things like photography and Star Wars. It’s even better when you can actually pull off the ideas you see in your head. Not all of us have that ability, but photographer Felix Hernandez sure does. An expert in working with miniatures to create highly realistic scenes, he decided to tackle The Force Awakens. Officially titled Forgotten Titans I, the scene shows a disabled AT-AT in the desert. In the movie, this is Rey’s home until she’s taken on a whirlwind adventure. Felix combines miniature star wars models with good lighting and a little compositing to create a fantastic final result. And, lucky for us, he posted a behind the scenes video of its construction!
As with most of Felix’s shoots that involve models, the process begins with adding a little realism to the components of the kit. Creating blemishes in the surface. In this case, blaster damage, dirt, grime and rust. Watching him paint and age the parts really shows an amazing attention to detail that one rarely sees.
And just as much attention is paid toward building the set on which the model resides. Felix determines exactly where the camera and subject are going to be, and bases everything else around that. He layers up sand and dust, painting more onto the models to provide a more realistic weathered appearance.
But all of that hard work is definitely worth the effort that Felix puts into it, as the final result is just stunning, and does great justice to the scene.
While the night scene is the main piece, I really like how it looks in the daytime shot.
You can check out more of Felix’s work over on Behance. But, be warned, you’ll become very inspired, and feel rather inadequate. Images used with permission.
