With so many Iron Man merchandises coming out (kudos to the success of the 2 movies), it's no wonder companies are trying to outdo each other producing quality collectibles. Sideshow Collectibles, a huge company known for its extensive line of Marvel based statues, recently released (IMHO) the best Iron Man statue to date – Iron Man: Mark VI maquette.
When I first took a photo of Jon’s Iron Man Comicquette (still on my wish list), I kept telling him how much I love the statue. The Granov signature smashing the ground pose gave it a huge impact and the exclusive version came with an interchangeable head of Tony Stark. It was a blast and up to this day (it’s been more than a year or two) I still dream of having one.
When I first saw pictures of the Mark VI maquette from Sideshow’s website, I immediately said to myself, this is the best Iron Man statue to date. The resemblance to its movie counterpart is uncanny. I have seen (and photographed) several variants of Iron Man from classic, stealth, modern, extremis, etc. and they are all good with their designs. However, I so much love how they made him in the movie and this Mark VI totally blew me away!
The statue is at approximately 17 inches tall and comes with a base that when connected to the Mark VI lights up his eyes, chest and hands (via a power switch).
Sideshow Collectibles is selling this piece for $489.99 but the item is already sold out. You will be on the wait list if you decide to purchase from their site.
PhoTOYgrapher’s Perspective:
My tabletop setup works best for figures that are 15 inches, or less in height so I had to improvise on the background that I used. I also used a regular table instead of my Falcon Eyes one to have a more stable support for the 1/4th scale statue.
A lot of possibilities entered my mind when I was taking pictures of the Mark VI. There was the dry ice effect (which Bleau already did with his BD Mark III, http://www.flickr.com/photos/bleau72/5068793674/) or maybe bring him on a dark alley with a single spot light place on top and use the dry ice there. Then again I would probably need to hire bodyguards to ward off nosy bystanders. Also the fact that this statue is not mine is another thing to be concerned with.
I did the usual rim lighting that I do, which I think worked really well for Mark VI. After several ‘catalog’ shots I decided to see how it would turn out by using just one light.
You can also flip the switch at the back of the base and be stunned when his eyes, hands and chest lights up. The base can be operated by 3 AAA batteries or a power supply (included).
Lighting Setup:
For this experiment I used a Union 4 Rime light 400 watts fitted with a bowl and 2 rectangular mirrors. I took one shot with just the Rime light and a couple of shots after using 1 mirror first then finally 2 mirrors.
As you can see from the 2 succeeding photos, the first one was just the Rime light while mirrors were added on the second one. By turning on the modeling light of the strobe and placing the mirror opposite it, I can see where the highlights will hit before I press the shutter. If you examine the left leg and upper torso carefully you will notice the difference. The other mirror was pointed towards the right leg.
