@AquaMan09: And would you say your conversations with Lego people are a common occurrence?

92BuickLeSabre

These are great!

chrstphr

the focus on the sailor and nurse is cool.

Paradise

I met the guy in the last picture. He's pretty cool, and I got his autograph. Talked a lot though.....

AquaMan09

That is actually really cool

Lestat

I thought I'd seen these before on the giz, but no it was somewhere else. Still cool though.

twreckx

I have to admit, I'm surprised how neat I think these are.

Step666

funny how just out of the blue, something as simple as this can inspire a 33yo man to want to play with Lego's again. I ask myself, did I ever NOT want to play with them??

Kevin

Just as long as there isn't a 9/11 recreation, that would be disturbing.

halfshafter

Amazing! (love the moon)

jared51182

@Viva La Volvo: Westminster in London, just west of the St. John's Wood stop and east of Maida Vale. Why?
[maps.google.com]

92BuickLeSabre

@bosskev: should have read:
Otherwise, Shut The...well, you know the rest.

bosskev

@Hawkskater: "are u joking? did a 3 year old makes these. I bet he spent 2 seconds making all of those."

are u serious? Do you have the faintest idea of what you are talking about? It doesn't seem so.

It isn't just the Lego constructions, which in themselves are pretty cool. It's also the lighting and camerawork, simulating not only the figures, scenes and props, but also the lighting, tonality, depth-of-field, etc. to emulate the look and feel of the originals. And on that score I'd say the artist has done quite well.

Perhaps you are a talented artist/photographer, Hawkskater. If so, let's see samples of YOUR work. Otherwise, the Shut The...well, you know the rest. I'm sure you've been told it many times.

bosskev

wheres abby road?

Viva La Volvo

@Paradise:
i think he meant the person in the REAL equivalent picture.

roflwaffles

are u joking? did a 3 year old makes these. I bet he spent 2 seconds making all of those.

Hawkskater

As a photographer I'm pissed off I didn't think of this first. Good work.

Chester_Copperpot

@92BuickLeSabre: seriously, was he joking? worse than a "but does it blend?" joke if he was, which makes me think he was serious.

Paradise

@AquaMan09: call me skeptical since there's 11 guys who have claimed to be the kisser ([en.wikipedia.org]) ... that and you refer to him as "the guy" despite having his autograph.

Paradise

@Hawkskater: Yeah, they are simple, but just because they are simple does not mean that they cannot be either beautiful or inspiring. Look at the wheel, for God's sake. Doesn't get much more simple than that, but look what it changed. And please, just because you are not creative enough to think of something, don't attempt to demean the people that are.

sqeakytoy of the apocalypse

@ps61318: 'Kinda cracks me up that so many of the people commenting here have no historical perspective on many of these.'

A) that's extremely presumptuous and quite probably wrong.
B) some of the shots that he mimics don't have any historical significance, purely photographic/artistic.
C) why does anyone need any 'historical perspective' to appreciate these shots?

Step666

not bad

ZetaCrossfire

Kinda cracks me up that so many of the people commenting here have no historical perspective on many of these. They are really evocative (sp) and thought provoking. And yeah, the use of the figures is simplicity in itself, but as others have noted it's the usage...

Well, no one needs me to repeat the same accolades. Well done!

ps61318

@bosskev: recognising that they resemble iconic images is not 'historical perspective'.

You could, for example, realise that the second shot resembles "Raising the flag on Iwo Jima" without knowing anything about the original shot; where it was taken, when it was taken or any of the historical significance behind it.

Step666

@ps61318: well, to be fair, it is very presumptuous and unless you're going to enlighten me, I really don't see what bearing it has on anything.

Step666

Stunning. Just gorgeous. These are really cute.

CutePuppyz

@Step666: "C) why does anyone need any 'historical perspective' to appreciate these shots?"

In partial defense of ps61318's comments, it's not that you need "historical perspective" to appreciate these shots--one can (or not) enjoy them just as fun Lego setups--but appreciation jumps to a higher level when you recognize these pictures' resemblance of and homage to many highly-regarded photos from our past.

bosskev

How did he get maradonna in the air?

kickassy

is it just me.. or the 3rd pic looks like Guy-Man from daft punk (like his helmet)

gymtonic

@Step666: Oh, excuse me.

[sigh]

Someone took their crabby pills today. Last week it was my turn, so not casting aspersions. Just not.

ps61318

@Step666: Look, I'm not arguing; I'm not in the mood. My opinion is, I think as bosskev well put it, that having historical perspective adds to the enjoyment - kind of the "Gee, where was I when such and such happened" or "I remember at learning about that in school or hearing about it from creepy uncle Ralph or something" sort of feeling.

It is not necessary for the enjoyment of these. It helps ME enjoy them more.

My original comment was aimed much more at the posters who are of the "What's the big whoop about some plastic dudes in funny poses" school of thought.

ps61318

Wow, I'm late to this LEGO party!

These photos are beautiful and truly works of art. The lighting and everything was set up just right deliver such a touching effect. I guess this would not be a good time to mention details how I make my LEGOs reenact "naughty" scenes...

My lord this thread is @Hawkskater:

I don't even know why I am replying to you with such a horrific hateful comment. But at any rate. You deserve to be banned.

@ps61318:

You are very crabby today indeed! Tisk Tisk...I don't think most (I didn't say all!)people would find these so "cool" and "neat" if they didn't realize they were dioramas of historical moments

@Step666: @bosskev:

I think you guys are getting at the same point, that it is even better if you recognize that it is not just some LEGO figures raising a flag, its "Raising the flag on Iwo Jima". You guys are agreeing but think you are arguing!

LindsayJoy's MBP is into S+M

@se.blackheart: If it turns out that you're just kidding about this, that this is some big joke meant to get us all excited while you just laugh at us for our childlike naiveté, please know that I may, in fact, graciously punch you in the face.

92BuickLeSabre

Beautiful. @Hawkskater: Art is not the amount of time put into a piece, but the thought. Personally I think these are beautiful, and it requires someone with a bit more maturity and a sense of humor to appreciate these for what they are and what they represent. No 3 year old is precocious enough to even consider this concept.

In short, you suck.

Kaiser-Machead's Macbook has been taken hostage by LindsayJoy brb

i'm re-creating the movie Purple Rain with legos...it was hard to make the high heels for Prince's figure, but it should be amazing!

se.blackheart

I gotta save these. Yay for new AIM avatars.

Kaiser-Machead's Macbook has been taken hostage by LindsayJoy brb

@Chester_Copperpot: I so feel you man; I am a photographer myself and I hate that I didn't think of this first.

On another note, I honestly think these are stunning. They really capture the feelings of the original photographs, and they were extremely well done; the Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima and the last one are absolutely phenominal.

Karinabob

wow, i dont know whats funnier, the fact that some people started a one sided spamming war, and angered themselves even more in the process, or the fact that you are defending pictures of legos. THEY ARE PICTURES OF LEGOS!!!! They may represent an event, but the event can not be fully appreciated, unless it is the real thing.

Hawkskater

I look at these and I'm reminded of the dichotomy between the Nintendo Wii and the PS3/360. Now, I hate to use these as an example, especially given the nature of the post (not to mention as a former Wii owner who sold his for a PS3).

As we all know either via the media or our own frustrating experiences trying to bring out the visual best in the Wii on our too-expensive HD sets, Nintendo did not set out to make a graphics-intensive device.

Instead, the preconceived lure of the Wii would rest in its simplicity, it's ability to manufacture a good time without relying on eye-candy. And, despite the rarely well-reviewed nature of many of its titles, the Wii did just that.

I look at these pictures and I think how simple, elegant and beautiful. In terms of our very real, three-dimensional world (barring that of the philosophy major's), you simply cannot get much more "8-bit" than you can with Legos.

And yet, we're still moved...

...wirelessly.

Gilbert

@Hawkskater: "the event can not be fully appreciated, unless it is the real thing."

I believe I will not mull those words over for a while.

92BuickLeSabre

I'm saddened by how many commenters in this thread have absolutely no exposure in the arts.

Pff, for shame.

Brilliant composition and postmodern commentary. Reminds me a little of machinima (but not). Technique is excellent but he piles on the narrow DoF a little more than the originals I think. On the whole, I really enjoy the recreation.

hologon

I am actually offended that some of those events were reproduced into legos. I am very offended that the picture of the American Soldiers raising the flag on Iwo Jima, I find it highly disrespectful that someone would ruin such a symbolic representation of freedom, by reproducing it in legos. This is not art, forget the artistic camera work, and think. The people in those events were real, living human beings, not toys. And to portray them in such a manner is offensive. These pictures are not art, the true art in there originals, was the human interaction, and you can not portray that with legos.

Hawkskater

That is pretty cool...
I could have made it... but s/he thought of it first... when will i finally think of something cool? one day... one day...

CCM333

The Tiananmen Square one captures all the drama and pathos of the original! Maybe more, because the little Lego guy's size is disproportionately large in comparison to the tanks, symbolizing his boldness to step in front of them.

This is just the kind of picture that could incite lego pieces all around the globe to take a similar stand against those who would enslave them in models not of their own choosing.

frigg

Lighten up, Francis.

junkmail

Like I previously stated, I really like the shots. But just to be nit-picky the briefcase of the guy in Tiananmen Square is in his opposite hand.

Chester_Copperpot

@frigg: "the little Lego guy's size is disproportionately large in comparison to the tanks, symbolizing his boldness to step in front of them."

I felt the opposite. I believe the original has a stronger message because the man was so small. So it showed that even the smallest individual can make a difference.

P.S. I like this art debate, it shows that giz readers have some intelligence.

Hawkskater

@Hawkskater: You're a clever, clever dude. Or dudette, if applicable.

And I wholeheartedly agree: we Giz readers do occasionally exhibit some semblance of intelligence now and then--the thought of which sates my conscience for that fleeting moment it starts to gnaw at my guilt receptors whenever my eyes start to bleed from staring at the screen too long.

(Apparently we're too wordy as well.)

Gilbert

@frigg: I dont know if your joking or not. But that same human driving the tank was part of a group of soldiers that opened fire on unarmed protesters, killing them.

Hawkskater

@Hawkskater: But don't you think it takes more courage for a lego man to stand in front of a lego tank, then for an actual man to stand in front of an actual tank? At least the actual man knows there's a person controlling the tank, a person with thoughts and feelings and family who can hit the breaks and spare his life, while the lego man is facing a cold plastic adversary that would just as soon run his ass down as it would happily pop into a model of a starship?

frigg

I met the guy who shot the original Tiananmen Square tank footage - same guy that shot the famous Iranian Embassy siege footage in London.

Talk about being in the right place for key moments in history!

Nice work with the Lego - takes some real imagination and skill, despite what the idiot moaners say.

And as for the Iwo Jima comments - the 'shocked' poster needs to do his research - the National Museum of the Marine Corps has a lego model of the flag raising on display, and I think they have a better perspective on the vent than anyone else!

MINI Driver

Moon landing one looks more realistic than the original.

girraffesack

how long before those tanks show up in video games?

skulldriveshaft

@Hawkskater: in a way the photos of these events were more significant than the events themselves. The victory represented by that flag actually pales in comparison to the effect the photo had on popular opinion of the war. Also, the nostalgia of the media combines powerfully with the nostalgia and meaning in the original images. I find them beautiful and moving, and you obnoxious.

Gann

LEGO's are the best toy a child can have or adults that are children inside.

jsin1276

@Hawkskater: Dude, you know the rule. If it's been 20 years you are allowed to crack a joke about it once in a while. Then again, I didn't wait more than 9 seconds to crack one after Ronald Reagan died. Whoops ...

GhostofCharlesBronson

Ahh, saw this on [Knuttz] the other day, even includes the original photos

dfc849

got to love the lego!!!

JackMatt

One of the reasons for a child to play or an artist to create is to digest events that are important for that individual.

With the attention to detail in these scenes, it is just not possible to call them disrespectful. And much of todays art deals with copying, reproducing and distorting anyway.

More Lego for everyone!

jige

some people have way too much time on their hands.

hu_hu_cool

i've seen these all before, i LOVE them. they are highly detailed ant they print out nicely. (actually have a copy of the Empire state building construction one.)

B1663R

I think the moon one was faked...

Muttonchops

I can't help but smile at the little empire logo's on the tanks.

Lazarus511

i have to disagree on the inspiring part. go get a journalism degree or a camera and plane-ticket and photograph something that's really happening instead of getting a bunch of "awwwwws" for using legos in tianemen square. lame.

dedalus987

Fantastic! The only thing he forgot in the NASA shot was to place part of the cropmarks _behind_ the astronaut -- then it would be authentic, LOL.

As a LEGO fan these are very cool: only someone without a sense of humour (or artistic aesthetic) would be down on this stuff.

Joeflash

He forgot to place part of one of the cropmarks _behind_ the astronaut on the NASA pic. _Then_ it would be authentic ;)

Joeflash

The Imperial logos used on the tanks in the Tiananmen Square photo are a nice touch. Also, I met the woman who was the nurse in that WWII photo. A sweet little lady named Edith.

Zitaos

The one with the tanks and the guy standing infront should be a grocery bag, not a brief case.

uklarz