What is the funniest joke this year?

What did the singer Meatloaf say when he couldn't find any soap? I would do anything for Dove.

What is the best way of learning toy photography...?

Today, I bought a new toy. This is one of the most exciting things about toy photography. Here he is, below...

Five minutes later, an arm snaps off. It pays to be gentle.

Good news--the limb actually fits back in its slot. I suppose that happened to C3-PO, himself.

Today's lesson isn't about manhandling things. It's about learning. How do you learn about your craft? Some people learn by reading or listening to podcasts. Others, like me, get stuck in and learn about the practice of toy photography. Of course, breakages will occur.

There is nothing wrong with reading. I still read, and so should you. When you read about your craft, you are inspired to take notes and when you feel you have read a lot, your style creeps up inside you. The same goes for podcasting.

People ask how they develop their style. Style creeps up on you; and soon enough you have developed your own style without realising it. The secret is to learn all the rules and methods before breaking them or using them to suit your style.

What do I do as a toy photographer?

1. I visit charity shops and look for small toys (the smaller the better). I also look at online auction sites or classified websites that give away toys. 
2. I plot a storyline for a toy photograph. The photographs above, aren't very good toy photographs because there is no story to them. A good toy photograph should have a sense of story.
3. I try to imagine the toy as a human being or an animal. That way, people can resonate with your work. 
4. I look at blogs and websites dedicated to toy photography/photography.
5. I look at popular culture--watch movies, read, visit galleries etc. 

Over time, you soak up ideas and you pick and choose those you think are worthy of a storyline.

When you are plotting a storyline, it is a good idea to carry a notebook with you to write down your thoughts. The first things you write will not be very good, but at those early stages, it's about brainstorming. Or in other words, quantity of ideas rather than quality of ideas.

Usually in a storyline, it is a good idea to have two or three characters, so you can illustrate a relationship between the two.

Better still, use humour. If you are lacking in humour, that is not a problem. If you want to know how to write a joke, I can show you how. Better to reserve this for another blog post, though.