There is no doubt
Toy Photography has become a big part of the action figure collecting hobby. More and more, you see fantastic photos on the Internet showing people's action figures doing incredible things. Everything from participating in incredible battle-like scenes to sitting down around the TV enjoying a pizza or drinking a beer. The action figures themselves of course play a large role in this type of photography, but probably just as important are the background settings featured in these type of images. Some use natural backgrounds like the outdoors, but many use actual dioramas and backdrops. So where do these wonderful backdrops come from?
For the most part, the action figure manufacturers themselves seem to be slow to take advantage of this latest trend of action figure photography, but there are certainly those out there who have not. Now obviously there are those talented enough that they simply make their own backdrops and dioramas to display their figures, but for those of us who are not, we have to look for others to help out with that.
Today I decided to look through the world of
eBay to see just what kind of
custom dioramas and backdrops are available for purchase. That’s not to say there aren’t options out there other than eBay, but this seemed like a good place to start.
Note: All items featured in this article should not be construed as me personally endorsing them as something to buy. I have never handled any of these items in-hand. My opinions are based solely on what I see and read in the action descriptions. You may want to look into the items featured here, but I would definitely recommend you do more research on any item before making an actual purchase.
The first one I came across was from eBay seller cartoonmike407 who had a pretty cool looking custom sewer diorama with rotating wall up for auction. The measurements given are 11.5" Wide x 11.5” Tall x 11.5" Deep which seem to make it a good fit for TMNT and even Marvel Legends. While they say it’s hand-painted, they don’t go into details about the materials used to make it. Sewers IMO are always nice for a wide-range of battle scenes for various types of action figures. The asking price of $100 does seem a little high to me, but I suppose if it has a solid construction it might be worth dropping that kind of cash. You can see more of it by
CLICKING HERE.
The next one I came across that I like was this battle diorama from eBay seller kairus. I like the little added details like the Days of Future Past X-Men deceased poster, and the seller also states that this one folds down with magnets for easy storage which is always nice. The dimensions given are height 16” and length 19”. They say it’s made with pink foam. Like the previous diorama, the asking price is on the hefty side of $185, but it does seem to be fairly in keeping with other similar sized dioramas. You can see more of it by
CLICKING HERE.
This next doorway entrance diorama is smaller than the previous two, but it caught my eye because it seems to have a working light feature. The seller, nursingmom2012, is very skimpy on the details of this listing so I would definitely ask more questions before buying, but based on the images it looks pretty cool. Besides being smaller it is also cheaper coming in at $45. You can see more of it by
CLICKING HERE
This next one is for you smaller 4” scale collectors and is just a base. You will have to provide your own backdrop with this one. The base is made to look like stone which I think is what attracted me to it most. It also has a very mystical type feel to it. The seller says it’s made with a high durable insulation foam board and custom hand brushed. He goes on to say it’s lightweight but tough enough for reasonable/responsible play. The price for this one is $59.99. You can see more of it by
CLICKING HERE
Next up we have another war zone type display that should give you a lot of options when displaying figures with it. Based on these images, this looks to be one of the more elaborate displays I’ve come across on eBay. The seller indicates he makes them on commission, meaning it’s not already pre-made. The seller indicates that it measures 21" x 21" x 15” and is magnetized for easy assembly and storage. The price for this one is $175. You can see more of it by
CLICKING HERE
For something a little different, here is a look at a 1/12 temple ruins diorama. The look of stone for this one seems really nice based on the images, and the door can be opened or closed. The measurements given are 16” long, 13” tall, and 13” deep, and the seller says it has ancient writings carved into the walls plus two full pillar props and two half/broken pillar parts. It does have a very hefty price tag, coming in at $195. You can see more of it by
CLICKING HERE
This last one is cheap but kinda cool if you’re an X-Men fan. It’s made to look like the entrance of the Cerebro chamber from the X-Men movies. It would be cool for your glass case and only costs $29.99. The seller says it measures 15"x15" and uses glossy adhesive vinyl sticker material. You can see more of it by
CLICKING HERE
Let us know what you use for backdrops in your toy thotography in the
COMMENTS SECTION below.