Although never one to play with dolls, I bought six small figures (the original “toy family”) on a whim, and started taking them into city streets for photo sessions, and created my own film stills. Thus began a project that has continued for twenty years.
While my figures work, I play. I find sets on everything from street curbs to construction vehicles. The family grew into a community that I direct, imagining what they want and how they feel. As in any communication, their relationships are complex and open to interpretation.
This project represents another facet of my street photography. Both involve an ever-changing cityscape, populated by real people going about their daily rounds or by small plastic figures arranged by me to create a simulated “real” moment.
© Ellen Feldman Photography 2021. All rights reserved.
