Over the past years, Hamilton took his love of collecting toys to another level. A trend that is beginning to develop within the toy collecting community is Toy Photography. The photographer sets up a “scene” with toys to share a recent purchase, tell a story, or highlight specific toy displays. It’s no different from what a photographer would do with a human model; only the photographer controls everything from the model to the set design.
“Collecting is where everything started,” Hamilton explained. “I would put my toys on a shelf and take pictures of them. I would do it for myself and maybe show my friends. Then, I found out there is an entire community for it.”
“I’ve had the Mattel and Hasbro toy companies throw me a few likes,” Hamilton mentioned. “I took some pictures of the band Coheed & Cambria’s action figures that recently came out. I got some retweets from them. That was super awesome.”
Ultimately, Hamilton photographs toys because he loves to do it. It’s a hobby that rewards him with a constant influx of new toys for his collections, he said, and daily affirmations from the community about the exciting photos he develops.
“I enjoy seeing people respond to what I have been doing,” Hamilton said. “Reading their reactions and that they’re enjoying it is inspiring.”
Hamilton’s photography recently led him to join two other photographers in forming their own online “studio,” so to speak. The group, known as “Toy Jaegers” (or “Toy Hunters”), compiles with their work and collectively publish their photos on social media to increase their exposure. Their network works together to find specific toys. One of their features peels back the curtain showing viewers how they set up their shots—which you won’t usually find on their online portfolios.
Major toy companies like Mattel and Hasbro have a staff of photographers that take pictures of their toy products for advertisements and packaging imagery. Hamilton draws inspiration from those photos and hopes to one day have an opportunity to work as a photographer for a well-known manufacturer.
To see more of Jerelle Hamilton’s photography, visit his Instagram page at @jorelvstheworld and the Toy Jaegars’ profile at @Toyjaegers.
