Monthly Megapixel: Looking back...

4:00 PM on 03.03.2010   |   Jason Millward

What I really love about this month's Megapixel theme is all of the places that one can go with it. Right off the bat, one might think of nostalgia; often mournful or regretful. But there can be a joy to it. "Looking back" at one's accomplishments is a great way measure achievement. It's also a great punctuation to a foolish event: "Looking back now, maybe that wasn't such a good idea." I'll go so far as to paraphrase Friedrich Nietzsche: "When looking into the abyss, the abyss is looking back at you." When all else fails, it doesn't take much stretching of the words to be able to throw in some fan service.

There are plenty of emotions that can be played with here, but how can any of this relate to toys? I've got some ideas to get you thinking after the jump.

In terms of nostalgia, a great Megapixel entry could come from looking into yourself as a collector and how you've evolved over time. You could take photos of the toys that you've accumulated over the years, while explaining how things have changed or even stayed the same. Don't forget that photo essays are every bit as valid as the more popular comic strip-style posts.

Going the photo-story route, if you have many versions of the same character, it could be them who are having the introspective moment. For instance, I have a trillion different Batman figures from different eras. I could create a blog with him looking back at his past guises.

Maybe this would be a great time to dig a childhood toy out of the attic and bring it back to life in front of the camera. (As I'm editing this very post, Chris just posted a Toys of Yesterday feature which is a perfect example!) Old My Little Pony toys prancing around like they did in decades past. Neglected and malnourished Cabbage Patch Kids getting noticed again. Thundercats, M.A.S.K., Silverhawks, the old solid rubber WWF figures. Look back at the toys you played with long ago. Maybe show how such a character from another time would be able to relate to today's world, perhaps guided (or ridiculed) by a more modern figure

Then there are those terrible ideas that your toys could have which would get them into big trouble. The motives and actions will vary by character. Since nearly all of us have a Yotsuba figure, she'd be a great star for this sort of photo-blog. As would any villain. I'd die to see something silly starring Cobra Commander after an incredible failure.

There are many places that you can take this theme. I'm sure that I'm only scratching the surface. As always, I'm excited to see where this concept takes you. So, get out there with your cameras and toys. Post your photo-blogs, and get yourself promoted to the front page. I can't wait to see you there.

MOAR Monthly Megapixel:

[REMINDER] Monthly Megapixel: Go For Broke!

[REMINDER] Monthly Megapixel: Peanuts and Beer

Monthly Megapixel: Trying new things

[REMINDER]Twelve Days of Swag: Winner's Circle

[REMINDER] Monthly Megapixel: Holiday Party

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