Scavenging - From the World of the Radio Kings

Saint Crow and Marrow run into a bit of opposition scavenging, and discover some relics of the old world.

























































I feel like I've always struggled a bit with lighting. It's never bad in my photos (at least I don't think so) but I think it's usually more functional than especially dramatic most of the time, and something I probably struggle the most with.  

The 2nd photo might actually be my favorite photo I've taken (definitely one of my favorites).  I'm really happy with this whole set and I think it's the most interesting lighting I've managed.  

Magazines in the shoot are from Bad Mother Tattoos and Customs, who also does a bunch of tattoos and decals for figures.  Check out his ebay store at www.ebay.com/str/badmothercustoms

Gorgeous! I've always loved your work, your humor, your eye for detail, your talent in creating both characters and dioramas, not to mention story lines, but this may be your best work yet. The characters and their posing are flawless, and the diorama eerily realistic. The various details, suitably in disarray and weathered, are overwhelming in a delightfully convincing sort of way. And your humor was infused in what could have been a run of the mill vignette. I am no expert on lighting, but I think it worked very well, looking natural for the scene and neither too much nor too little. Fun blood explosions too.

American Pickers: Post-Apocalypse!

This set is intriguing, engaging, scary, funny, and totally epically cool!

The grittiness of the room takes realism in to the realm of hyper-realism. There's nothing in that first pic to give away that it's not a full-scale room! I would love to know a little bit about how you constructed this room, and any tricks you used to achieve the sense of realism.

You mention the lighting, and what you have achieved here is in-scale lighting!

I discussed that topic with the late Michael Paul Smith a few times on Flickr. Controlling light, and particularly reflections and highlights, in miniature scale is no easy challenge. You've nailed it here, with the entire scene appearing as though it is being illuminated by natural light through the window.

Oooh, that turquoise-y blue paint on the walls is a really nice contrast with the various red items and blood effects.  You may have worried about the lighting but it seems excellent here, streaming through the 1/6 scale windows really helps diffuse it in a natural looking way.

And you mentioned that second shot being your fave -- that's the one I would have picked, too! Very dynamic. Your eye goes straight to Marrow and then to St. Crow at the door.  Very nicely choreographed fight scene. The way she just casually plops down on the bed to read the 'magazines' afterward is such perfect comic relief.

This is yet another of your dioramas where I can tell your extensive collection of 1/6 miniature pieces as well as those you have printed/constructed yourself have paid off. They really make the whole scene all the more convincing.

Thanks for sharing yet another masterpiece, I'm really happy to be back in the Radio Kings world.

The second shot is indeed both beautiful and effective, but I really don't want to pick favorites. Even the empty room sans figures (barring the skeletal one) was stunning.

Another absolutely brilliant photo story. Marrow is my absolute favorite character of yours. And the Radio Kings are awesome to see again after so long. Excellent set and photos, Adam. Love it. (As an aside, any further progress on your “villain” that you showed me years ago? Will he be making an appearance anytime soon?)

Wow, another epic sequence from Radio Kings! Excellent work in every respect, ReverendSpooky. I especially like the underlying humor. Money for toilet paper.

Randam Hajile wrote:Wow, another epic sequence from Radio Kings! Excellent work in every respect, ReverendSpooky. I especially like the underlying humor. Money for toilet paper.

As much as I loved even that photo, I actually overlooked the money for toilet paper significance. (There have been other sets, where money was hidden in the tank, etc.) So thanks for spelling it out, as it gives me even more appreciation for Adam's creation.

The first shot has real ‘The Last of Us’ vibes, and I love the impact of the second pic!

That flying decapitated head made me cackle XD The gore effects are so effective!

Love them rifling through the (surprisingly pristine!) Playboys but oh, Marrow, I’d put that skeletal hand away - you don’t know where it’s been!

Bonus points for those excellent buckets by the loo.

I’m with everyone else on the lighting - you’ve absolutely nailed it! I never tire of seeing new Radio Kings stuff!

Also, random side note, but have you ever seen Love, Death and Robots on Netflix? They’re all fantastic animated shorts, but there was one in season two (Snow in the Desert) whose protagonist immediately made me think of Crow!

Definitely your best daylight impression yet!

Beautiful simple and busy Diorama at the same time.

And yay, a bloody rocket head! That second pic is definitely one of your top 10 money shots, along that one with the skateboard. Although the door could also be seen as some kind of skateboard. Or a surfboard. Marrow surfing in on a wave of blood, guts and mayhem.

Cool to see them fighting visible enemies as a team. I guess the fourth wall of the room we don't see is now painted red.

But the skeleton really tied that room together. Did I miss any hints how he ended up there? I liked it when they put these silent stories there in the Fallouts, like two skeletons embracing on a bed with a lot of medicatons, hinting they didn't want to be around when the bombs dropped. Glad the magazines or Marrows Necromancy powers brought him back to life for a moment.

The calender pic also works as a Dr. Strangelove reference.

I like how they prefer saving cultural and historical artifacts like the magazines and that new blaster weapon. Now let's find casettes.

It's nice of them to bring back that toiletpaper for the use of potential other visitors, like you are supposed to.

Holy Cow ! The radio kings are back ! They are violent lunatics and respectless to the dead.  I really love them. Great Diorama and scenes. The realistic poses bring the characters to life.

Amazing stuff Adam as always! that skeleton is just too funny! especially when he peaks at the magazine! It has to be said also that the cash as toilet roll is brilliant!   . Marrows playfulness really comes across here, we all now she is a killer, but somehow in these pics we see her gentler side.
Lovely set up with so much to look at! Like the other guys have said, the level of detail is incredible. The lighting is spot on, as are the Great effects, the flying head was a great touch! Well worth the wait for a new installment Of course, you realize now we are all waiting to see what you come up with next!

Most awesome Rev!

The setting with the windows lighting is top notch and all the little details!!
I agree with what others already said, your figure posing and movement/dynamics is just so good and fun to watch.

I liked the part with the skeleton watching - my first impression of the pic after that one was that she jumped/fell out of the bed because the skeleotn moved. But guess there isn't much she would be scared of

Well done!!

Woooooooaaaaaaaaaaa!!!

Phenomenal, absolutely stunning, in every aspect! The diorama is crazy, all the fantastic details are priceless, and the photography and story telling is just as awesome... Brilliant bro! Love that "last of us" feel!

I love how it goes from zero... a nice peaceful shot of how nature reclaims what was once hers to a head banging metal scene when Marrow bursts through that door while simultaneously popping some dude's head off its socket. I love all the shots and all their mini details.

GubernatorFan wrote:Gorgeous! I've always loved your work, your humor, your eye for detail, your talent in creating both characters and dioramas, not to mention story lines, but this may be your best work yet. The characters and their posing are flawless, and the diorama eerily realistic. The various details, suitably in disarray and weathered, are overwhelming in a delightfully convincing sort of way. And your humor was infused in what could have been a run of the mill vignette. I am no expert on lighting, but I think it worked very well, looking natural for the scene and neither too much nor too little. Fun blood explosions too.

Thank you GubernatorFan!  I really felt good about this one.  So appreciate the kind comments.

davidd wrote:American Pickers: Post-Apocalypse!

This set is intriguing, engaging, scary, funny, and totally epically cool!

The grittiness of the room takes realism in to the realm of hyper-realism. There's nothing in that first pic to give away that it's not a full-scale room! I would love to know a little bit about how you constructed this room, and any tricks you used to achieve the sense of realism.

You mention the lighting, and what you have achieved here is in-scale lighting!

I discussed that topic with the late Michael Paul Smith a few times on Flickr. Controlling light, and particularly reflections and highlights, in miniature scale is no easy challenge. You've nailed it here, with the entire scene appearing as though it is being illuminated by natural light through the window.

Than you Davidd!  I really gives new meaning to vintage shopping, right? Happy to answer any construction questions too.  I very lightly sponged a tan over the blue on the walls, that I think gives them a really nice aged feel, but still allows them get used for some less apocalyptic settings (I plan to use for Thornapple's room too).  And I think dusting the floor with all the floral crumbles lent a lot to the sense of clutter and decay.  

I love how the lighting came out.  I shined it exclusively through the windows, turning off all the rest of the lights in the room I was shooting in to get that high contrast shadowy look.  I really was tricky with composition, but I feel like it taught me a lot just doing it.

skywalkersaga wrote:Oooh, that turquoise-y blue paint on the walls is a really nice contrast with the various red items and blood effects.  You may have worried about the lighting but it seems excellent here, streaming through the 1/6 scale windows really helps diffuse it in a natural looking way.

And you mentioned that second shot being your fave -- that's the one I would have picked, too! Very dynamic. Your eye goes straight to Marrow and then to St. Crow at the door.  Very nicely choreographed fight scene. The way she just casually plops down on the bed to read the 'magazines' afterward is such perfect comic relief.

This is yet another of your dioramas where I can tell your extensive collection of 1/6 miniature pieces as well as those you have printed/constructed yourself have paid off. They really make the whole scene all the more convincing.

Thanks for sharing yet another masterpiece, I'm really happy to be back in the Radio Kings world.

Thanks so much Skywalkersaga!  It really does feel good to be back in the Radio Kings world.  And I think that just might be Marrow's new collection/hobby.  But I also love the idea of these old magazines being a glimpse into a world that's just completely alien to her. And you're totally right, it's moments like this where years of building and accruing all the random crap I can just pays off.  So glad you enjoyed!

GubernatorFan wrote:The second shot is indeed both beautiful and effective, but I really don't want to pick favorites. Even the empty room sans figures (barring the skeletal one) was stunning.

Thank you!!!  I almost skipped that one too, but it just felt so quiet and atmospheric.  Although now I'm seeing the edge of the wall is in frame and kicking myself.  May have to fix that...

Stryker2011 wrote:Another absolutely brilliant photo story. Marrow is my absolute favorite character of yours. And the Radio Kings are awesome to see again after so long. Excellent set and photos, Adam. Love it. (As an aside, any further progress on your “villain” that you showed me years ago? Will he be making an appearance anytime soon?)

Thank you Stryker!  She really is the most fun to "write" for and try to communicate her body language, her weird quirks and personality.  I so love when that comes through.  And man, I have made no progress whatsoever!  He's central to an upcoming plotline, but nothing quite feels right to add to him.  Eventually something will click.  Although I def have a few other antagonists in the works to hold us over.

Randam Hajile wrote:Wow, another epic sequence from Radio Kings! Excellent work in every respect, ReverendSpooky. I especially like the underlying humor. Money for toilet paper.

Thank you Randam Hajile!  So happy you enjoyed.  Eventually, that really will just be the best use for all that funny looking paper.  

GubernatorFan wrote:

Randam Hajile wrote:Wow, another epic sequence from Radio Kings! Excellent work in every respect, ReverendSpooky. I especially like the underlying humor. Money for toilet paper.

As much as I loved even that photo, I actually overlooked the money for toilet paper significance. (There have been other sets, where money was hidden in the tank, etc.) So thanks for spelling it out, as it gives me even more appreciation for Adam's creation.

Crow and Marrow just assumed that MUST be what it's for.  Truly a luxury item.

Lynkhart wrote:The first shot has real ‘The Last of Us’ vibes, and I love the impact of the second pic!

That flying decapitated head made me cackle XD The gore effects are so effective!

Love them rifling through the (surprisingly pristine!) Playboys but oh, Marrow, I’d put that skeletal hand away - you don’t know where it’s been!

Bonus points for those excellent buckets by the loo.

I’m with everyone else on the lighting - you’ve absolutely nailed it! I never tire of seeing new Radio Kings stuff!

Also, random side note, but have you ever seen Love, Death and Robots on Netflix? They’re all fantastic animated shorts, but there was one in season two (Snow in the Desert) whose protagonist immediately made me think of Crow!

Thank you Lynkhart!  Playing LoU2, I kept thinking how much I wanted to do a diorama that captured that look and atmosphere.  Such a huge influence!  And I actually was debating between making the gore vs trying to do it digitally, so I'm glad I made the right chioce.  And I also really thought about the Playboy's surviving way too well, but I just didn't have the heart to "age" them! And she is totally keeping that hand! Crow was really not thrilled to get poked with it..

Ovy wrote:Definitely your best daylight impression yet!

Beautiful simple and busy Diorama at the same time.

Thanks so much Ovy!

Ovy wrote:And yay, a bloody rocket head! That second pic is definitely one of your top 10 money shots, along that one with the skateboard. Although the door could also be seen as some kind of skateboard. Or a surfboard. Marrow surfing in on a wave of blood, guts and mayhem.

I am addicted to flying severed parts!  I'd say I'd try not to overuse that floating trick, but who am I kidding, I'm just getting warmed up.  And Marrow surfing a door on a wave of blood should be a t-shirt.  Or at least the front of a Trapper-Keeper binder from the 80's.  

Ovy wrote:Cool to see them fighting visible enemies as a team. I guess the fourth wall of the room we don't see is now painted red.

Yeah, I'm committed to some on-screen violence from here on out.  And that is definitely where all the blood and gore went.  I really try to make everything reusable so I need to resist just covering it in gore.  Not always the easiest temptation to resist...

Ovy wrote:But the skeleton really tied that room together. Did I miss any hints how he ended up there? I liked it when they put these silent stories there in the Fallouts, like two skeletons embracing on a bed with a lot of medicatons, hinting they didn't want to be around when the bombs dropped. Glad the magazines or Marrows Necromancy powers brought him back to life for a moment.

Like the rug in the big Lebowski?  I love that kind of storytelling too.  There are tons of drugs scattered around (needles on the table) so I think he holed up with some music and reading material, and just decided to go out in comfort.  And cuddling up with Marrow might bring anyone back to life.

Ovy wrote:The calender pic also works as a Dr. Strangelove reference.

You know, I hadn't thought of that reference specifically, although I looked at a lot of old pinup images to use and that just felt the most fitting.  Now I know why!

Ovy wrote:I like how they prefer saving cultural and historical artifacts like the magazines and that new blaster weapon. Now let's find casettes.

I think we know EXACTLY what these two's priorities are by now.

Ovy wrote:It's nice of them to bring back that toiletpaper for the use of potential other visitors, like you are supposed to.

Hey, no one should let a little think like an apocalypse keep you from being a gracious host!

Ephiane wrote:Holy Cow ! The radio kings are back ! They are violent lunatics and respectless to the dead.  I really love them. Great Diorama and scenes. The realistic poses bring the characters to life.

Thank you Ephiane! "Violent lunatics and respectless to the dead" might be my favorite description of them ever, and if there was a movie poster, that would need to be on it. I think I have something I need to work on now...

BAMComix wrote:      Amazing stuff Adam as always! that skeleton is just too funny! especially when he peaks at the magazine! It has to be said also that the cash as toilet roll is brilliant!   . Marrows playfulness really comes across here, we all now she is a killer, but somehow in these pics we see her gentler side.
     Lovely set up with so much to look at! Like the other guys have said, the level of detail is incredible. The lighting is spot on, as are the Great effects, the flying head was a great touch! Well worth the wait for a new installment Of course, you realize now we are all waiting to see what you come up with next!

Thank you BAMComix!  Now no one can say anymore that Marrow doesn't know how to make friends. And I love those 2 sides of her too.  I always picture her like a tiger, all cat like playfulness, but so potentially dangerous at any moment, and those aspects bleed into each other almost seemlessly.

Valiarde wrote:Most awesome Rev!

The setting with the windows lighting is top notch and all the little details!!
I agree with what others already said, your figure posing and movement/dynamics is just so good and fun to watch.

I liked the part with the skeleton watching - my first impression of the pic after that one was that she jumped/fell out of the bed because the skeleotn moved. But guess there isn't much she would be scared of

Well done!!

Thank you Valiarde!  Totally right, I really wanted it to look like she kinda knocked him over, but also like he was leaning in. But yeah, she is WAY too comfortable around skeletons, and probably has spent more time with them than the living.  Crow's not sure she's capable of fear.      

blackpool wrote:Woooooooaaaaaaaaaaa!!!

Phenomenal, absolutely stunning, in every aspect! The diorama is crazy, all the fantastic details are priceless, and the photography and story telling is just as awesome... Brilliant bro! Love that "last of us" feel!

Thank you Blackpool!  I always take photography compliments from you as high praise.  Feel like I've been dreaming of capturing a bit of that LoU feel since I 1st played it, so that means a ton!

Theboo-bomb wrote:I love how it goes from zero... a nice peaceful shot of how nature reclaims what was once hers to a head banging metal scene when Marrow bursts through that door while simultaneously popping some  dude's head off its socket. I love all the shots and all their mini details.

Thank you Boo-bomb!  That sudden crash of chaos was EXACTLY what I was going for, so I'm thrilled that it came across!

WOW! Your lighting looks just fine and quite dramatic and real to me. I didn't miss anything. And while I really don't care much for blood and gore... this was FUN!
Great dynamic poses and very entertaining. Thank you!

Diana wrote:WOW! Your lighting looks just fine and quite dramatic and real to me. I didn't miss anything. And while I really don't care much for blood and gore... this was FUN!
Great dynamic poses and very entertaining. Thank you!

Thank you Diana! Glad the gore wasn't too bad ! Yeah, I feel like it's a line to walk, with the lighting being interesting but not losing too much detail to shadows. Glad I pulled it off!

Oh wow, another awesome entry from the Radio Kings universe! Your set building is just as convincing as ever, the feeling of isolation and desolation is spot-on, I likewise get vibes of TLoU and also Days Gone. Love the fight choreography - very subtle and realistic - and also all of the goodies they discover. The posing and lighting are great, Marrow's shots especially...there is not enough praise I can give that hasn't already been mentioned since I am so late, but it is just always a pleasure to get a new glimpse into your world. Now that we've seen a brief encounter with a lower-class goon,  I'm really looking forward to seeing one of the 'big bads' in a future installment.

Oh, and I've seen all of Love, Death + Robots and I agree when I watched Snow in the Desert I was imagining Saint Crow for most of it. Badass.

AlKelAstra91 wrote:Oh wow, another awesome entry from the Radio Kings universe! Your set building is just as convincing as ever, the feeling of isolation and desolation is spot-on, I likewise get vibes of TLoU and also Days Gone. Love the fight choreography - very subtle and realistic - and also all of the goodies they discover. The posing and lighting are great, Marrow's shots especially...there is not enough praise I can give that hasn't already been mentioned since I am so late, but it is just always a pleasure to get a new glimpse into your world. Now that we've seen a brief encounter with a lower-class goon,  I'm really looking forward to seeing one of the 'big bads' in a future installment.

Oh, and I've seen all of Love, Death + Robots and I agree when I watched Snow in the Desert I was imagining Saint Crow for most of it. Badass.

Thank you AlKelAstra91!  You nailed it, Last of Us and Days Gone were huge influences.  I actually played both thinking "I wonder if I could do some of this in 1/6?..."  So thrilled to hear I could capture a bit of that feel.  And we DEFINITELY have some big villains on the horizon, along with a bunch of characters that could become a friend or enemy in the future.

I'm gonna have to watch Snow in the Desert tonight.  You guys have me so curious now!!

Aww, Days Gone is sooo good. I love that game (I don't even play video games, but I watched my husband play it). For me it was like watching one of my Walking Dead fanfictions come to life! Glad to see it as an influence here.

skywalkersaga wrote:Aww, Days Gone is sooo good. I love that game (I don't even play video games, but I watched my husband play it). For me it was like watching one of my Walking Dead fanfictions come to life!   Glad to see it as an influence here.  

Days Gone does not get the love it deserves! I found it to be such an incredible experience to play, with some unique and fresh takes on the genre. So happy when I hear other people who appreciate it.

Finally watched Snow in the Desert and I TOTALLY get the Saint Crow comparison! What a fun ride, and I would love to see that story get continued.