A lot of AFOLs have fond memories of those fierce blue knights. Though they weren’t in that many sets, even LEGO recognized them as being popular and even rereleased their Fortress in 2002. And even better, gave them a complete make-over in 2021. Yes, I’m talking about those awesome Black Falcons. There are fans out there who even dedicated a day to them, Black Falcon Friday. One of them is Thomas (aka The Brick Dwarf) and we chatted with him for a bit more insight into this wonderful homage.

Marco: How did #blackfalconsfriday start? And how did you keep continuing it?

Thomas: It was two guys that go by the names of lego_launcher and pollocks01 on Instagram that posted the first #blackfalconsfriday pictures in June 2020. I noticed this hashtag later that summer and thought it was a great idea, especially since I had a lot of Black Falcons already in my LEGO collection.

Marco: For the different photos, how do you come up with all the tiny scenarios?

Thomas: Usually, I come up with a story first and then I put together the things I need.

Marco: Where do you take your shots? Is it mostly your own backyard or do you look for certain surroundings? The weather seems to be having an effect on the themes as well, the past weeks it's snow (probably because of the season). Does this also affect the ideas you have for the shots?

Thomas: Yes, usually I take the pictures close to my home, in the yard or in the forest nearby. Sometimes I go further away, deeper into the forest or to the coast. The weather and season have a great effect on what kind of pictures I take, especially in the winter when everything is covered in snow, which limits my options since I quite seldom take pictures indoors. Then I try to come up with ideas that involve snow and winter. In spring and autumn, there are usually puddles, small streams, and such in nature that I use to take pictures of minifigures in boats or something similar.

Marco: Do you have any tips and tricks for outside photography? Because it's quite different from what most AFOLs do with controlled lighting inside.

Thomas: I actually wrote about this topic on BrickCentral!

In short, I try to look for good natural light, I walk around the area and see how the sun lights up a spot. The time of day matters a lot, usually, it's better in the mornings or evenings when the sun is low. Sometimes I bring a small LED light with me. Avoiding glares on the surface of the minifigures can be a challenge. Sometimes I am able to avoid them by shadowing the figures with my hand or with something else. Other times I just have to accept that the picture is not perfect.

I often place my camera on ground level, on a small beanbag, or on a water-resistant piece of cloth.

Marco: Do you have a personal favorite or favorites and why?

Thomas: This picture of a Black Falcons archer standing in the grass is one of my first #blackfalconsfriday pictures and one of my favorites. I like the simplicity and also the rare conditions that allowed for the very small drops on the grass.

Marco: Thank you for your time and we are looking forward to seeing more #blackfalconsfriday shots in the future!

Are you inspired by this? Get outside with your minifigs and let them explore the world!

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