Cookie Circus 2025

My original idea was just the cookie on the edge of the spoon made to look like a diving board, ready to jump into the glass of milk. I didn’t think I’d have it in a circus setting. Then I started to think about how engaging and fun a circus could be. Plus, lighting a circus scene would be AWESOME. I started to consider what the cookie could be doing; should it be a highwire or trapeze act??? This could go many different ways, but then I thought—no, the classic cartoon high-dive into a thimble of water, right? As I started researching this, I knew I wanted the ladder to look uncomfortably high. Wide-angle focal length (35 mm) pulls that distance, a vertigo feeling. Then the layering started to take shape; if I were to have a giant ladder (made of skewers and toothpicks wrapped with cooking twine), then we needed an epic scene below. Ringmasters are always great characters; I went with the Biscoff because I felt the Belgian character would be a nice touch, and I wanted a cool mustache. I used a variety of cookies for the other performers and the audience, and I got mini versions to make the scene look even higher and more crowded. Opening the Oreo and revealing the frosting was perfect for a clown face.

These pieces, and everything I try to do in photography, start with a good lighting scheme. I intended to create a classic circus at your dining room table. I wanted it dark and moody, with only spotlights, allowing the “performers” to be the focal point and carry the viewer in each scene.

Overall, I am happy with the way it turned out. Considering a series of images rather than just one image to tell the story was a great challenge. Funny enough, I came up with the failed attempt when I realized that Chips Ahoy cookies are smaller than I anticipated. I was going to have him stuck in the glass head first, drowning, but this worked better and was more comically tragic.

Thanks for checking it out.

Til next time!

Nick

BREAKDOWN:

Make it stand out

Props:

Mini Wafers- $4.79

Chip Ahoy- $3.89

Biscoff- $3.19

Animal Crackers- $1.69

Mini Oreos- $1.25

Duplex Cookies- $1.25

Keebler mini M&M- $1.25

ginger snaps- $1.25

Milk- $4.99

OJ- $3.99

Bananas- $1.87

Orange- .58

Apple- .88

Jello Cups- $1.49 x 2 $2.98

Pint glass- $1.25
Total prop cost-$33.85

Returned items:

Platter

Place matte

An alt tumbler glass I didn’t use

Items I had at the studio:

Plates, cups, and a teapot

Toothpicks, wood skewers, hot glue gun, tape etc…

Lighting: (I did try my Arri’s, but I didn’t have enough of them, and I knew I’d be hand-holding some of the cookies on sticks, so I needed the shutter speed)

2 Broncolor 400s with a snoot and grid set

1 Broncolor 800s with a Westcott Optical spot

3 dental mirrors on arms

2 small makeup mirrors, handheld

1 shinny board bounce on yoke.

No gels this time, looking back, I should’ve experimented.

Pre-light for my sketch phase

Lenses:

Most of these were shot with my 24—to 70 mm, varying f-stops depending on my intentions. The good range is from f/2.8 to f/11.

Make it stand out

I was inspired by images from the 20s and 30s, and I wanted that cinematic feel. I used my 100 mm macro for the audience, f/3.5.

The S’mores Sacrifice

Nostalgia is the sound of a crackling fire and the feel of a cool summer breeze as you warm yourself. You enjoy a smile while holding the perfect roasting stick you found during a late-night kindling hunt. As you rotate the marshmallow over the flames, you become entranced by the thought of that delicious first bite. Pay attention; you'll burn—too late!

I have had this idea for some time, and knew there would be some logistics to solve. When I sketched this out, I wanted to focus on lighting, especially the idea of a campfire in the distance and the feel of a campsite. I knew the characters had to be comically terrifying.

Dremeling Graham Crackers was a first for me and a lot of fun. For the look and feel of the characters and scenes, I took inspiration from the Pacific Northwest and Polynesian culture. (We also just got back from Hawaii.) I used the plastic graham cracker wrapping as the grass skirts. I almost filled the faces in black, but I loved how the light passed through the cutout, giving the cracker characters more life.

The set was constructed in the studio. My son (in the background) loved having the tent up and an open bag of marshmallows, of course.

While working on this piece, I wanted to challenge myself in post-production to clean the clip out and make the scene fluid from the foreground to the background. I couldn't be more pleased with the outcome and the challenges met. This image always brings a smile to my face.

Thanks for your time.

Breakdown:

Props-

1 graham crackers $2.79

1 6-pack of Hershey's Milk Chocolate $4.97

1 Marshmallows $1.29 (mistake to buy generic)

1 wood matches $1.59

TOTAL= $10.64

Lighting:

1 Broncolor 800L bare bulb with CTO doubled on a floor-stand

1 Broncolor 400L octo gridded overhead.

1 Brocolor 400L in the tent with a 1/2 CTB

1 2’x4’ shinny board

1 sweet homemade cucoloris (IYKYK)

fills and negs

Lens:

I only used my 50mm shot on a tripod.

Cherry Pitter

My first attempt at this project.

This project was really in its infancy at this point. I remember wanting to create a pile of cherries and one on top. The funny thing is that the background stock kitchen image was used because I was auto-signed up for a Photoshop stock photo subscription and was charged a cancellation fee, so I decided to use one if I had to pay for it.

My concentration was really on the top cherry and their expression. At the end, the cocktail sword came to me. Looking back, I should have also given some of the other characters swords. I learned how to pit a cherry using a straw, and that cutting up 30 + cherries will stain your fingers.

He's adorably savage.

Thanks!

Nick

Breakdown:

1 lb of cherries $6.99

1 pack of cocktail swords $5.99

Stock kitchen photo. I don't remember the cost, but I was not happy—I remember that—and didn't want to think about it.

Total = $12.98 plus

Ligthing:

1 Broncolor 800L Large softbox

1 white bounce.