Chattanooga Photographer: Dinosaur Photo Stands Tutorial

I LOVE to craft. I'm all about that Pinterest, HGTV, DIY-LIFE! Seriously, I regularly have to cycle out decor with new projects I'm always making. It's part of why I love making props for photo sessions! I get to stretch that making-stuff muscle and take pretty pictures! 

So, this year, my brother is deployed, but his wife and son are in town while he's gone! I texted my brother and asked him, "What is something small I can buy for Kinsey and Kit so they don't have to lug it all back to California in a few months?" Tanner responded with, "Make us something, Tay! I love bragging about all the crafts you make for us!" Well, I couldn't say no to that! 

I started looking around for cute and easy crafts to make, and decided that, of course, I needed to do something that included the billions of photos I take of those three! I saw some other photo stand tutorials, but decided I wanted whatever I made to be incorporated into Kit's bedroom. I spent some time in Hobby Lobby going back and forth trying to decide if I wanted to do the little army men figurines (but my brother is a Marine!), or some Hot Rod cars, or normal large animals like tigers and lions. But I just couldn't walk away from the Dinos! I also knew I wanted them to be a little more chic and stylish then how they come in the little toy tube. 

This is a super fun, quick, and easy DIY, and makes for a great and personal gift this holiday season!

SUPPLY LIST

• HANDFUL OF TOY FIGURINES 
• MULTI-SURFACE ACRYLIC OPAQUE PAINT
• SMALL SPONGE BRUSH
• 16MM+ WIRE
• NEEDLENOSE PLIES
• PRINTS OF YOUR FAV. IMAGES (I highly recommend Artifact Uprising!)

I bought the wire previously, but found the toy dinos and this multi-surface *THICK* acrylic paint from Hobby Lobby. 

Paint the figurines and allow to dry. I stuck mine in front of a fan to speed up the process. I'm not super patient when it comes to watching paint dry. I added another coat - and it did need it, but then it was perfect! The texture of the toys still showed through but the colors were beneath were covered. Allow to dry for at least an hour.

I chose 5 dinosaurs out of the bunch that I thought would hold up the wire and the photos the best. Plus - I chose some of the most recognizable dinos! The whole tube comes with about 10 figurines, so make as many as you want!

I chose to paint them white to give them a little chic update, and went with the gold wire for the same reason here. Feel free to experiment with different colors to achieve the look you want! Think neon green, all black, or copper even.

Next, cut a length of wire close to 10 inches. This is where the pliers come in handy. Use them to wrap the wire around the body of the dino and secure the end of it. At the top wrap the pliers around and down to create a spiral affect, and make sure to do at least two layers. This is how you'll slide the prints in!

I love Artifact Uprising. Look at how pretty that packaging is! Their square print set is durable and sturdy, and they make it super easy to print images directly from your phone!

Now slide your prints in and that's it! It may take a bit of maneuvering to secure the photos. The wire should pliable to bend so that the figures remain stable and hold the photos in place. 

I absolutely love the way these turned out! I gifted Kinsey and Kit with prints from our trip to the San Diego Zoo! 

If you make them, please post them and hashtag #taylorephotography, so I can see your creation! 

Have a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

XOXO

-T