Locomotive

Vintage Toy series
 
"Locomotive" is a vintage children's toy; the toy train was built around 1910. My toy photo collection is a sub-set of the light painting series. These vintage toys have so much built in drama and history, which is perfect since I love creating theatrical fictions and epic dramas thru my photographs. I shoot these in my studio where I usually build little sets for them (some are a partial, or entirely digital setting) and then I light them in a light painting style, through long exposures.
 
The Georges Carette toy company was known for its highly detailed quality toys, and this train - the Model 2350 Locomotive - was made specifically to try and break into the US market where the "cow catcher" grill in front of the train was the norm.

In 1893, at the World Exposition in Chicago, Carette introduced a toy train that caused a stir as it was powered by electricity! Incredibly, one version of the Model 2350 was powered by an actual miniature steam engine. You can see one here.

I am not a toy collector but when I started developing this body of work I started going to vintage toy conventions to try find collectors to partner up with. Its exciting to look at these things, with all their history, and to re-imagine them in a fantasy setting.
 
Antique Toy World magazine did a cover story on my toy photos.

One of the funnest parts of shooting this was creating and lighting the foreground. Decades ago I started collecting little bits of unusual looking shrubs and weeds - along with a ton of other little props - to decorate the Glam Bug sets. They are now invaluable for the Toy photos.
 
"In none of his photos does Nuez exploit the obvious" 
Montreal Gazette
 
"Seductive ... Nuez's photos do not leave one indifferent"
Ciel Variable - Contemporary Photography magazine
 
Light Paintings series
 
I sometimes fantasize that with the snap of a finger, I can escape reality ... in a moment, be transported to a dream world free of life's demands, a child's playground where magic exists and all is right with the world.My Light Paintings are that portal. Through them I can transcend reality and escape into these beautiful, vibrant yet peaceful realms.
 
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Although there is some digital manipulation in this series, the unusual lighting and surreal quality in the Light Painting series is achieved by using colored lights during long exposures. They are not digital effects.