Originally shared on Instagram on December 12, 2025. Photography and story by Mark Middleton.
Somewhere along the line, I realized photography doesn’t always have to be this deeply serious, technical pursuit. That realization hit me hard on a trip to Yosemite years ago, when I was standing there ready to throw a Linhof 617 Technorama medium format film camera into the valley out of pure frustration. Since I taught myself everything—no classes, no degrees, just trial, error, and miles of film—I finally had to give myself permission to loosen up and enjoy it.
So on a long stretch of travel through South America, I came up with a way to make things fun again: I packed a few Lego figures like the ones I’ve played with as a kid. And suddenly my adventures had company. These little guys made appearances in the Uyuni Desert, wandered beaches in Colombia, hiked the trails of Machu Picchu, and—like this shot—joined me in Patagonia near Fitz Roy.
It sounds ridiculous, but it worked. Photographing them made me laugh, made the long days lighter, and reminded me why I fell in love with creating photographs in the first place. They never became Instagram-famous, but they became something better—part of the story of how I learned to enjoy my craft again.
Here’s to the things that surprise us, keep us creative, and remind us not to take ourselves too seriously… even at the edge of the world with a Lego man for company!!
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