Creepy Elf on the Shelf Day 3

So, tonight I decided to do a creepy elf on the shelf photo. Sam has been cooped up in a little apartment for too long. Quarantine has been hard on us all. Sam’s mission has been sidetracked by this stupid virus as it has been for many others from this and other realms and beyond, who knew that Santa could be effected by this virus.

Sam has been ordered by the big man “Santa” to stay where he is. He checked into the local hotel to wait the pandemic out. A month went by, he was still stuck in the same hotel. Luckily the local beer store offers free delivery to hotel residence. Things were starting to get crazy. Sam finds himself in the shower beer cans everywhere, Beer is not what the problem is. Sam has discovered vodka. So much better than the lite beer he was used to. The bottles to normal people would be a single shot, would last Sam many hours. but course there was many hours to kill.

The sketch you find below is Sam in the worst state of his life. It is depressing to see someone with such ambition and goals being stopped in his track by such a dangerous little germ.

Creepy Elf on the Shelf Day 3 Sketch

The photo you see below is a live photo of the result of what quarantine will do to an elf. Picture this for a person that can consume a whole lot more than Sam. Quarantine is necessary but bad in the same way. Sam needs to get back to work and put a stop to the Elf on the Shelf.

Elf on the Shelf Photo

creepy Elf on the Shelf Day 2

This is the second of 25 Creepy Elf on the Shelf installment.

Okay, so to begin with for the sake of the rest of these images the name of the Creepy Elf on the Shelf is Sam. If you know me, you know the story behind Sam the elf. If you don’t know the story, that’s okay, it won’t effect the story.

Sam is on a mission to eliminate the elf on the shelf spy campaign that was created by Santa so he doesn’t have to work as hard to figure out who’s naughty or nice. Sam has found out that there is more to the elf on the shelf gig than originally thought. There is corruption in the game. Kids with their infinite amount of resources these days have figured out that all they had to do to get a good report to the big S. is to pay the elf on the shelf off. This could be in candy, cold hard cash, or whatever the elf is into at the time. The system is corrupt and Sam wants a part of it. You see he was not selected to be one of Santa’s elf on the shelfers because he did not quite have the minimum quota of cuteness that was required. No one would really want to look for an “ugly” shelf in the morning now would they. If he couldn’t be a part of the game, he was going to be in control of it.

Like I said on my last blog; The stories create themselves. I start with a basic concept and the story line usually evolves from the sketch to the finished photo. The photo you see below is the final product.

Creepy Elf on the Shelf Day #2

The original plan for the photo was to take Sam to the local library and photograph him in a shelf full of books with the book of choice out in front. I got Sam packed up in my sling bag (thanks to my wonderful husband Charlie). I folded him into the bag, packed only the camera and lens I needed for the photo and headed off to the library. I was getting close to the library when I ran into a school zone. 20mph… what the heck… I haven’t had to deal with a school zone since the beginning of the pandemic. Well, I arrived at the library to find that the pandemic was affecting this as well. The library was closed due to the Corona Virus.

Shoot! I thought as I sat in the vacant parking lot trying to figure out how I was going to make this image in my head come to life. Then it dawned on me; I can just go to one of the big block book stores and shoot the image there. Now came the next dilemma, do I go into the book store, elf and all, find a spot to shoot the picture, and hope that no one says anything. Or do I go immediately to someone and ask permission to take the photo. I decided that asking for forgiveness was the better option in this case.

Now things were starting to get interesting. I was strolling through the bookstore looking for fantasy books or some kind of book related to elves to make it a better and more realistic background. I strolled into the kids section and in a specific box store only section was a book called “How to Catch and Elf”. I was blown away; that was the name of the book I randomly came up with in the sketch the night before. It was a sign. I grabbed that book, along with an elf on the shelf book and continued my search for the perfect location to take the picture.

I found the perfect location in the middle of a bunch of fantasy books, I moved a couple out of the way and added my elf on the shelf book and the How to Catch and Elf book. The scene was almost perfect. I pulled Sam from my bag and placed him in position. I pulled out my camera and shot a couple of quick photos (I think I was only seen by one person). I quickly shoved my camera back in the bag, grabbed the elf and folded him in the bag and continued walking around the store as if I were still looking for other interesting books.

I hope you enjoyed the story behind this photo. If you have any questions about the series or the photos, please let me know.

Topher Keen

Creepy Elf on the Shelf Day 1

So its time for a new project. I hope to have it rolled out before the first of December. I am calling it the Creepy Elf on the Shelf series.

For years anyone that knows me, knows that I love creepy and unusual stuff. I have been photographing creepy dolls in strange locations for years. This year, I found a creepy elf, which I am planning to make a series of images that tell a story of an elf on the shelf that has become corrupt to the elfish ways. I guess you could say he himself becomes elfish (shellfish for elves).

The first photo of the series has been finished. Most of the photos that I am going to produce for this series are going to start off as a sketch and evolve from there. This sketches that you see are a rough idea, from there they will most likely evolve when brought into photoshop. All of the art that I am using in this series and most of my other images are composites that have been pieced together using photos that I have taken.

Below is a sketch of the first image. I usually have a backstory to my sketches that evolve with the art.

Creepy Elf on the Shelf Day #1

The Story:

The elf is sitting on the shelf with other toys. The only problem is, the toy he’s holding in his hand is the toys owner. The baster becomes the puppet and the puppet becomes the master.

This image is a self portrait used to portray the master.

Below you will see the final image.

Creepy Elf on the Shelf Day #1

If you care to order a print of this image let me know. I was thinking of offering them in 8x8 tiles and treat them like an advent type calendar where every day for 25 days is a new creepy elf on the shelf.

Thanks for reading.

Topher Keen