Brian McCarty Plays God

• Words: Jennifer Marston

Inspiration for Brian McCarty's photos begin where toy makers leave off.

Collectible toys are works of art doomed to a life stuck in packaging, lest they lose their value. That's where Brian McCarty comes in. His photographs imaginatively flesh out the secret lives of collectible characters and, in the process, serve as a playful look at consumerism. Here, we join him in Malibu on a shoot and talk to him about his colorful world.