A Host Beneath the Banners

There is something magical about seeing a LEGO medieval army gathered beneath a forest of banners. Every knight, every shield and every standard tells a story, turning a collection of LEGO Castle minifigures into a living medieval host.

For this outdoor photoshoot, I brought together my custom LEGO knights and soldiers to recreate the atmosphere of a great medieval army preparing for battle. The colourful banners, heraldic shields and individual characters help give the impression of a much larger force.

A Custom LEGO Castle Army

One of my favourite aspects of medieval LEGO photography is the opportunity to combine different knights, shields and standards into a single scene. Rather than representing a uniform army, the figures suggest a gathering of noblemen and their followers, each marching beneath their own colours.

Look closely and you may recognise a few famous coats of arms and heraldic devices hidden among the shields and banners. Some are easy to identify, while others are a little trickier.

Medieval Heraldry in LEGO

Heraldry is an essential part of the visual identity of this army. Different colours, symbols and banners make the individual knights stand out, while giving the entire collection the appearance of a medieval host assembled for a campaign.

I particularly enjoy including recognisable heraldic designs among the custom figures. They add another layer of detail to the photographs and turn the scene into a little challenge for anyone interested in medieval history.

Photographing a LEGO Medieval Army Outdoors

This was a fun outdoor photoshoot, although the lighting proved a little challenging. The bright sky ended up overpowering parts of the scene, making it harder to bring out the colours of the banners and heraldry.

Next time, I'll experiment with shooting during the golden hour or slightly reducing the exposure. I think softer light would help the details of the custom LEGO minifigures stand out even more.

How many coats of arms can you identify? Take a closer look at the shields and banners, and feel free to leave your guesses in the comments!