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There may be a variety of AI artwork on the market and lots of wonderful digital creators, however we needed to pay homage to create artwork in-camera. (Even when a little bit of Photoshop is concerned). What can be a greater approach than utilizing toys to take action? Being small and wonderous, you may create whole universes with toys and inform wonderful tales.
For this reason a number of weeks in the past, we began our Toy pictures contest with Zhiyun, our sponsor, and two wonderful judges: Anna Bitanga, a.okay.a 4 Bricks Tall, and Jason Yang, a.okay.a @workmoreorless. We had over 420 entries so the competitors was fierce, however right here we’re with a closing resolution.
Lego class winners
For the profitable LEGO photograph, I used to be on the lookout for photos that present good selections about digicam gear and settings, attention-grabbing lighting, robust compositions, and authentic ideas.
LEGO minifigures and fashions will be robust topics to shoot as a result of the fabric is a really shiny plastic and the surfaces are planar or cylindrical, making reflections and glare an enormous downside. Controlling these distractions with cautious digicam angles, mild placement, and/or CPL filters is paramount.
LEGO toys are principally bricks and plates so getting the strains straight will be fairly difficult too. LEGO minifigures are iconic and have a variety of expressions to select from, but additionally very restricted in articulation so posing can be an enormous problem.
There have been a variety of images that met all 4 standards and the challenges particular to LEGO pictures, so it was robust to decide on the first-place winner amongst these.
First place: Ryo Tomito
The primary place goes to this incredible photograph of a warehouse employee fumbling with a loaded forklift.
Nice, enjoyable idea and I really like the dynamism on this scene: the falling crates, the toppling forklift, and the barely-holding-on operator. That most likely took a bunch of putty, wires, and articulating arms to rearrange.
Ryo constructed up the scene to maintain us engaged along with his photograph: nice use of foreground components, shapes, and heights from entrance to again.
The hotter topic in opposition to the cooler tones of the warehouse works very properly to isolate the topic. I additionally admire the arduous mild– it’s not used a lot by LEGO photographers as a result of it’s more durable to manage reflections with, however that’s additionally what makes Ryo’s photograph stand out among the many relaxation. The highlighting across the edges of the topic additionally makes the topic pop.
This photograph ticks all the factors containers for me plus it reveals the light-hearted humor of LEGO.
Second place: Arek Truszkowski
Arek’s photograph is an excellent instance of embracing shadow in toy pictures with out going darkish in idea. There’s a variety of texture right here from the greebling (LEGO jargon for detailing) within the partitions all the way down to the tiny particles of mist suspended within the mild.
The topic is posed merely however purposefully in the direction of the sunshine. I really like how small the photographer selected to border the minifig– once more, bucking a pattern of fill-the-frame typically utilized in LEGO pictures.
Purple isn’t the colour alternative I might assume to make however the white/blue astronaut in opposition to it’s arresting. It additionally makes me query if it is a hopeful or ominous photograph. I don’t know but it surely made me assume, which is a feat in our days of the limitless scroll.
Third place: Kenton Anderson
Kenton’s photograph stood out due to the weird digicam angle he used on this photograph of a bit child flying over the town streets in a tiny purple airplane.
Talking of purple once more, that’s a shade that pulls consideration. Right here, it’s used in opposition to one other purple object that’s transferring in the wrong way– a pleasant implied line there.
There are extra robust strains on the street that make my eye transfer diagonally throughout the body and linger a bit longer
Motion class winners
I used to be utterly blown away by not solely the variety of entries for this toy pictures problem but additionally the extent of high quality within the submissions. With 428 submissions from 133 inventive photographers, selecting my high 3 was a problem! Happily, I used to be capable of focus solely on the Motion Determine class, nevertheless, there have been nonetheless a handful of photos that included each LEGO and Motion Figures.
When critiquing the images, I relied on a number of standards to assist with the general course of:
Idea: A well-crafted story can encourage and delight. A nonetheless picture, or {photograph} in our case, has the problem of telling a narrative inside a single second in time. Inside that story, I’m drawn to ideas which might be distinctive, emotive, and wealthy with element.
Creativity: Artists who problem themselves are to be admired. Whether or not it’s creating with an genuine type or fixing issues in a intelligent approach, creativity provides depth.
High quality: Producing any kind of artwork requires thoughtfulness, intentionality, and objective. When it’s accomplished with excellence, the standard is obvious. I admire an artist’s consideration to element and an illustration of high-level execution inside their work.
First place: Roger Gonzales
What an absolute TKO for this problem! This idea was sensible in it’s simplicity with a masterful composition. The unfavourable house across the topics gives a incredible sense of scale and distinction. The great use of shade together with the intentionality of focus attracts the viewer into the story, making this the highest contender for me. I additionally give Roger bonus factors for implementing each motion figures and LEGO for this submission. Congrats!
Second Place: Danny Koh
I’m at all times impressed by toy photographers that assume exterior the field. This hilarious mash-up of Marvel’s Captain America utilizing DC’s Superman as a bulletproof protect is extraordinarily inventive! This dynamic composition and cautious use of shade mix to create each motion and readability. Utilizing sensible pictures together with wonderful digital compositing, Danny is ready to inform a singular story with each pixels and plastic.
Third place: Jeff Junatas
It’s obvious that there aren’t any strings holding Jeff down in relation to toy pictures! This shot is an ideal instance of how sensible and digital compositing can coexist and make one thing that completely rocks. The lighting units the tone of the story and provides focus and hierarchy for the viewer.
Sponsor and Prizes
Motion determine class prize: Zhiyun MOLUS X100
Superb for studio, movie, TV, and particularly location capturing, the 5.7 x 3.7 x 1.4″ MOLUS X100 Bi-Colour Pocket COB Monolight from Zhiyun has COB LEDs and boasts a bunch {of professional} options in a really small bundle. The X100 has a large variable shade vary of 2700 to 6500K with excessive CRI/TLCI 95/97 scores and dims from 0 to 100%. Colour and brightness will be adjusted on the fixture, however you can even make adjustments wirelessly utilizing Zhiyun’s app. A bonus function is the sunshine’s Music Mode which is a recording operate that permits automated lighting management together with music rhythm to create a particular environment.
LEGO class prize: Zhiyun MOLUS G60
Superb for studio, movie, TV, and particularly location capturing, the three.8 x 2.6 x 2.6″ MOLUS G60 Bi-Colour Pocket COB Monolight from Zhiyun has COB LEDs and boasts a bunch {of professional} options in a really small bundle. The G60 has a large variable shade vary of 2700 to 6500K with excessive CRI/TLCI 96/97 scores and dims from 0 to 100%. Colour and brightness will be adjusted on the fixture, however you can even make adjustments wirelessly utilizing Zhiyun’s app
The judges
Jason Yang – Motion class
My identify is Jason Yang, however you could know me as @workmoreorless the place I exploit pictures to discover the great world of toys and collectibles. Exterior of my inventive outlet by way of toy pictures, I work professionally as a designer, animator, and illustrator by way of my inventive providers enterprise, Invisible Factor. I’ve had the glory of working with firms of all sizes, together with Google, McDonald’s, Hasbro, and ESPN. My 25+ years of business expertise and data have allowed me to method pictures with a singular perspective.
Over the previous a number of years, I’ve used toy pictures as a medium to appreciate inventive ideas on a smaller scale. In doing so, my involvement in the neighborhood continues to develop. The relationships I’ve constructed personally with different artists and professionally with quite a few manufacturers have turn into an necessary facet of my life. In reality, I’ve partnered with a workforce of toy photographers and mates to create a community-focused collaborative referred to as The Figment 5.
My objective with Work Extra Or Much less is to encourage, encourage, and train others the best way to use toy pictures to discover and notice their very own inventive concepts. Free sources can be found on my web site for these desirous to be taught and prepared to spend money on their very own private progress and growth.
Anna Bitanga – LEGO class
I’m Anna Bitanga, higher recognized within the toy pictures neighborhood as 4 Bricks Tall. I’ve been a photographer for over 20 years, capturing environmental portraits (of people!) and experimenting with every kind of genres like product, editorial, macro, architectural, panorama, and documentary. You’ll discover these influences and experiences in my LEGO toy pictures.
I handle the biggest LEGO toy pictures neighborhood, BrickCentral, which often runs photograph contests, I function its ambassador to The LEGO Group, and I’ve judged the Flickr x LEGO photograph contest. I’ve been featured on Sony Alpha Universe and within the LEGO In Focus e book about LEGO pictures.
I additionally train and write about toy pictures and philosophy on YouTube and Substack.
Honorable mentions:
Jonas Vargas
I admire when toy photographers construct scenes with LEGO bricks, and infrequently that simply means a easy development as on this photograph by Jonas.
One enormous benefit LEGO photographers have is the flexibility to create the atmosphere and props they want in system. Like a painter, this photographer’s scene was made as a composition alternative: desaturated tones as a backdrop for the colourful hero, handrails as main strains, sample in unfavourable house for curiosity, and so forth. Even the small element of the mouse pointing in the direction of the motion is clearly a alternative of eyelines.
Numerous artwork data right here mixed with easy however efficient lighting and a touching idea.
Adam Burke
I really like the creativity and total idea of this photograph that options one in every of my favourite animated characters, the Iron Large! By means of refined and easy posing, Adam offers a real-life really feel as he bodily interacts inside the scene. The lighting and wonderful framing make this really feel much less like a photograph and extra like a portray, making Adam a grasp of each mild and magic!
Benedek Lampert
I really like medieval themes and this set particularly is one in every of my all-time favourite LEGO fashions. I’ve shot this outside as properly so I do know what a problem it’s to move (with out breaking!), discover a becoming location, and battle mosquitoes whereas working rapidly in opposition to a transferring solar and breaking your again to get down low.
Not many LEGO photographers try to shoot buildings, a lot much less within the wild, however Benedek does this with aplomb. On high of that, the tiny lights within the mannequin and environment to convey them out extra actually makes the photograph come alive!
Tung Pham
It is a tea celebration I’d like to be invited to! Tung shows an unbelievable talent of drawing within the viewer by way of lovely lighting, composition, and storytelling. The pure mild inside the body has an nearly magical aesthetic that compliments the figures inside the scene. Each factor within the shot feels intentional and reveals a excessive stage of competency.
Sergi Paredes
And eventually, typically a easy minifigure with only a few brick components could make for an efficient photograph like this one by Sergio.
It’s tempting to at all times shoot with the topic’s face seen, so it’s a welcome break from the same old to see one utterly turned away. Whereas I’m not a specific fan of utilizing IP in images (though LEGO is one enormous IP itself), it’s more durable to acknowledge Disney’s Coco character Miguel when posed like this, due to this fact it helps me purchase in.
Stunning colours, robust main strains, numerous texture, and a few small particulars actually helped this photograph stand out.
Pradono Kusumo
It’s great when an artist creates artwork that offers you perception into their persona. With this fantastically meta photograph of a toy taking an image of toys, Pradono does precisely that by bringing a pleasant and humorous idea to life. I admire the usage of varied scales and characters together with the layered storytelling – did you discover Darth Vader within the background?
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