Weekly Challenge June 10 - June 17: Miniature/Small-scale

attribution: HERE


Weekly Challenge June 10 - June 17: Miniature/Small-scale

Not very often in life are people going to tell you to "think small" . However we're going to make an exception here and ask you to think as small as you can - miniature in fact!

What we're looking for with regard to this theme would be images of almost any type of subject but MUST be (or appear to be) small in scale. This could be accomplished with actual small scale models or the optical illusion of being miniature that you might get from a special lens or a particular processing of the image.

These challenges are designed to help you grow in your photography skills and creativity, and also to have fun. Be sure to visit the Weekly Challenge Rules & Guidelines for more information. This thread will be closed on June 17th (12:00pm - noon - EDT)...so get those photos in and most importantly - have fun!!!!


The Rules
1. Photos must be posted to the thread in order to be considered for the challenge.

2. Any photo submitted for a weekly challenge must be taken during the dates specified in the challenge thread and taken by you! Because not all EXIF data can be verified, we will use the honor system here.

3. Challenges will be judged solely by the panel. Individual voting via post "likes" will be incorporated into the final selection of the winning photo.

4. Only one photo entry per member, for each challenge, unless otherwise indicated.

5. Judging criteria is based on the Twelve Elements of a Merit Image.

There will be no cash or prizes awarded for the Weekly Challenge, unless specifically noted by the site administrator. This is a member-run contest, and the purpose of the Weekly Challenge is to encourage member participation on the forums and to keep you taking pictures!

Any photo will be accepted for the challenge. Edited/straight out of the camera, it does not matter. You are left with complete freedom to do whatever genre of photography you wish to do, and your own interpretation of the challenge subject.

Since I don't have a true macro lens anymore (sold the 85mm macro last year), I had to use my 28-105 with built in macro for this shot. It's all I got.

You don't necessarily need a macro lens for this theme.

bluenoser said:

You don't necessarily need a macro lens for this theme.

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Yeah, I know, but it would have been better.

Model Railroad?



Nope, The BNSF snaking through Rochelle, IL

There is a sign on the bridge that says, "No Pedestrians". However, there is no sign that say you can't mount your camera on a tripod in the back seat of your car and drive across the bridge at 25mph taking pictures at 4 frames per second. Yes this was taken from a moving car.

How it was done -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1kVwFYZwHE

I realized today that I haven't participated in a challenge in a while, and with that new (to me a couple months ago) Nikkor 105 VR Micro, I really have no excuse. I have three little figurines on my credenza so I decided to create a triptych of their faces. All processing was done in Lightroom 4. I purposely was trying to create distortion so I used an aperture of f/4.2. Effort took about 25 minutes start to finish.

Shot with my D300 on a tripod with a shutter release in aperture priority, ISO 400.

AxeMan said:

View attachment 11985

Model Railroad?



Nope, The BNSF snaking through Rochelle, IL

There is a sign on the bridge that says, "No Pedestrians". However, there is no sign that say you can't mount your camera on a tripod in the back seat of your car and drive across the bridge at 25mph taking pictures at 4 frames per second. Yes this was taken from a moving car.

Click to expand...

Did you use a LensBaby on that shot?

Mike150 said:

Did you use a LensBaby on that shot?

Click to expand...

No, but I promise before the thread is locked I'll add to the photo how it was done.

Sure, I will partake, why not. This is a Hover Fly. It is roughly less than half the size of a standard house fly, to give you an idea of just how small these things are. The flesh color running across the bottom of the frame is part of my index finger.

I know, I should have used a kit lens instead of this overrated 105mm micro.


Hover Fly by Joe Lewis Photography, on Flickr

I had originally planned to use the camera on the optical microscope at work but there were problems with it and it won't be fixed until next week. So then I got the idea to go grander and use the Electron Microscope but it's in the Clean Room and I don't go in there. Lest I miss getting an entry at all, I'll have to settle for this one.

Monkey's Big Dream

technically I took this last week, so it doesn't qualify...

How about a baby praying mantis?


ISO: 200
Exposure: 1/160 sec
Aperture: 5.6
Focal Length: 55mm

Wish I had a macro lens for this!

AxeMan said:

No, but I promise before the thread is locked I'll add to the photo how it was done.

Click to expand...

Two hours to go Rick. We're (well I am) still waiting.

Mike150 said:

Two hours to go Rick. We're (well I am) still waiting.

Click to expand...

Actually you've got until noon tomorrow

Mike150 said:

Two hours to go Rick. We're (well I am) still waiting.

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Rick let me in on his secret via a PM!
(HD) Fake miniature model, tilt & shift lens effect - Photoshop Week 36 - YouTube

Okay, we're all closed up now. Thank you so much to everyone who participated by submitting an entry and to those of you that took the time to review the entries and "like" your favourites.

The winner will be announced on June 24.