Miniature Worlds

Once students have learned the basics of compositon and manual settings, we tackle the Miniature Worlds project. This exercise is based on the creative work of photographer David Gilliver. 

I’ve been collecting miniature figures for the last several years. They are not cheap, so I recommend some sort of sign-out or collection process when students select figures, otherwise you may find yourself collecting these these tiny toys from around your classroom and school.

We focus on designing creative shots in the found environment, and practicing composition skills. camera settings, and editing techniques to create these photos. I have seen other variations of this project that involve constructing creative still life setups. We typically use our 50mm prime lenses (“nifty 50”) for these photos to take advantage of the lovely 1.8 aperture, which you will see in some of the photos. Through trial and error, I’ve found that using small bits of poster tack works well as a temporary adhesive to help the figures sit or stand in creative places. Gilliver recommends super glue, but this would be too messy for a classroom.

Students almost always end up extending this project a day or two more than I’ve budgeted for it. It’s a joy to watch teenagers get excited about playing with toys. 

SAMPLE STUDENT WORK