The runner ups: A look back at my dioramas (2015 runner up added)

[Bokisaurus]

Now that the contest is a distant memory, I think this is a good time to share my top two dioramas that ultimately did not make it to the final round of selection.
My original concept was to replicate the herding dynamic in dinosaurs. Unfortunately, I don't have enough multiple figures to pull it off. I refrained from using photo shop, so that was not an option.
I eventually settled for the prey/predator relationship.

Concept – I wanted to recreate the dynamics between prey and predator in action. Unlike my entry piece last year, where it pictured the outcome (predator wins), this time I wanted the end to be open for multiple conclusion. I wanted the viewers to form their own ending to the story.
Choosing between these 3 diorama has proven to be really hard.

Criteria – For me, for a diorama to be successful, the following six criteria should be met
·         Story
·         Scale of figures in relation to each other
·         Composition
·         Background/environment complements and works with the figures ( also matches the scale of the figures)
·         Focus
·         Lighting and mood

Option # 1
The Early Bird –Featured the Papo Spinosaur fishing in the early morning. I really love this piece. Second photo is a bonus
Why I did not pick it – in the end, I felt that, despite meeting all of the criteria, the piece felt more like a portrait rather than an action scene.


Option #2
Peace is a luxury - Featuring CollectA's rearing diplodocus and Favorite's  Allosaur.  The background I really love on this one (for those of you who saw my ATF diorama piece , ended at 3rd place, this was the same background used). I wanted to show a herd/pair of sauropods being surprised by a predator.
Why I did not pick it – It was really hard to let this one go. I simply love the colors and textures. But ultimately, I felt that the final piece was closer to my original goal. Still, this one ranks as one of my all-time favorite. Second and third photo is a bonus


My official entry
Fatal Attraction – this was my official entry featuring CollectA's amargasaurus and Papo's Carno. Coastal cliffs provided the backdrop for the chase scene between these two titans.
Why I picked it -This was the closest to my original concept. I also love how the figures interacted with each other, and both "expressions" on the figures face really added to the drama.
I also love the background and the overall mood on the piece. I also felt that this one really gave the viewer the option of creating their own version of how the story ends.


Bonus!
Since I have entered the contest from the start, I thought it would be fun to look back at the previous entries. So I rounded them all up! As you can see, the first 2 relied heavily on photo shop. I have since moved away from PS completely. Using PS has its own challenge, but I found that I had more fun with the challenge of just working with what you have and the environment presented.
I would like to think that my style has evolved... for the better.
In order:Oldest to newest






Enjoy!

[Zhuchengotyrant]

Awesome! Wow! My jaw dropped 

[Gwangi]

I like the first Spinosaurus one a lot but I must question the ability of such a large animal to stand on what would proportionately be a pretty steep cliff and large waterfall.
My favorites though are the CollectA Diplodocus pictures. All of those would have been great contest entries. I've never been interested in the CollectA dippy but you've photographed them well and I might actually want one now.

[Bokisaurus]

Here is a Bonus, my very personal top 10 favorites spanning five years of diorama making
In no order:
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Enjoy

[Jetoar]

Sarcosuchus meal is wonderful  .

[Georassic]

Excellent compositions! I particularly love the first Allo vs Diplodocuses.

[Balaur]

Oh my god Bokisaurus. I am in love with your diorama's! I love every single one of them. My favourite though is probably the Plateosaurus.

[Raptoress]

I LOVE the ones with the CollectA Diplodocus! Especially the one with the two rearing up. Looks like they're really fighting. Please do more! I'd love to see what else you can make!

[Carnosaur]

I think my favs are the ones with the sauropods.
It would be so awesome to see the real living animals.

[alexeratops]

The one with the Spino, flock of Tapejaras, and mosasaur is my fav.

[DC]

Great work.  I like the way many of the Safari and CollectA models can be posed in different postures.

[Bokisaurus]

Thanks everyone, I had fun making them. It's really amazing that the top brands are so close in quality now that they can be mixed together and have a working diorama.

[laticauda]

I have a general distaste for PS.  Unless its done really well, it feels fake.  The hardest part is trying to get emotion out of a inanimate object.  You have done very well, love your pictures.

[Gwangi]

You just had to bring up this thread during diorama season! I suddenly feel a lot less confident, good thing I have not submitted anything yet.

[Arul]

Wow you must be an adventurer

[Bokisaurus]

Wow you must be an adventurer

Yes, I am definitely an outdoors person who loves to take my plastic dinosaur toys with me

[A.Garcia]

I had missed this topic- I'm glad it found its way to my attention. I really liked both of your dioramas last year, Boki, but that first Allosaurus/Diplodocus image is also great! Its probably the most that Diplodocus figure has appealed to me in pictures. I also love the Plateosaurus in the forest, and Edmontosaurus under attack (but how distressing!). You seem to visit places ideal for little dinosaurs- I'm feeling some pressure thinking through my scenery options for this year.

On a side note: I think your Collectors Quest images of the original Favorite dinosaurs were my best reference when I was trying to choose some of them, as some of my first newer dinosaur additions. In turn, it was that Stegosaurus I ended up using for my first diorama entry the year before last.

[Bokisaurus]

Well, another Diorama contest has come and gone!
Time for the bonus part for this year's contest.

This year, my entry for the contest was #47 - Blue Lagoon, featuring Safari's Elasmosaurus and CollectA's Pliosaurs.
I have always wanted to do an underwater scene without using photoshop, but I did not have a camera that can take underwater photos. This year, I got a camera, so I wanted to make this longtime goal a reality.
The search for the actors took longer than I expected. My original idea was using ichthyosaurs , but I had a hard time finding the right figures and locations.

The first location was the ocean, but it proved to be very difficult due to wave actions. I tried tide pools, but the real denizen of the tide pools was too obvious and mad the figures small in comparison.
The final location was a river, this particular river:
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The exact spot in the river is just opposite that log you see on the bottom left of the photo.

I had to take the photos and arrange the figures blindly since I can't see how it looked like underwater, so many takes was done.
It was also a challenge keeping the figures from being swept away by the river current. I had to chase the figures multiple times downriver during the shoot

In the end, I had one photo that met all of my requirement:
1. Action scene with a story
2. Sense of movement in the scene
3. A feeling of vastness
4. Proper lighting - really happy how the ripple of lights turned out, both on the rocks and figures
5. Something very different from my previous efforts

Here is the result, my official entry this year- Blue Lagoon!

Thank you to all 60 of you who voted for mine, I truly appreciate it and glad that you enjoyed it.
I had a lot of fun making it.

As always, I had other options in case my original idea of underwater scene did not pan out. These were all high on my list as alternatives, but I felt that, despite being happy with them, it was similar to some of my previous efforts.
Anyway, I thought I would share them with you since some of them are some of my all-time favorite pieces of mine to date.
I am posting them in the order of where they landed as an alternate and also my own personal favorite.

1- Age Of innocence - featuring Papo's young apatosaurus

This was my favorite of all the alternates. It had everything I wanted, the only reason it was not my official entry was that the underwater scene worked out very well.
I love the simple and stark background and also the mood of the photo.

2 - Beauty of the Beast - Featuring CollectA's Nasutoceratops.

Another favorite of mine, obviously taken at the same location as the above one, at the beach at sunset.
I love the reflection of the figure, it looks as if the animal is admiring it's own reflection.

3 - Twilight - Again featuring Papo's young Apato

A simple shot, but loved the dramatic lightning.

4 - Paparazzi - featuring CollectA's Moropus

The title of this one says it all. I wanted to capture that lack of privacy, the feeling of constantly being photographed and chased.

So there yo have it, hope you all enjoyed them, and thank you again for all of your votes!
Till next year's contest, cheers!

Loki

[Gwangi]

Great entry. I too have long wanted to do an underwater diorama but am having trouble figuring out the logistics. As always, your picture was very well executed. I really like the "Twilight" picture too.

[DinoLord]

I also love the 'Twilight' photo - it looks quite realistic.