Lanthanotus' Collection of Prehistoric Life

[ceratopsian]

He might scare the pigeons away!  Fun and very original idea for display!

[Lanthanotus]

The front yard of the house isn`t too big and currently not very attractive to birds anyway .... and so far the birds in the back don`t seem to care, am wondering when I will have to clean it from bird poo for the first time in fact, because we got some cheecky lil birds.

Well, here`s another thing I did a few evenings ago... found a cut off knothole in the forest and wanted to make use of it, so I built a small Diictodon from Super Sculptey. Not the most accurate or detailed, but anyway...

[Shonisaurus]

@Lanthanotus The diictodon has become precious, it looks like a mole that is emerging from its burrow.

[Halichoeres]

That's adorable. I can almost hear it warily snuffling.

[Bokisaurus]

Awww that's very cute!

[Lanthanotus]

We`ve been out to the Rhine river once again and I had some figures with me for photoshooting. A real pain this time,
because a hell lot of jetski drivers did not only pollute their enviroment with that incredible noise those machines do,
but for such small vessels these things make a remarkable fuss of waves at the shore.... well, I hope you enjoy anyway.

Safari Sarcosuchus







PNSO Basilosaurus (its buyoance did not help in shooting either )







Safari Ichtyosaurus




Had some more figures with me, but those are reserved for reviews

[Faelrin]

Those shots are absolutely stunning! They look so alive.

[Libraraptor]

Well, some of these pictures would have been interesting enough for participating at the DTF diorama contest. I especially like the crocodile ones!

[Shonisaurus]

What a joy of photos and dioramas !!!!! You have been great.

[ceratopsian]

It might have been a pain but the results are excellent. I especially like the Basilisaurus swimming straight towards the photographer.

[irimali]

Those are some really nice underwater shots    And your diictidon is super cute.  And now I'm imagining your new house full of tiny critters like that, peeking out of mouseholes and spying down from light fixtures.

[Shonisaurus]

If it weren't for the fact that I know the prehistoric animal figures and their corresponding markings, Safari sarcosuchus, PNSO basilosaurus and Safari ichythiosaurus, I would have thought that the photographs, especially those of the basilosaurus, were part of a documentary of prehistoric animals. It is amazing the realistic effects you have given to these figures.

[AcroSauroTaurus]

Beautiful photos! How do you get the underwater shots? A waterproof camera, or a case of some kind?

[SidB]

These are a real hit! I wouldn't mind seeing more aquatics from you in the future.

[tanystropheus]

The Basilosaurus shots look so good that you can almost hoax a cryptid Zeuglodon sighting with those!

[Lanthanotus]

@Faelrin @Libraraptor @Shonisaurus @ceratopsian @irimali @AcroSauroTaurus S @SidB @tanystropheus :
Thank you all for your kind and generous replies

While I really enjoy doing such photoshoots from time to time, I would not use such in the contests on this forum, as I understand the contest as a "diorama" contest, something build up for some permanency.

I use a Panasonic Lumix for those underwater shots. Its over 8 years old and the picture quality is quite low if not used in the brightest light, but it`s enough for those toy shots aswell as the occasional wildlife underwater shots. For above water toy photography I mainly use my mobile these days.

Some more underwatershots of other figures can be seen within this thread and in my reviews if you`re intersted.

[Kapitaenosavrvs]

I love the shots! Especially the underwatershots.
It is quite hard to have Plastic Toys in an real Enviroment, that do not look in the wrong place. You did it well. If you do more, share them again, i would love to see more

[Libraraptor]

@Faelrin @Libraraptor @Shonisaurus @ceratopsian @irimali @AcroSauroTaurus S @SidB @tanystropheus :
Thank you all for your kind and generous replies

While I really enjoy doing such photoshoots from time to time, I would not use such in the contests on this forum, as I understand the contest as a "diorama" contest, something build up for some permanency.

Alrright, then you understand this contest as something that has to do with real handicraft, right? To me, and that´s what the rules say as well, nature itself being the "diorama" is okay, too. We had a division once as far as I remember when the contributions were divided into pictures/photography and dioramas in the narrower sense of the word, but this division has been canceled.

[Halichoeres]

Very nice shots, Lanthanotus!

I tend to agree with you that, despite the contest's official rules, a diorama is properly understood as something artificial built to resemble nature, rather than a photo of nature itself.

[Lanthanotus]

Very nice shots, Lanthanotus!

I tend to agree with you that, despite the contest's official rules, a diorama is properly understood
as something artificial built to resemble nature, rather than a photo of nature itself.

In regard to this... here`s something new I added to my collection.

Got somewhat hooked up by the two Brumm figures I shot on a fleamarket site and bought some still
in production pewter "dinos" and plants. The animals are rather retro, but a nice experience to be painted
and set up in a small diorama. I unfortunately forgot to prepare some work in progress photos and from
the unpainted figures. You may or may not know, those flat figures are different on both sides as they
imitate a three dimensional figure. This also allows to use two of the same figures for one diorama without
looking too repetitive.

Well, I only shot photos when all was done, including the glass cover, so excuse the comparably bad quality
of the photos. The whole diorama measures 32 x 18 x 8 cm and now has a place in our "entrance hall" next
to the "dinosaur trophy" wardrobe

"Megalosaurus" (I take it for a Ceratosaurus, timing isn`t accurate anyway), "Iguanodon" and "Polacanthus",
all animals and plants are painted with Citadel Acrylic paints.


Stones are handmade with plaster of Paris, ground is made of extruded foam, PVA glue, sand and cocos fiber,
backdrop is water color on paper. All set in a wood frame.