teeny tiny Breyers: Stablemates Series
The size of the Stablemates series makes them difficult to photograph. They are 1:32 scale and fit nicely in your hand. (Traditional models are 1:9, Classics are 1:12). For collectors, they're super cheap (so you can have the world's longest conga line of the same model in different colors), yet gorgeously accurate and detailed. For kids, they come with fantastic accessories, including teeny tiny tack and riders, barns, trucks, trailers and other gear, or build your own from craft shop goodies.
Traditional and Classic models can be set right on the ground or in water, in an environment, to photograph. With Stablemates, most things on the ground are too big, water looks like jello (out of scale) and you'd have to flatten yourself in the mud. Much easier to put the camera on a tripod and the horses on a table with a scale environment. Sand, reindeer moss, rocks, twigs and bits of bark make a good diorama. Closeup mode puts the horses in sharp focus, the background slightly fuzzy. I sometimes used a grey card, held right behind the horses, to make the automatic camera focus correctly. Manual focus cameras solve that problem.
These were shot on a hazy cloudy November day at Hanover Junction on York County's Rail Trail. Maples still had some yellow leaves, and a few things were still green. Most of the leaves had fallen on the rest of the woods. Bright sun can be problematic: highlights (especially on light horses) burn out and shadows get too dark.
Traditional and Classic models can be set right on the ground or in water, in an environment, to photograph. With Stablemates, most things on the ground are too big, water looks like jello (out of scale) and you'd have to flatten yourself in the mud. Much easier to put the camera on a tripod and the horses on a table with a scale environment. Sand, reindeer moss, rocks, twigs and bits of bark make a good diorama. Closeup mode puts the horses in sharp focus, the background slightly fuzzy. I sometimes used a grey card, held right behind the horses, to make the automatic camera focus correctly. Manual focus cameras solve that problem.
These were shot on a hazy cloudy November day at Hanover Junction on York County's Rail Trail. Maples still had some yellow leaves, and a few things were still green. Most of the leaves had fallen on the rest of the woods. Bright sun can be problematic: highlights (especially on light horses) burn out and shadows get too dark.
EVEN MOAR SMOLLER!!!
teeny tiny Breyers: Mini Whinny Series
Mini Whinnies, introduced in 2005, are the smallest scale of Breyer model horses at 1 1/2" high for adults and 1" for foals (1:64 scale). Get out your macro settings and teeny tiny dioramas. Also your glue, they don't stand well, except in fine beach sand, or poster putty. I glued a bunch to a piece of driftwood along with reindeer moss (craft store) and such. For the outdoor shoot I threw some autumn leaves in a blender, with water, for scale leaves. Then I shot on a table with my real fenceline as background.A couple of the hroses came loose, including one favorite Appaloosa foal, who I moved around in the herd while shooting.
When I was done, I took everything in on the porch (an enclosed room between house and garage). I moved the display with loose horses and at one point flipped the whole damn thing on the floor. I saw Appaloosa foal was missing. I had no idea one of the (not Breyer, another mini that I customized) adult horses was also missing.
I combed..er...raked the piece of yard I was photographing in, and the porch where I dropped it but no ponies. I may have conversed like a mariner, used literary license, and sworn epic havoc on the local gremlins.
I also set out a libation of cider and cinnamon for the "helpful spirits", no gremlins need apply.
(OK, science girl here, but ya know, prayers to the Finders of Lost Things or whatever can't hurt)
Next day...looked down and there the missing horses were, on the porch, by the door... hmmmmmmmmmm.
When I was done, I took everything in on the porch (an enclosed room between house and garage). I moved the display with loose horses and at one point flipped the whole damn thing on the floor. I saw Appaloosa foal was missing. I had no idea one of the (not Breyer, another mini that I customized) adult horses was also missing.
I combed..er...raked the piece of yard I was photographing in, and the porch where I dropped it but no ponies. I may have conversed like a mariner, used literary license, and sworn epic havoc on the local gremlins.
I also set out a libation of cider and cinnamon for the "helpful spirits", no gremlins need apply.
(OK, science girl here, but ya know, prayers to the Finders of Lost Things or whatever can't hurt)
Next day...looked down and there the missing horses were, on the porch, by the door... hmmmmmmmmmm.
