Michael Paul Smith (1950–2018)

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This was a surprisingly interesting read! I never thought that building miniature building could be so interesting and contain so many different aspects. It was great to see how much eye for detail there is in all these miniatures, and although I don't have any particular feeling with Midcentury America, it almost made me want to visit it.

What I liked best though was the meticulously positioning of the camera to blend in real surrounding with the miniatures. That was very well done.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!… (mehr)

Elgin Park: Visual Memories of Midcentury America at 1/24th Scale by Michael Paul Smith is a Photography coffee table book, an arts & crafts book, and even a bit of a memoir all in one beautiful package.

This fictional place, Elgin Park, may have started as Smith's memory of his home town but has become many people's home town, even if they weren't alive at the time. The photographs, which has gained a large Flickr following, draws everyone in. Some are fascinated, some like to get lost in the realism of the images, and some simply find it hard to believe that these aren't real full-size automobiles and scenes without the use of Photoshop.

This book pulls aside the veil and shows the amazing work that goes into making these photographs. For readers, such as myself, who don't want to try to do something similar the details are still very interesting because this is a labor of love for Smith so looking at the detail work becomes a way of understanding him and his obsession. For readers who might like to try their hand at something similar, the ideas and tips, mostly through trial and error, will be very helpful. Before and after photos, for lack of a better term, also gives some indication for both kinds of readers of the need for trial and error as a planned part of the process. Finally, for those who simply enjoy the photographs, the prints are amazing, especially when juxtaposed with photographs that show the models outside of the scaled environment.

This book will appeal to a wide range of readers. If you see yourself as any one of the readers I mention above, I think you will love this book. It is beautiful, it includes some detail of the process, and it explains the love Smith has for the project, which ties it all together.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.… (mehr)

Elgin Park: Visual Memories of MidCentury America at 1/24th Scale is about a unique project created by Michael Paul Smith. He photographs "old-timey" model cars and handmade scenes to recreate childhood memories. These scenes are loosely based on the town of Sewickley, PA during the mid-1960's. This book is a behind the scenes look at where and how Mr. Smith creates these magical scenes. They look so real! He turned his hobby into preserving the past. "...represents a deep nostalgia for...the lost world of people's childhood and adolescence." Originally posted to his Flickr account, visitor comments are included which show just how much these scenes have impacted his audience. Captions contain dates, artist thoughts, and how-to information on what it took to create the shot. It is uncanny to look at the 1/24 scale models at the actual photo shoot and end photographs themselves. The attention to detail with minimal props is phenomenal! Additionally, he has added characters to each caption to build another layer of story without actually adding people to the photograph. "My photos are a one-frame story being told." This hasn't stopped fans from photoshopping themselves onto Elgin Park pics though! As a modeler, photographer, artist, storyteller, teacher, and friend, Michael Paul Smith has created a better world. As a bonus, you might spot Robby the Robot too!… (mehr)