David Levinthal

 David Levinthal is a photographer who works in forced perspective and illusionary photography. His ability to make small things look big and toys look like real people seems to be the main attribute of his work. Most of his photos are given a rustic look, making them look like old images of soldiers in the heat of war, or on a movie set. He most likely uses a micro lens (I believe that is what they are called) to capture the high detail on the figures. He also occasionally uses blurring images to his advantage to give the effect of an armature photographer not capturing the features of a soldier's face when in reality, the toy soldier has no face to show. In my own photography, I am using much larger figures and putting them in natural environments rather than staged settings in studios. He also uses lighting to give a dramatic effect, which is something I myself have also taken into account in my own images.

 One Technique I see in his images is figure modification to pose them more realistically, thus giving them more of a sense of liveliness. This is extremely apparent in his Lego series, where he removes arms and repositions them as if they are moving a certain way they usually cannot due to hinge designs. I myself have often had to modify figures to pose them in a desired manor, or to give a certain effect of liveliness. 

Another Technique we both share is weathering of figurines. Painting and weathering figurines as if they have been through battle is a key point in making images seem real, as clean figures don't blend well with environments and look more fake/staged. With weathering figures it is important to be aware of keeping colors consistent and where to add browns and blacks. Also, using easily removable paint like acrylics is important, as overdoing weathering can draw away from the realism of the figure's look. In this image Levinthal tries to portray the soldier with either paint or blood on his face, and the sense of dread is extremely fitting to the empty expression on the soldier's face. This image wouldn't have nearly the same effect without use of weathering.