December 2024 Photo Show Results

December 2024: Making Memories

Judging by Jenn Constantine

Heya! I’m Jenn Constantine and I’m pleased to have been your judge for the December show, “Making Memories!” I’ve been a professional artist for about six years now, and I specialize in acrylics, fantasy and unorthodox ideas. I live in central NJ and work as a music teacher and administrator. I’m known for my skeletal medallions and customs, have been a BreyerFest Best Customs Contest finalist and have customized and painted NAN Top Ten-winning models. I’m grateful to have attended and taught workshops at BreyerFest, and I love helping at the Children’s and Youth Show! These entries were excellent, especially in the 17 and under category, and I had some VERY tough choices to make! My top picks were those with unique settings, attention to detail that showed thorough thinking, and that clearly tell the story of the moment.

17 and Under

1^st place:

Madeline M., KS

Playing with our models and friends is a core memory for many, if not all, of us in the hobby! These friends clearly put a lot of work and team effort into their diorama here. Your posing, background details and environment are well done, and the camera height is appropriate for a grownup or friend taking the picture! Well done!

2^nd place:

Adrienne T., NV

Snowball memories to the face! Very good background; the size of the trees in the distance are very believable compared to the figures. The action of the throw, the snowball in midair, the reaction of the figure about to be snowballed, and the horse shaking or stretching behind them make it feel very natural and real. Putting pole shafts on the sleigh and some trails in the snow are some details that would have bumped this up!

3^rd place:

Hadley M., KS

I laughed at seeing some holiday shenanigans about to occur! Wonderful environment with the holiday details to help set the scene and time of year, and I like that we’re getting to see the horse as it comes into the house. This adds a lot of movement and “moment” capture to the picture! Consider adding some small light sources to help the house feel bigger.

4^th place:

Payton W., MN

Another Christmas morning delight! Excellent use of arena-colored carpet with a lovely barn wall, and the receiving figure close and out of focus is a great touch. The perspective is perfect for someone taking a picture of a very exciting day. Your gigantic bow on the pony makes it very clear what’s happening here!

5^th place:

Leah A., PA

Dressing up the Christmas tree! Good eye for using in-scale fairy lights for the picture, and your horse poses make sense with the scene (such as the foal nosing around on the left). A little bit of lighting on the left would have helped balance out the picture and let us see a few more details!

6^th place:

Delanie S., CA

Sleigh rides are absolutely a top memory to make! The picture conveys movement and action, and the handmade sleigh and harness parts have a lot of detail and careful work in them. A one-horse sleigh would have two pole shafts, one on each side of the horse, along with the breeching part of the harness to help keep the vehicle from sliding into the back of the horse, and your figure would have thumbs on top of the reins for driving.

Honorable Mentions

Kayla D., SC

Bareback rides down to the lake! This is a great picture overall, with an in-scale background and believable lighting from the sun. A couple of added details, such as a halter and lead rope, positioning the doll slightly lower, or bringing the doll’s legs forward, would really make this complete!

Ellie E., TN

Even our sad moments are important memories. This is a bittersweet take on the show theme that is unusual and thoughtful. A few more details or clues as exactly to whom we’re bidding goodbye to would help the picture, as well as photographing from a lower angle to put the viewer into the moment.

Lily F., LA

This one made me laugh – I hope those ponies aren’t taking Kevin’s antics as a tutorial! Holiday movie time with friends is priceless. A lower camera angle would have made the viewer more “in and participating” rather than “above and observing.”

Maisie K., NC

I recognize this scene! Well done on the Breyer blanket details, and the model in the BreyerFest attendee’s hands. Be careful with your blur effect – you took out some of the horse’s ears and muzzle!

Elisabeth M., NJ

A familiar moment of trudging out into the weather to care for and share treats with our four-legged friends! Memories can be made even in the mundane, daily routines that aren’t always so fun. Try tamping down the snow in the corral where the horse has been out, a trail in the snow behind the doll, and lowering the camera angle to better match the assumed height of the figures.

Bethany M., MN

Who wouldn’t want their pony in the house with them? The detail of the environment is excellent, especially down to the baked treats! Using a model in a pose that would interact more with the figure or the dog would help bring image this more to life even more.

Emersyn R., TX

The Christmas morning dream of every horse lover – the excited pose of the doll in the foreground and the focus of the camera in the stall makes you really feel like you’re standing behind this new horse owner! I would encourage you not to rely on digital sticker elements to help convey your story in the future, as many shows will not permit this. Use real details in your picture instead, like a bow on the horse to indicate he is a gift.

Julianna G., ME

This is a very nicely-composed picture with a great camera angle, lighting and details! The interaction between the figure and the horse makes their connection clear. I would like to be able to interpret a little more about what activity they’re doing together!

Katelyn S., NY

Good job getting all that tack on! I like the unique scene you made here of a younger rider getting their first experience on a hunter pace. Be careful to have your reins held consistently in your dolls’ hands!

Ashlyn R., GA

Sleepovers in the barn are the best! The lighting is great, the camera is positioned nicely, and the interaction between the raised hand of the doll and tucked head movement of the horse works very well. Filling out the scene a little more to let the viewer be “in” the barn more, along with some nighttime lighting, would have bumped up your placing.

18 and Over

1^st place:

Sondra H., IA

This is a great picture recreating a guest horse meeting at BreyerFest! Everything about this photo is excellent. The activity of the figures and details in the background, the height of the camera and the interaction of all the figures in the foreground are very believable and natural with bright, even lighting. I can very easily translate this into real life in my head. Well done!

2^nd place:

Sarah C., NY

A memory is born! I loved this unique perspective that really made me feel like I was looking through a foaling camera. The detail of the light from an implied heating lamp is very good and thorough.

3^rd place:

5^th place:

Erin G., AK

Who hasn’t been thrilled to start Christmas morning with new Breyer models? Excellent details in the room, along with the warmer, low lighting of a house in the early morning and the sunrise outside! All the presents about, the pajamas, and the stretching cat all capture the fun of this yearly tradition.

6^th place:

Kiley C., AZ

This foal clearly loves listening to Beatrix Potter! (Excellent book choice, by the way!) The bean bag chair and the interaction between all of the figures is quite entertaining. Having the fence more in-scale to the models and the doll dressed for the cold outside would have rounded this photo out nicely.

Honorable Mentions

Morgan H., TN

Capturing a victorious moment, with the help of a hat! I love the detail of the assistant trying to keep the ears up. For an in-barn studio session like this, the backdrop would likely be much larger. Lighting from the top of the barn to help mimic the photo session studio lighting would really sell this!

Isabel E., VA

Another BreyerFest moment. I love how this is clearly a strong and beloved memory for so many hobbyists! The overall posing of the dolls and the details of the models in the girl’s hand and in the bag are great. Adjusting your lighting to fit the environment you envision for this would help define the setting – indoors or outdoors – and consider adjusting the horse’s blanket to fit more properly on the neck.

Angelica L., TX

Our artistic moments with our models are so important! The soft lighting and background color really makes the setting feel like an artist’s loft or studio, and the painted/drawn element is a nice touch. Some of your foreground is a bit out of focus. Using an easel or a smaller canvas would have helped us see more of the subject being painted. The size of the book blocks a lot of the picture and overwhelms it a little bit.

Bryce S., OH

This is a nicely-composed and lit picture! The horse looks great in the antlers, and the details and varying shapes on the tree are excellent. A little more interaction between the figures would have made this feel a bit less static, and be careful with your blur depth – it took out some details on the doll and tree! Use your camera’s lens to add depth of the background and help highlight your foreground more without risking the artificial blur removing detail.