Derrick Lin Plays with Light and Scale in Emotive Photos of Miniature Dioramas

A figure carrying a small suitcase crosses the gangplank onto an ocean liner. A woman stands amid a city street, waiting for a tram. And a man in a fedora heads toward historic steps in what is perhaps a European city. Yet if you look a little closer, you’ll see the roofs resemble milk cartons. The tram rolls in amid books stood on end. And in the distance beyond the docked ships… a giant coffee mug?

Since 2013, Derrick Lin has created miniature dioramas on his desk. Hand-painted figures inhabit settings constructed from cardboard and found objects, often with a nostalgic twist. And in a nod to the the tableaux’s tiny characteristics, he playfully pops in references to the scale of the real world, hence the giant writing utensils and the ceramic mug that occasionally towers architectonically in the background.

a photograph of a miniature tableau by Derrick Lin of a woman standing in a city made of books, waiting for a tram to arrive

Over time, Lin has tapped into a range of emotions and experiences from stress and loneliness in urban situations to the wonder of world exploration, the passing of time, grief, and more. Through cinematic lighting and figures that often look away from the viewer, we’re transported into their experiences and encouraged by curiosity.

“I believe the thoughts and feelings we keep to ourselves are what truly shape us,” Lin says. “By using miniature figures as a manifestation of those quiet thoughts and emotions I hesitate to express, I can magnify and spotlight those emotions.”

See more on Lin’s Instagram.

a photograph of a miniature tableau by Derrick Lin of a man on a phone in an airport, looking up at a giant coffee mug that appears part of the architecture

a photograph of a miniature tableau by Derrick Lin of a man with a hat and rucksack walking through a European-looking street with buildikngs made from milk cartons

a photograph of a miniature tableau by Derrick Lin of a man and a dog hiking up a hillside, with the rock steps made of books

a photograph of a miniature tableau by Derrick Lin of a figure in a canoe, paddling down a river that is coated in dropped blossoms

a photograph of a miniature tableau by Derrick Lin of a woman wearing a 1950s-era green dress, holding a handbag, and standing in red room

a photograph of a miniature tableau by Derrick Lin of a man in a fedora seated in an empty ferry, looking out the window

a photograph of a miniature tableau by Derrick Lin of a woman wearing towels, peering out of a large window in front of a huge pencil

a photograph of a miniature tableau by Derrick Lin of a man in a fedora standing inside of an architectural space, peering at a large pencil that is a centerpiece at a far wall

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