1900s Photo Studio found on BoredPanda

Ali Alamedy’s Dioramas

Ali Alamedy’s dioramas are amazing; his life story even more so. Here are some highlights in his own words:

“I Built A Miniature 1900s Photo Studio In Honor Of An Old Photographer

‘I spent 9 months working on the studio using hundreds of meters of wood and lots of other materials like plastic, copper, paper, etc. I built more than 100 miniature objects all designed and built according to that era. All the objects were made from scratch. There were lots of challenges especially when I was doing the research. I could find only a few pictures from old studios all in white and black.

1900s Photo Studio Desk

‘So I had to read about photography and a photographer at that time trying to figure out what tools, techniques, styles or colors they used in their studios. The hardest part was how to recall the spirit of such a place on a small scale. After reading lots of articles, watching hundreds of photos, and doing huge research, I could build a typical studio to the old day’s studios in recognition of an old photographer.

‘When a budding artist has a burning desire to create a vignette, they don’t let the lack of building materials stop them. This was exactly what happened to me when I started to make miniatures. I used any resources I could scrounge: aluminum foil, paper clips, plastic rods, foam board, coffee for weathering; anything that held possibilities.

‘Born in Karbala, about 100km from Baghdad, I spent my childhood with my mother and aunt. My father had been imprisoned as a dissident by the Saddam Hussein regime, so I retreated to my love for art and reading for solace. As the tales I read seemingly came to life, I envisioned each scene in my head as it unfolded. I bought my first computer when I was sixteen and began my search for 3D software.

1900s Photo Studio Bellows Camera

‘When I started making miniatures, I knew nothing about them. I was searching the web for resources and stumbled upon the word ‘miniatures’ and got surprised to discover how many miniature makers were out there. I started looking for tutorials and posted the results of my work on Facebook. My work attracted many people from around the world and in a very short time I got more than 2,000 friends and followers.”

Here’s a link to Ali’s Facebook page

Reading these lines makes me grateful for all that I have and the peace I enjoy.

Susan Downing

P.S. There are more of Ali Alamedy’s dioramas and vignettes on Behance.

And you might be interested in an article I wrote on very unusual dioramas: The Crime Scene Miniatures