And we're always looking for ways to help spread the love.
That’s why we have so many listed here on the TOM Shop.
And that's what inspired us to begin hosting these figure photo contests.
Hard to believe it's already the third time!
We hope this contest will be fun for all figure fans, whether you choose to join in (we eagerly welcome your entries!) or simply enjoy admiring the submissions.
Be sure to check out our 1st and 2nd contest results and the TOM Instagram account to see past examples of stunning figure photography from all over the world.
Of course, all of this is only possible because of your enthusiastic participation & warm encouragement. We're so excited to once again showcase your creativity & your passion for figures!
This photo has a strong impact. It’s a still picture, but you get the impression of movement thanks to how connected Godzilla’s arms and the water splash are. You can almost hear Godzilla roar. I am really curious to know where and how the author took this picture.
The attractiveness of this photo is the power you can feel just looking at it. The lighting and the color layout almost look like a real tokusatsu movie. This realistic “Godzilla-ness” makes you feel how deep the author’s love and knowledge of the series are.
This photo has such a strong impact. The perfectly-timed water splash makes me feel like I’m watching a scene from a tokusatsu movie. Congratulations!
This photo is so lively it looks like the real Godzilla is on a rampage, and I believe it took an extremely high-level technique to portray the dynamism of the water splashes.
Moreover, the rough-looking staging, reminiscent of posters from the ’60s and the ’70s, is also wonderful.
The strokes of the water splashes and Godzilla’s posing match perfectly, and the photo is so dynamic you almost expect Godzilla to move. The colors and the contrast are reminiscent of old school Godzilla and they draw the viewer’s eye.
I can feel the author’s love for the character in this adorable photo. The direction and softness of the lighting, the balance of the colors, the choice of items and their size; everything feels very natural so you’re drawn into its world and you end up thinking about the story preceding and following this moment. Making art at home. It’s wonderful. I feel like drawing for the first time in a while too.
The subject is Kirby drawing pictures, and the setting looks like an old Japanese house at dusk. At first glance, they look like contrasting elements; however, this gap turns into the main charm of this photo, which inspires the viewer’s imagination. What a gentle photo.
I could feel the author’s love for the character through this photo’s warm, nostalgic tone and the well-thought-out use of the props. Kirby is left-handed when he draws pictures! Congratulations!
This is a heart-warming photo with a gentle, soft aura.
The author is exceptionally good at using props, not only the sketches but also the other items. Their tasteful arrangement draws viewers into this frame.
The warm lighting and the use of the colors really bring out the softness in Kirby’s and the cat’s shapes. I think this photo is not only adorable, but it is also beautiful. The author is very skilled at choosing and placing the props to stage the scene.
What a powerful photo! The figure stands against a black background and it was shot from the front. It looks easy at first glance, but its simplicity makes it very hard to adjust the lighting and the lens’ focus.
There were many pictures with elaborate backgrounds, so this straightforward, cool photo conversely stood out. That’s right. It’s surprisingly difficult to get the perfect lighting when you’re shooting against a black background!
Cameramen have a strong attachment to pretty girls’ figures and the sets they painstakingly build for them. So, they tend to shoot them picturing their full figure and the entirety of the set. However, this picture's photographer didn’t lose to that temptation and boldly hides the figure’s legs; moreover, the use of a strongly blurring lens succeeds in bringing out the character’s charm. Beautifully done!
This work fully displays the cool side of Gintama. The size of the background and the positioning of the characters are perfect, and the composition is well done, directing the viewer’s eyes to the figure’s face. The fact the weather was not the best also adds to creating the effect of an earnest fight.
I have no idea how the author took this photo, lol.
The timing of the dust explosion and the posing are so amazing, I’d believe it if somebody told me this was a frame from a movie.
A panel of TOM staff who absolutely love figures (and photos of them!).
HaraPhotographer
SohPhotographer
MorisawaDesigner
CueDesigner
TajimaDesigner
Violation of the above guidelines will result in immediate disqualification at any stage of the contest.
We showcase stunning figure photos from all over the world (only with permission, of course).
Every month, the photographer behind one featured image is selected to win $10 in TOM Points.
Once the Figure Photo Contest results have been announced, your entries could get specially featured & win points, too.
Follow our account and keep tagging your figure photos with #tomsenpainoticeme for more chances to get featured in the future, even after the 3rd TOM Figure Photo Contest officially comes to an end!
Itching to improve your figure photo-taking skills?
Get a leg up with expert advice from TOM’s staff photographers!
Plus, for TOM Premium members only:
enjoy a special peek behind the scenes of a previous figure photo contest,
including a Q&A with one of our judges, as well as a few special words from the Grand Prize winner!
A look back at the stories behind the TOM's second ever Figure Photo Contest!
Learn a few tips on what it takes to produce a winning submission!
The photo looks very stable thanks to its triangular composition. Each figure creates a triangular shape using the Pocky boxes and the sofa, and the three figures in turn form a bigger triangle.
The colors of the characters’ clothes, eyes, skin, and of the Pocky boxes make for an exquisite color layout, and the fact that each figure is looking in a different direction also contributes to the stability of the composition.
Since the composition has been thought out thoroughly to the finest detail, even though these are all characters from different series, it doesn’t feel weird at all. This picture is close to perfect. Moreover, using the box of Pocky to hide what you can almost see is so tasteful! Hats off to you, lol. Congratulations on winning the Grand Prix!
I admire the resolution to shoot in front of a black background, and how gathering characters from different works creates a worldview that’s only possible when taking a photo of figures. The perfect combination of these two elements and the quality of their implementation made it so that all the judges chose this photo as the best shot. Congratulations!
I have no words other than “wonderful” for the technique and imagination of this author who took static pose figures of characters from different series and gathered them into a photo that looks like a high-end advertisement. Their languid glances, each in a different direction, are also perfect. Congratulations on winning the Grand Prix!
The three series these girls are from have completely different styles, but the author has gathered them while bringing out the languid atmosphere of Japanese high school girls in a photo that’s so good it could even be used as advertising.
This photo looks just like a band’s album cover. The bright red of the Pocky boxes shines in this mostly black image. I see the author's excellent taste in how the composition makes great use of each figure’s expression and pose, and in how the high school girls and an item such as Pocky match harmonically. Congratulations on winning the Grand Prix!