And we're always looking for ways to help spread the love.
That’s why we have so many listed on the TOM Shop.
And that's what inspired us to begin hosting figure photo contests!
We hope this latest 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, 2nd, and 3rd contest results while you're at it!
The TOM Instagram account also showcases examples of stunning figure photography from all over the world.
And this time, as a special addition to our 4th Figure Photo Contest, we’re including a brand new prize category especially for photos of eStream figures. eStream is known for producing extremely eye-catching figures, and we encourage everyone who owns one to join in.
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!
Come explore hashtag #tomphotocon4 on Twitter and Instagram to see all the entries!
A panel of TOM staff who absolutely love figures (and photos of them!).
HaraPhotographer
SohPhotographer
MorisawaDesigner
CueDesigner
TajimaDesigner
"Taking photos of figures” is not as one-sided as it may seem. There are many different approaches: photographing a faithful representation of the series’s worldview, photographing figures as if they were people, picturing concepts that only figures can express, using computer graphics to add one more layer of creation to the pictures, and so on… However, this work takes an unconventional approach that I haven’t seen elsewhere. Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but this single picture looks to me as if it represents modern society. I want to ask the author how they first thought of this concept and what was their intent behind it. The composition, the lighting, and the color distribution all show good comprehension of the bases of photography. It is a very high-level piece.
Just like Smash Brothers used figures to take characters from different works and make them stand in the same ring, being able to group characters from all of your favorite series (plus yourself!) is one of the charms of figures. I’d even say it’s the quintessence of playing with toys. This picture has that sort of playful approach, but it is also a very stylishly designed photograph. Its wonderful approach was unique amongst all the entries!
The concept of having Nendoroids lined up diagonally with only Chitoge facing back towards the viewer is truly unique. The author did not blur any part of the picture, and it is all sharply in focus. The highlight that falls over the figures’ round heads is also thoroughly calculated. This is the charm of this picture’s composition. It is also a fun photo that made me realize that you can identify characters in the Nendoroid series even from their backs. Congratulations on winning the prize!
It was a lot of fun to look at the Nendoroids’ backs and go, “Oh! This one is this character!” or “Hmm? Who is this?” Chitoge is the only subject looking towards us, and she catches our eyes, but at the same time, I was impressed by the photo’s unique composition with the Nendoroids in rows facing the other side. The way it guides our eyes across the shot gives the photo further depth, making it a shot that spreads out spatially. It’s a crowded place, though! :D
The backs of their heads all lined up look so cute that they made me feel happy as I was looking at them. Not just the idea, but also the placement of the figures, the way they’re displayed, and the balance of the colors are all beautiful. In addition to its high quality as a photo, you can feel the photographer’s love for figures permeating the whole picture. Congratulations on being the first runner-up!
When I was little, I used to excitedly look forward to a new episode of Dragon Ball every week. This work wonderfully recreates the scene that got me the most excited out of all the episodes. When I looked at this picture as I was judging the entries, that excitement came back to me immediately. Technically speaking, the composition, the angle, and the choice of the lens are all perfect. When it comes to artistic expression, raising the contrast and the sharpness gives the picture strength and dynamism. Figure photography's highest achievement is to be able to make the viewer feel excited.
”A plumber jumps out of a green pipe.” Everyone who’s looking at this page right now probably knows what I’m talking about, but I don’t think many people have ever seen that scene from the angle portrayed in this photo! This angle surprises the viewers with its novelty and has a certain audacity in cutting deep into a long-lived taboo (?!). It’s a funny and interesting photo!
This outstanding piece shows a side of Shinjo Akane that couldn’t be conveyed by the figure alone. This photographer often participates in this contest, and I’m always amazed at the beauty of the lights and colors and the transparency of the composition in their works. This time though, I feel that their entry hasn’t used as many effects and is even more remarkable than usual. Plus, are the monitors in the background smartphones? Hats off to their creativity!
This picture represents the supervillain Thanos’s overwhelming strength through its mysterious lightning and its staging, with countless soldiers and heroes lying dead on the ground. Its composition with his glance turned towards a dark place, and the light of the stones shimmering on his hand make for an amazing staging, which wouldn’t be out of place even as a movie poster. It’s really cool!
The use of the colors and composition are minimal and simple, but they beautifully portray the charm of the figure and the character, and it caught my eye. The picture looks sharp, but at the same time, it also makes the viewers feel the softness of Miku’s skin and the gentleness of the photo’s transparent light. It is a beautiful photo.
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 2nd 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!
This photo contest has reached its fourth edition, and I’m astonished at how the quality of entries keeps getting higher each time. I am TOM’s photographer, but the entries are all of such high quality that I get jealous, and it makes me feel down, lol. Among all the entries, this work is especially remarkable. The point I have to highlight is how audacious its framing is. Hats off to the photographer’s eye, who decided to capture a detail of the figure through the photo’s framing. Not only that: the glossy feel of her lips, which are the photo’s focal point, and blurring by making good use of the features of the macro lens, plus the stable composition that faithfully follows the basic rule of thirds… It’s perfect. This work made me think once again that the further you go in photography, the more you circle back to simplicity. I should get even more serious at studying and practicing photography, too...
This may look like a quiet, unadorned picture, but it is so fascinating that all the judges were attracted to it. Additionally, from my personal point of view, the use of the grey background reminds me of the atmosphere of NieR: Automata, and it gave the photo extra points in my book.
When I first saw this picture, her highlighted nose, her glossy lips, and the soft smoothness of her skin made me doubt that it was really a figure. The composition looks simple at first, but the choice of the background color that makes the black of her clothes and the color of her skin pop, and the attractiveness of 2B as a character who has both a robotic side and a warm side fill this picture to the brim. Congratulations on winning the Grand Prix!
Everything about this picture is impressive: from the feel of her skin and lips, which realness makes you doubt that it is a figure, to the novelty of the framing that only catches the area around NieR: Automata’s 2B’s neck. The blurring that blends into the solid color background makes 2B’s black outfit pop, and the color of her clear skin catches the eye. Just one look at this photo was enough to make me freeze on the spot.
Among all the entries, this work is especially remarkable. Its composition is straightforward but audacious, and it really captures 2B’s austere and delicate beauty. The glossy appearance of her lips makes you almost think she’s alive. The atmosphere of the picture is soft, but for some reason, it draws you in. Congratulations on winning the Grand Prix!