Award-winning photographer David Gilliver has given Gordonstoun students a rare insight into his internationally acclaimed ‘Little People’ miniature works.
The renowned Glasgow-based artist has spent the past 20 years pioneering ‘Macro Photography’, using tiny figurines and mini props to create fantasy miniature worlds.
Past images have included little climbers going up a cheese grater or figures in an escape room jumping on a keyboard escape button.
David worked with art students at Gordonstoun demonstrating how he creates the striking and playful images.
Students worked with a range of tiny characters and props, including an Irn Bru can, to create a series of extreme close-up pictures.
Fun scenes using a can of Scotland’s other national drink featured figurines using the ring pull as a basketball hoop. In another scene, students reimagined the famous, orange-coloured drink flowing out of the can as a river for canoeists.
Other images were created using half a tennis ball to mimic mini figures playing on a tennis court and golf course.
While most of the scenes have a playful element, some have an underlying serious message. During Covid, David won the top prize in the Macro category in the British Photography Awards in 2022 by taking a picture of the familiar blue face masks reimagined as a swimming pool with tiny figurines enjoying vacation activities around it.
The workshop at Gordonstoun provided students, aged between 14 and 18 years, with both technical expertise and creative inspiration, encouraging them to develop new skills while expanding their artistic vision.
David Gilliver, who first started doing Macro Photography when he was at Glasgow School of Art in the late 1990s, said:
“The students got into the creative zone right from the off and I think I saw at least a dozen or so new concepts.
“The trickiest thing with this style of photography is not to kind of copy something obvious. I’ve seen so many fresh ideas today it shows you just how creative these students are.
“You really have to embrace a childlike way of thinking to progress with this style of photography.
“My ideas tend to stem from my own interests, whether that be politics, environment, the world or something newsworthy like that, or personal experience all mixed in with a sprinkling of surreal imagination.
“Whatever pops out the other end, pops out through the other end. I’ve done some things like climate change, plastic pollution, some serious things like that as well as some ridiculously surreal and fun scenes that are amusing as that’s kind of good to decompress with too.
“The images are playful in nature, but you can incorporate some very serious themes into the work as well.”
David spent two days at Gordonstoun working with the students. On the first day, he explored the art of light painting in the school’s drama studio, experimenting with long exposure techniques.
Described as a bit like creating ‘temporary graffiti’, the students created striking images using coloured lights and movement. They also played with shapes in the background and bringing people into the images.
Year 10 student Hector Munro, 15, said:
“I enjoyed that you can be very creative with the artwork and creating the scenes. I have learnt loads about lighting and using the backdrop properly to enhance the images”
Year 12 student Florence Wareing, 16, said:
“I learned how not overcrowding the image really gives a better effect overall. David was really inspiring, and I really want to explore this in my own projects now.”
Wendi Van-Hoof, Gordonstoun Head of Art and Photography, said:
“Having David Gilliver in for a two-day workshop was a brilliant experience for the students and it was a real privilege to work alongside him. His creative approach and professional insight into light painting photography and macro little people really inspired the students.
“David has a truly unique style of taking an idea and giving it a pun angle to create something fun and striking.
“It was fantastic to see the confidence and curiosity of the students grow throughout the sessions. I’m really looking forward to seeing how this motivates them in their studies in the coming months.”
Categories: Gordonstoun School News
