Little People in the City: The Street Art of Slinkachu

'Oddly enough, even when you know they are just hand-painted figurines, you can't help but feel that their plights convey something of our own fears about being lost and vulnerable in a big, bad city' — The Times

These intriguing, dark, and sometimes comic macro photos capture the trials & tribulations of city life for its smallest "inhabitants" (tiny painstakingly-painted figurines that are arranged and then left to brave the world on their own). View more of the artist Slinkachu's work on his blog, www.little-people.blogspot.com.

A book of photos and stories, Little People in the City, has also just been published—available September 5.

Field Trip! A little inspiration for me and hopefully for you

I take so many photos for work, but it seems like I never get an opportunity to take them for myself! For some reason NYC cityscapes just don't do it for me. My husband finally took me to the Bronx Zoo yesterday and amongst the hordes of kids I was able to snap a few good shots. Unfortunately my memory card is mostly full of blurry monkey pics but these animals were able to stay still for long enough... Getting out and about with camera in hand gives me so much inspiration for new work. I hope these pictures will brighten your day too!

Not the pinkest flamingo in the pond, but the closest.

Endangered/rare kingfisher.

Lemur in the Madagascar exhibit.

Penguin feeding time! I think I was more excited about this than the kids in attendance.

Another lemur in the Madagascar exhibit.

Siberian tiger at Tiger Mountain. For some reason the zoo was misting in the viewing area. I had to get out of there quickly before my hair exploded.

A dwarf mongoose—one of the cutest things I've ever seen. I have a sneaking suspicion they bite, though.

Kookaburra. A very funny looking bird.

Where do you go to find inspiration?
Any recommendations in the NY area?