Meet Adrian Prada – ArcOpen’s New Head of Photography

We are thrilled to welcome Adrian Prada to the ArcOpen team as our Head of Photography for 2025!

Adrian is a multifaceted artist known for his passion for miniature painting, photography, and videography.

As a member of the Melbourne Display Painting Collective, he has contributed to the growth and evolution of the Australian miniature painting community—both through his art and through his unwavering support of others in the hobby.

You may already know Adrian from his vibrant and inspiring Instagram account, @el_matador_painting, where he shares a diverse portfolio of painted miniatures, videos, and photography work. His ability to capture the essence of a model through the lens is matched by his dedication to helping others learn to do the same.

This year at ArcOpen, Adrian will be managing our expanded Photography Operation, ensuring every model is properly and beautifully documented as it passes through the competition process. From verifying entries, capturing two professional photographs of each piece, and archiving images for promotion and judging, Adrian’s leadership will elevate the visual storytelling at the heart of ArcOpen.

Free Workshop – Miniature Photography with Adrian Prada

We’re also excited to announce that Adrian will be presenting a free 45-minute workshop on miniature photography at 10:30 AM on Sunday, May 4th. Open to all ArcOpen attendees, this live, AV-supported session will explore how to take great miniature photos — whether you’re using a professional camera or just your phone.

We chatted with Adrian to Learn More…

What can attendees expect from your upcoming workshop on miniature photography at ArcOpen?

Very good question. My goal is not to create new master photographers at the end of the session but to help the attendees to have a better understanding of how the use of light and camera gear can completely dictate the final look of a miniature.

We will review camera settings, lightning positioning, colour management, some quick editing tips, and formatting for Social Media. I want everyone to take good photos, even without owning a camera. Light is everything.

As a member of the Melbourne Display Painting Collective, how do you see the community evolving, and what role do events like ArcOpen play in this evolution?

I can see new faces every time I show up at the meeting, so I would say that the hobby is growing in numbers by the day.

Back in the day, when GW was king, the hobby was much more niche and competitive. It felt pretty much that if you were not a good painter or player, the rest of the group would exclude you.

A completely different scenario compared to what we have nowadays. Events like ArcOpen bring people from all over the nation, even from overseas, and create the feeling of belonging to a bigger family. I cannot see harsh competition between cities and their respective collectives. We are the Australian painting force. (With a touch of Spanish in this case ^^)

Besides attending your workshop – do you have a tip for miniature painters looking to improve their photography to better showcase their work?

In our world, colour is everything. And light shows those colours.

Do you have some dollars on a side? GET GOOD LIGHTS! I cannot stress this enough.

Camera will come later. Fancy backgrounds come later. An airbrush can come later. (Better if it comes sooner though, it is a fantastic piece of equipment).

And as a tip for using your lights: keep your exposure low. Exposure kills saturation, and everybody likes colourful compositions.

What are you most looking forward to at this year’s ArcOpen?

Easy one. Just seeing everyone all together once again. It will be a wonderful weekend.

We’re beyond excited to have Adrian on board. His creative energy, technical skills, and community spirit align perfectly with the vision of ArcOpen. Whether you’re entering your first model or attending to soak in inspiration, Adrian’s contributions this year are sure to leave a lasting impression.