What Is a "Virtual Military Vehicle Museum" Anyhow?
This is not a real museum. Of course you’re smart, so you’ve already figured that out. So then what exactly is the Minnesota Virtual Military Vehicle Museum (MVMVM)? Well, it's kind of a project I've been working on, both for fun and out of necessity. Here's the scoop... I enjoy scale modeling. A lot. An obsession? Maybe. I'm thinking of color schemes and weathering ideas when I should be concentrating on what I'm doing. To some that probably is an obsession. I call it a hobby. Now if you're into this hobby as well, you know that one of the main problems we all encounter at some point is, "Where the heck do I display all these things?" Display space is always at a minimum, and so is the patience of a wife who, although supports my endeavors, sees all these finished projects as eyesores and that her carefully manicured living space is turning into an altar to the suppliers of sprue and paint.
I also enjoy photography. A lot. An obsession? Probably. I see photographic compositional opportunities in just about everything. I've run a photography business on the side for many years and it's hard to divorce the photographic mindset from everyday life. You just see the world differently I guess. Naturally, I like to take photographs of my finished model projects. It has three benefits. First, it documents the finished build. If I ever drop the model or it mysteriously disappears and my wife has absolutely no idea what happened to it, I have a record. Second, it gives me a wonderful opportunity to create some very unique photographic art. Making finished projects look as realistic as possible in an image can be very addicting. The byproduct is a honing of my photographic skills.
Finally, it also helps me improve my scale modeling as well. There is no better modeling tool than a 60mm macro lens. It sees everything...up close and personal. Everything. Every missed seam, overlooked ejector pin mark, improper paint spraying, decal silvering, and over-weathered tire. If you can make it look good under that kind of spotlight, it should look fabulous in real life. So one day I'm taking photographs of a finished project and I'm looking at several other older builds lined up on the floor nearby (my official display area), and I'm thinking to myself, "You have a whole museum full of exhibits here". I looked back at my camera, then back at all my builds... ...And the idea just hit me: Why not make a virtual museum? It's the perfect solution! I could display all my work virtually while storing all the real ones in a safe spot. It would also be a great photography project, documenting all the builds artistically and as realistic as possible. As I started conceptualizing this "virtual museum", I started having idea after idea flood in. It should be set up like a real museum, with different sections for armor and aircraft and it would have interior and exterior display areas.
On top of displaying my projects, it could also serve as a depository of my experiences with all these different kits, both good and bad. It wouldn't be so much as a destination for kit reviews or step-by-step instruction...there are tons of places for those on the internet...but more of a lessons-learned review to give the visitor an idea of what to expect if the same kit were attempted. I liked it. So I set out to make this virtual project a reality. The result was the Minnesota Virtual Military Vehicle Museum, or MVMVM for short (love that crazy acronym). Why Minnesota? Well, I'm from Minnesota. It's the best place in the world, so why not? The MVMVM first opened its doors in January of 2016. There are several exhibits up and running but there is a LOT of room to fill yet. I'm on it. So stop back occasionally and see what's new. You can also follow us on Facebook, where you can follow along as I build the next exhibits. Click the link at the top of the page. 
And if that wasn't enough, I've also written an ebook about how to take better scale model photographs. You can pick up your own copy at www.scalephotography.com. The museum is now open. Enjoy! - Minnesota Scale Modeler

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