• Swedish photographer Martin Palm builds hyper-realistic miniature dioramas that have attracted 320,000 Instagram followers and clients like LEGO, Porsche and Audi

• Palm sources materials like figurines, artificial grass and craft supplies from Temu to keep costs down while experimenting with new techniques

• His work blurs the line between photography and miniature set design, creating surreal landscapes that look real but couldn't exist at full scale

Martin Palm’s experiment in miniature photography has evolved into a lucrative career. The 35-year-old Swedish photographer creates hyper-real diorama sets using components found on Temu. His success has drawn more than 320,000 Instagram followers and secured commercial deals with brands like LEGO, Porsche, and Audi.

To bring these miniature worlds to life, Palm, a self-taught artist, uses everyday materials in novel ways: foam is carved into landscapes, kitchen sponges are trimmed into shrubs, and mini figurines and props are positioned to resemble icy snowscapes, rocky cliffs, or volcanic terrain.

Global marketplace Temu, which offers a wide selection of craft products, has been central to Palm’s creative process since he began building the miniature sets in 2021. He buys many components, such as grass, figurines, and some base materials, from there.

“The hardest part of any miniature project is the first couple of days — figuring out the scene, where everything should go, and sourcing materials within a budget to make it look believable,” said Palm. “Having one place where I can get almost everything makes that much easier.”

The numerous options and accessibility of materials on Temu also allow him to test ideas and new materials to refine his craft. “Most of the time these unconventional things aren’t that accessible elsewhere, but Temu made it possible.”

Other Swedish shoppers share this sentiment. A Kantar report on consumer behavior in the Nordic region shows that 58% of Swedish shoppers said they can find unique products on Temu that are not available elsewhere. The report also noted that 60% of Swedes cannot meet their shopping needs within walking distance.

Before this, Palm mostly did commercial product shoots. He began experimenting with dioramas and miniature photography during the pandemic, recreating old advertisements with scaled-down models.

His work gained visibility in late 2022 after three of his videos went viral, leading to commissions from international brands, including carmakers seeking custom miniature sets to showcase their vehicles.

In a recent video titled “I Made a Temu Underwater World”, he demonstrates the construction of an underwater seascape, detailing the process from carving and painting the foam base to placing artificial moss and marine life figurines in the scene — even including a scaled-down model of a scuba diver.

Palm aims to craft scenes that exist on the edge of reality – images that are familiar, yet rare or impossible in the real world. To achieve these surreal works, he’s constantly browsing Temu, on the lookout for new materials and ways to create.

“By blending the boundaries between traditional photography and miniature sets, I can create unique pieces,” he said.