Models

[Peter Ryan]

There was a model train expo in our town last weekend and I went along to have a play with the camera. The show was in a large shed and the light was not good - shooting mostly at ISO 800 - 1200 with pretty wide apertures to get a shutter I could hand hold. A tried panning with the engines moving but didn't get much I liked mostly due to a small backdrop on the displays meaning there was a lot of distraction in the background. Here are a couple of images I didn't mind.

C & C welcome.

[purplehaze]

Great lines in the second one, Peter. I like it.

[Peter Ryan]

Thanks Janis.

[Shadowman]

Those miniature setups are great tools for a photographer but somehow the colors appear flat. I think it's from the light source used.

[ktuli]

Peter,

Nice shots. I especially like the long shadows produced in the third shot. Had the light source had a more yellow/orange/red cast to it, that would have looked like a great sunset shot. I know it makes the shot very contrasty but I personally like it. I tend to like when shots of these miniature scenes blur the lines between the subject being real or model.

That being said, one of the ways I've found I like shooting these miniature scenes is with TTV photography. I like the vintage look to TTV photos and since most miniature railroad scenes are not modern in style, it seems to work well in my opinion. And of course, the old optics produce plenty of that "blur" between real and model - quite literally.

I would post an example, but I haven't been here long enough and certainly don't want to appear like I'm trying to hijack your thread with my own photos.

- Bill

[Sonic4Spuds]

Peter,

As a one time model train enthusiast I really like these shots. The setup must have been very large!

-Sonic

[MiniChris]

When I owned my Art & Hobby stores, I carried almost every gauge and line available worldwide. I was especially fond of LGB and their live steam engines. HO was the most popular, with O and N running close seconds. I had a LGB train on a ceiling track which ran the whole length and width of my store which was sizeable...I do miss the sound of the wheels clattering. Fun stuff to show, Peter. I'm glad you shared.

[Peter Ryan]

Thanks guys,

There was about 10 set ups Will of varying sizes but generally all of good quality and of some significant size.
Chris, you a man of many talents. Trains as well.
Bill, thanks for your comments. I don't mind you including examples as they were some fun shots I was sharing and happy for you to include others - but thanks for asking.

[MiniChris]

I just sold them...and ran them in the store, but never set up anythign like you have...my talents were in sales.

[ktuli]

Peter,

Here's a couple examples:





I have a couple more, but we'll start with those.

I'm a SOOC kind of guy, so getting these things in a straight exposure - albeit through two cameras - is a ton of fun for me. I know you could accomplish this in the digital darkroom, but I still like my way better. Ok - technically, I did crop these to remove the excess black part of the images on the left and right, and did some minor rotating as necessary.

These were taken at our local conservatory where they regularly have some mini-train display or another. It was my first trip out with the TTV rig, and I've since learned some more tricks to make nicer photos with it, but you get the idea.

See what I mean about blurring the lines between it looking like a real scene versus a miniature scene?

- Bill

[Peter Ryan]

The interesting thing Bill is to see the setups. In Australia the landscape is pretty dry and barron so the sets are open, dry and sandy while your set ups are lush and green. Ours takes less work - maybe we are just lazy. Thanks for posting.

[ucci]

Peter, I liked 1 and 2 best. And the colours on my monitor were sparkling. I found 3 a bit busy for me with so much action going on. So much to take in. But hey, in the real thing at a scene like this that is just what happens I guess.
Ken

[ktuli]

Peter,

Well - mine were shot at a conservatory/botanical garden, so the trains are actually taking second place behind the plants.

- Bill