Great pics, shooting them

Great pics, shooting them outside really brings them to life. 

Here is a high contrast shot

Here is a high contrast shot that simulates night.  I took the shot on Dan Zugelter's layout. This was a time exposure done primarily with the lights on the models. I used a small flashlight to provide some fill light. The room lights were totally off.  The moon and smoke was done with Photoshop.

Bernard Kempinski 

Another example - simulated night shot

Techniques for this shot were similar to one above.  The sky and flame were from an actual steel mill taken at dusk.  The auto headklights were painted in using Photoshop.

Way cool!

A couple of way cool pictures!

Anyone else?

Cheers,

Charlie Comstock

Wow ...

Wow ... these last two model photos are off the charts ... the visual effect is simply stunning!

Bernard, those are excellent

Bernard,

those are excellent shots! I expecially like the steel mill one.

I'd like to hear about your layout as well, how's the construction going?

Helicon Focus Photography

Helicon Focus Photography

Denny,

Thanks for your interest. I'll be brief as I don't want to highjack this thread. My N Scale layout progress is on hold right now. I am currently working on book for Kalmbach on Steel Mill modeling. Once that is done, I'll get back to my home layout. I can't decide on what theme I want to proceed. The Tennessee Pass layout has been dismantled except for the Mitchell Curves section, which I kept.

I did build some new oNeTRAK modules. Here is a sample photo of the modules (to get his back to a photo topic). This shot is not really a high contrast shot, but it does make use of Helicon Focus, a neat program available for both Mac and Windoze.

N-scale and Depth of Field

Bernie,

I know that in HO depth of field gives me fits (and I've started using Helicon Focus to overcome this too). But in N-scale I'd guess the depth of field issues would be horrendous as the camera needs to be roughly twice as close to the subject for the same viewpoint.

Do you find yourself reaching for Helicon Focus more and more? Maybe we should start a Helicon Focus thread?

Cheers,

Charlie Comstock

Helicon Focus

Charlie,

Yes, Helicon Focus is an indispensable tool for N Scale Model RR photography. In some ways, it levels the playing field between the smaller scales and larger scales, at least with respect to realistic photography.  

I recently wrote an article for N Scale Railroading on using Helicon Focus. I think Kirk Reddie's N Scale Railroading was actually the first model railroad magazine to feature an article on Helicon Focus. That was Rich Yourstone's article. My article just added my take on it.  A separate thread on Helicon Focus is a good idea. It would be a good place to showcase the use of the software.

Wow!

Bernard,

Those two images are off the charts!

I am still on the up ramp with PhotoShop and painting in smoke and lighting effects.

Without going into too much detail can you tell me what tool(s)/technique(s) you use in PhotoShop for making those headlight effects?

Regards,

Great to know the Mitchell

Great to know the Mitchell S-curve survived, I love that scene!

Your photos with Helicon Focus are awesome, thank you for sharing and thanks for the superb, detailed how-to on the dedicated blog post.

hi contrast photography

Charlie,

Your shots make feel as if I am standing right there!  Looks to me as though that camera is doing a good job as well as the modeler.

Bob

Gosh Bob. Thanks.   Charlie

Gosh Bob. Thanks.

Charlie

Gotta get me some of those lights!

Bernie, what type of bulbs did you use for the lights on your blast furnaces' stairs and walkways?  Also, are they wired in parallel or in series?

I sure wish I'd have put some of those on mine before I submitted my article...

miniatronics light bulbs

 Ken,

I added about 20 or so of the Miniatronics 1.5V bulbs. They ran off a 1.5V plug in transformer. For the skip hoist, I ran two strips of brass up each side of the hoist. The lead wires were soldered to those strips, one on each side, so they were in parallel.  The Miniatronics bulbs are very sensitive to over loaded voltage, so be careful using them. They also will eventually burn out, so make provisions to allow changing them.

391 in the dark

Here is one of mine taken in my garage on my Freemo module with the lights off.  391 was lighted by an opposing loco with SMLEDs for headlights.  I have another unprossesed photo with the signal in focus but to me this one works better.

Paul Mack Hillsboro, OR 

That's downright nice Paul!

That's downright nice Paul! The out of focus signal sends my attention to the front of the locmotive.

Cheers,

Charlie

Speaking of dark shadows...

Paul,

Your well-executed night image inspired me to dig up one of my own: A simulated view of hot metal being poured into a basic oxygen furnace.  The furnace vessel is made of self-hardening clay, illuminated by a 40w light bulb, covered with fiberglas insulation batting to create the 'flaming' effect.  (I only wish that girder wasn't cluttering the foreground though...!)

Wow!

Wow, you guys!

Paul and Ken, those photos are simply awesome!

Attempt at Sunlight Indoors

I agree that outdoor shots are really nice and I often wish I could take the roof off over my layout so I can get those shots...  This picture I tried to get the same effect by using a single light above the model and far enough away to make the shadows sharp.  Then I used Aperture to raise the blacks and highlights and adjusted the middle range of the histogram to keep the main subject of the photo, the locomotive visible.  I am much happier with it than my first attempts using more standard lighting with key and fill- this area is supposed to be the Nevada desert and it should look hot, dry and filled with bright sun.  My family is a lot happier with the roof still on the house

Duncan McRee

http://www.tamvalleyrr.com

San Diego

On the right track

Hi Duncan,

Looks like you're on the right track. And yes, I sometimes wish I could slide the house off of my basement so I could let the sunlight into the train room! But it looks like you've nailed the combination of light color and white balance adjustment on your camera. The shadow definition looks pretty good too!

Imo (or what that's worth) the thing that is a bit of a giveaway is it appears that the near sides of objects have uneven illumination. The side of the cut, the side of the tunnel portal wing, the side of the engine, the side of the distant bridge, the side of the near bridge, and the side of the rockwork in the foreground all are illuminated to different extents.

If you were to move the light source a bit to be in front of the layout perhaps the illumination of all these things would even out a bit? (this is a common problem for layouts with shadow box/museum lighting - objects along the front edge of the layout don't get much light on their front faces). Of course this is just a suggestion, the picture looks pretty good as it is! Got any more to show us?

Best regards,

Charlie Comstock

Would this be considered a

Would this be considered a high contrast photo?

Yup

It looks high contrast to me.

Charlie

Here's one with a little shadow on the car end

Seems to hide some flaws. :> ) ..DaveBranum