So you've got some killer modeling and you're thinking you'd like to see if you can get a photo or two into the MRH banner line-up. Here are a few hints and/or tips (I guess I'm not sure what the difference is) regarding how to do that ...

1. Yes, it's a model ... - each banner photo gets tagged with this text. The implication is that the photos look so real, it's not immediately obvious to the casual observer that the photo isn't of the prototype.
2. Most prototype photos are shot with the photographers feet on the ground (or on a building deck or roof, or from a ladder, or a highway overpass, etc.)  Shooting low level shots - something a scale person might have been able to shoot without a helicopter will improve the 'prototype' feel.
3. Maximize depth of field - prototype photos typically have nearly everything from the foreground to the background in sharp focus. This is because depth of field increases (drammatically!) as the distance from the subject goes up. For a given lens you'll be standing a LOT closer to a model railroad subject than to the real thing to get the same view.  This also implies it's much harder to get good depth of field in an N-scale photo than in an HO scale photo. And it's harder to get good depth of field in HO than in O, and O is harder than G scale, etc. If you're shooting an N scale or HO scale subject, consider using a focus stacking program such as Helicon Focus to increase your depth of field. In any event, you'll most likely want to stop your lens down all the way (maximum f-number == minimum area for light to enter the camera == largest depth of field.
4. Saturation and white balance - try to produce well but not over saturated images.  Also try to set the correct white balance in the camera for the lighting you're using. Yes, white balance can be corrected in programs like photoshop, but it's better if the photo doesn't need correction.
5. Get the exposure correct! Overexposure is a common problem where the detail in the brightest parts of the image disappear (this is called being 'blown out'). Once those details are lost, no amount of photoshop processing will restore them. Conversely, underexposure can take dark details down into stygian blackness where details also get lost.
6. Try to create a photo where the scene being photographed is very wide and not very tall. Once back at your computer (I'm assuming digital photos), you'll be dismayed by how un-tall (is that a word?) a 5:1 aspect ratio picture looks.  For example, a 50' box car is about a 3:1 aspect ratio.

Finally, the banner photos tend to get stuck in a bucket and accumulate there until Mr. Incredible finds the time to do something with them (he does have a few other things to do with his not-entirely-copious-free time involving the publication of a magazine). So even if everyone (including the MRH staff) agree you've got an absolutely killer-grade banner photo, it may not show up in the banner line-up for a long time.

And yes, we'd like to set up a banner indexing system. But please see the note in the previous paragraph about not-entirely-copious-free time and understand this most likely won't be happening soon.

Best regards,

Charlie Comstock