Large Scale Central

Beginning model photography

Model Photography
#1

This post is for the guys who are just getting started. It might just save somebody a lot of wasted shots. You don’t NEED a big fancy camera, either. These were all done with an old Olympus C-4000 that I got used for $40 Unless they’re shot from an overpass, we rarely see the upper parts of the train. Try shooting from as low as possible. And frame as tight as possible if there is junk you don’t want people to see. This is obviously a bunch of toys.

A really interesting shot totally ruined by background clutter.

Trying to get rid of the clutter resulted in meh framing. And I was losing the light, so I’ll have to try something else some other time. A photographer friend gave me this tip on lighting. “Mornings are for pictures, afternoons for naps, and evenings for drinks”… use it or ignore it if you want. I’ve also had good luck on overcast days and at dusk too.

Shooting in B&W can add drama to a scene - and remove garish toy hues.

Softening, blurring, or fuzzing the edges is a time honored portrait effect, and can help hide that pesky stuff that you can’t get rid of. Some cameras can do this automatically, or you can make an inexpensive spot filter from cardstock and old nylons. This one was a happy accident, the batteries were getting low so it didn’t focus quite right.

Digital cameras will save a lot of money over film, especially while you are practicing and learning. I usually take about 2-3 pics for every one I get that’s worth sharing, and maybe 10-15 for every one that comes out really good. Sometimes you try everything and it just doesn’t quite work, and then you’ll get a keeper by plain old dumb luck. I didn’t pose this one, a loose rail joiner cause it to stall right there. So I squatted down and clicked.

#2

I miss my SLR sometimes but since I carry a camera at all times I sure like my little Canon digital that I bought at Costco. We have friends that bought a digital at a yard sale for $5 and it works fine. It just needed a battery.
When camera shopping make sure the camera will shoot close-up. Because you will be close up.
Also, if you are getting a digital make sure the focus screen on the back is large enough so you can see what you are shooting. Because I have poor eyesight I got the largest I could find.
And carry that camera with you. You never know when you are at someone elses’s layout and see a picture or see an idea that you want for your layout. Take a picture so you don’t forget! And those ideas are not necessarily from layouts.
I shoot morning and evening but avoid midday. At midday you don’t have shadows and those can add a lot to your pictures.
Above all, shoot LOTS of pictures. I did in the days of film when I worked for a newspaper and it’s even easier now. You may not like anything you shot but you will learn from them.
Above all, HAVE FUN!

#3

Last tip: If you take the effort to learn the basics of good photography first, you won’t need to rely on a bunch of post production tricks like Photoshop. I rarely do more than final cropping, unless I want a certain ‘look’. Like toupees a good Photoshop still looks like a Photoshop, and a bad one looks like…

#4

Mik,

Nice tips and great shots!!

#5

This is a nice week to demonstrate what Mik says about when you should shoot a picture. This is an unretouched picture at Summit as an early morning freight approaches the section houses for a crew change. The prospector is headed out to try his luck. On right is a station under construction.

(http://www.lscdata.com/users/doug_arnold/_forumfiles/Summi.early.JPG)

#6

Hey! That panel truck looks vaguely familiar… really nice photo too.

#7

Gee I wonder where that came from! You’ll see it better at noon!

#8

Another photographer friend made a really good suggestion. To avoid the shaky blurs, use a sandbag/beanbag/sock filled with small stones as a tripod. And use the 10 second auto timer… might just have to try that.

#9

I fully agree on the Auto Timer. The sandbags work good but I’m just sitting the camera on the tracks so I can shoot low. Here’s the picture I shot at noon. Note the lack of shadows but the photos are presentable.

(http://www.lscdata.com/users/doug_arnold/_forumfiles/Summitnoon.JPG)

#10

This picture one small step up from ‘basic’, but I’m adding it here, just because it amuses me. I used a process called ‘color splash’ to return the color to parts of the picture after turning it greyscale, very much like an old time photograph might have been hand painted…

(http://i397.photobucket.com/albums/pp52/steamnut1917/new%20AV/P6140003-1.jpg)

#11

It’s better to be one step up from basic instead of two steps into panic! I didn’t get to shoot my pictures late yesterday because the rechargeables are about 1/64th-inch longer than regular double As and didn’t make contact. Sara fixed it so we’ll have pictures tonight.
Are you in the 90s yet? It was 92 yesterday.

#12

Doug, were did you get those donkeys and miner?

Mik great tips. I have found cloudy to partly sunny days and early mornings make the best pictures. All my pictures come from a Nikon coolpix 6.0 mega pixtel. Fo my purpose it works great because Im only shooting from close up.

#13

The donkey and miner and the baby donkey came from Upland Trains which is here in California. I know the donkey and miner are made by Schleich which I believe is German. I think the baby donkey is also from them, They make an assortment of dogs and animals along with a Wild West series.

#14

Thanks I will have to check Ridge rd they deal with schleigh.

#15

Doug Arnold said:
I fully agree on the Auto Timer. The sandbags work good but I’m just sitting the camera on the tracks so I can shoot low. Here’s the pictures I shot at noon. Note the lack of shadows but the photos are presentable.

(http://www.lscdata.com/users/doug_arnold/Summitnoon.JPG)

(http://www.lscdata.com/users/doug_arnold/Truck.JPG)

Great pictures. Good thing you finally figured out how to post the photos :wink: Look what we’ve been missing :smiley: Ralph

#16

I really missed not posting pictures. When Bob did the updates the other day something happened. I didn’t change what I normally do but now it works! Computers work in mysterious ways!

#17

I’m late by a day or two but here’s what Summit looks like at 7 p.m. At that time of day the sun tends to be harsh but you’ll add drama to the picture. I really like what the tracks look like.

(http://www.lscdata.com/users/doug_arnold/_forumfiles/Summit.7p.m..JPG)

#18

Doug, great pic!!!

#19

Great photo , when I scrolled it on my puter to where the bottom of the rock was the bottom , a very real looking photo .
nice

#20

That “boulder” does give it a nice third dimension.
It cracks me up because that “tree” in the middle is actually a creosote bush that sprouted there and the dead branch is on out apricot tree further back. And the trees on the left are full-size pine trees.