Models in the Real World

[mkearns]

My local NMRA chapter is having a photography contest this month. Unfortunately I won't be able to make the meeting and thought it could be fun to share here.

Photo categories are model or prototype. I decided to bend the rules and photograph a model at a prototype location and was wondering if others have had any success doing the same? Also wondering if anyone else might know this spot?

[John]

My local NMRA chapter is having a photography contest this month. Unfortunately I won't be able to make the meeting and thought it could be fun to share here.

Photo categories are model or prototype. I decided to bend the rules and photograph a model at a prototype location and was wondering if others have had any success doing the same? Also wondering if anyone else might know this spot?

Looks like the Nuttalburg loadout in New River Gorge Park  -- I like the picture .. this might be a good scene to try image stacking or some other settings if possible

https://www.nps.gov/neri/learn/historyculture/nuttallburg.htm

[mkearns]

Winner winner! Maybe not as much of a hidden gem as I thought.

I have a bit more to learn about this type of photography. I recognize the focus is a little wonky. I might consider redoing this with a more appropriate mine run locomotive and find another spot - maybe one of the old C&O stations or tunnels - for the Kanawha.

[John]

That's a cool place .. I discovered it a few years ago when my son and I went to the area.  The road in and out is a trip .. this woman in a monster truck wouldn't yield, even though she had the pullout .. and could have easily let me pass .. I almost ended up in the ditch because she was "important" and in a hurry to get to the dead end :

That loco would be great on track by the NPS station ..  you could have the station, the coal tower, plus the town and bridge as potential backgrounds

[mkearns]

By NPS station I assume you mean Thurmond? If so, you’re right - lots of cool stuff around there. Being active tracks makes me a bit nervous to be playing around with my trains.

Anyone else ever photograph their models in the real world and get some good forced perspective?

[dem34]

Realized i had the same number in the tote I brought to help run a small show at Strasburg with Ed’s father.

[peteski]

Yes, I have taken photos of my models in natural settings.  These were all taken over 30 years ago, before digital  cameras or focus stacking.  They were taking using my Nikon SLR with a wide angle (28mm) lens and the highest f-stop setting (IIRC f22).  Using smallest possible aperture increases the depth of field, resulting in somewhat acceptable results. Well, at least when compared to what can be do today with focus stacking.

The motorcycle and the black Mercedes are 1:8 scale (large models), wrecker is 1:24, and cars are 1:32. I mention this because the smaller scale the model is, the more problematic depth of field becomes, at least without the advent of focus stacking.

These images were all scanned from 4X6 paper prints, so they aren't the best quality.



















Also keep in mind that in this kind of photography things like surface textures matter.  For example the texture if 1:1 asphalt is out of scale for the models. Again, the smaller scale a model is, the more apparent the out of scale texture will become.  It doesn't look too out-of-scale with the bike and black car, but it would have looked really odd with the smaller scale cars.  That is why I used a piece of rubber roofing material to imitate scale asphalt surface.  Unless you know what it is, it doesn't look out of place, and looks better than the coarse 1:1 asphalt.

The angle of the shot also makes a difference.  Most of the smaller scale models were taken with the camera sitting on the ground.  The wide angle lens also exaggerates the perspective, so the models look larger than they are.

Also the composition matters. I tried to have the tall background structures (buildings, trees) far enough so they would not look gigantic compared to the model.

[MK]

Amazing Peteski!  Were they kits that you built, painted, etc.?

[peteski]

Amazing Peteski!  Were they kits that you built, painted, etc.?

Thanks Mike.  Yes, they were all plastic model kits I built and painted. I still have them.

[mkearns]

Good tips. Thank you.

[TiogaTracks]

Those vehicles are stunning, Pete!  Great job.

I took on a challenge related to this last year.  Another local section of railroad got made into a trail, and it was kinda crushing to me.  I was determined to keep local rail history visible.  So, I packed my G scale trains and took them out to where their prototypes once ran!

A meet in the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania, at Darling Run.




Ansonia, PA, north end of the Grand Canyon, late 1960s.




Switching in Wellsboro, PA, early 1970s.




Just north of Wellsboro, late 1980s.

[peteski]

Very nice photos TiogaTracks!  Those models all look very realistic in real-world settings.

[lock4244]

Ansonia, PA, north end of the Grand Canyon, late 1960s.

This is an excellent shot.

[TiogaTracks]

Thank you!  The best things seem to happen by accident.  I got to this spot too late, the sun was going behind the west rim of the canyon, muting what fall foliage I had.  I tried anyway, shadows be darned.  This one was a cell phone grab, no focus stacking, no editing, only the slightest color level adjustments.  I had framed a scene and shot focus-stacked pics on my camera and tripod, then tried getting closer and lower with the cell.  After a few tries at focusing, I got all but the very nose of the ALCO in focus, and had an instant winner on my hands!

-Steven