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tuggie76 · 02-02-2015, 08:41 AM - **1 Like**

Hi, I had the opportunity to photograph a model train layout on the weekend, this is one of the shots. I handheld a flash to the right of the camera with a 1/2 cto filter, and added the smoke. Does this look realistic? I'm pleased, but I'm biased!

Thanks.

Tuggie76

Last edited by tuggie76; 01-24-2016 at 03:14 PM.

**robgski** · 02-02-2015, 05:27 PM

Very nice use of perspective.

**Kerrowdown** · 02-03-2015, 12:05 PM

Originally posted by tuggie76

Does this look realistic?

IMHO if you pull back the vibrance and the saturation sliders and a slight tweak to the WB, it looks more believable.

ChristianRock · 02-03-2015, 12:18 PM

Great composition, and I bet a print of this would look great! But no, it doesn't look realistic to me. And that's a good thing in this case. I love those 60s/70s style drawings/paintings, which is what this looks like.

Logics · 02-04-2015, 11:28 AM

Some of the things which make it not look realistic is not in your hands such as the specular sky, the shading of the sky, the very steep and rain-weathered volcanic mountain in the foreground with not-so-steep glacial-weathered mountains in the back, that very bright white pole in the rock on the bottom left, man oblivious to train standing in a valley fishing in a lake with a fishing line as thick as a fishing pole, etc.

Your flash also looks too harsh. Too much specular reflections in the front left of the image. Try a strong, heavily diffused light (powerful flash, big reflector) and closer to the direction from which the sky suggests the sun is coming. (The strobe has to overpower the ambient lighting to some extent). Granted, this may not have been possible under the circumstances but you could have used whatever existing backdrop was to the right of frame to reflect the light or ask someone in a white shirt to stand there.

Also, for more realistic smoke/steam, use Blender with Cycles (or similar app, Maya, etc.), to create the smoke and superimpose. These apps can set your perspective and focus just right by matching the virtual camera and camera position, exposure and aperture, lighting, etc., to your real scene so you do not get focused smoke over a blurry train or left-lighted smoke in a right-lighted scene. If necessary, you can also add tree-shadows, etc (by setting an invisible tree which casts visible shadows), which will also have appropriate focus blur, etc.

Yes, perfection takes a lot of time and effort but the picture looks great as it is, kinda Rockwellian.

PS., if possible, lose the fisherman.

tuggie76 · 02-04-2015, 02:15 PM

Thanks for all the advice. Logics, I'll look into those apps, never heard of them before, but that is what this is all about.

**csa** · 02-05-2015, 11:10 AM

To me, it's way too yellow. I toned it down a bit; hope you don't mind.

I really like the composition! Great job! Nice catch to include the fisherman and his dog, also!

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Last edited by csa; 02-05-2015 at 12:49 PM.

tuggie76 · 02-05-2015, 02:55 PM

Originally posted by csa

To me, it's way too yellow. I toned it down a bit; hope you don't mind.

I really like the composition! Great job! Nice catch to include the fisherman and his dog, also!

Thanks, you're probably right about the colour. As the fisherman was part of the set up, i felt he should be included.

Tuggie76

lukulele · 02-05-2015, 06:58 PM

Originally posted by tuggie76

Thanks, you're probably right about the colour. As the fisherman was part of the set up, i felt he should be included.

Tuggie76

Tuggie,
Nicely done D&RGW narrow gauge. My only other suggestion would be some shadow work on the foreground locomotive drive wheels, linkage rods, etc. Difficult area to light I'm sure. BTW, were these HOn3, Sn3, or On3 gauge vintage brass models?

tuggie76 · 02-06-2015, 06:53 AM

Originally posted by lukulele

Tuggie,
Nicely done D&RGW narrow gauge. My only other suggestion would be some shadow work on the foreground locomotive drive wheels, linkage rods, etc. Difficult area to light I'm sure. BTW, were these HOn3, Sn3, or On3 gauge vintage brass models?

Thanks Luk. I don't know the answer to that, but I'll try to find out.

Tuggie76

tuggie76 · 02-06-2015, 03:29 PM

Originally posted by lukulele

Tuggie,
Nicely done D&RGW narrow gauge. My only other suggestion would be some shadow work on the foreground locomotive drive wheels, linkage rods, etc. Difficult area to light I'm sure. BTW, were these HOn3, Sn3, or On3 gauge vintage brass models?

Hi again, I contacted the engineer and they are On3 gauge.

Tuggie76

lukulele · 02-06-2015, 04:30 PM

Originally posted by tuggie76

Hi again, I contacted the engineer and they are On3 gauge.

Tuggie76

A very expensive hobby if one isn't scratchbuilding. Thanks and good to see your work.

p38arover · 02-06-2015, 06:22 PM

I like the pic but I thought it was a painting until I read your words.

02-02-2015, 08:41 AM - 1 Like	#1
tuggie76 Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,216	2 Trains and Bridges Lens: Pentax 18-135 Camera: K50 Photo Location: Beamsville, Ontario, Canada ISO: 800 Shutter Speed: 1/30s Aperture: F8 Hi, I had the opportunity to photograph a model train layout on the weekend, this is one of the shots. I handheld a flash to the right of the camera with a 1/2 cto filter, and added the smoke. Does this look realistic? I'm pleased, but I'm biased! Thanks. Tuggie76 Last edited by tuggie76; 01-24-2016 at 03:14 PM.

02-03-2015, 12:05 PM	#3
Kerrowdown PEG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Highlands of Scotland... "Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand" - William Blake Photos: Gallery Posts: 57,867	Originally posted by tuggie76 Does this look realistic? IMHO if you pull back the vibrance and the saturation sliders and a slight tweak to the WB, it looks more believable. Last edited by Kerrowdown; 02-03-2015 at 12:11 PM.

02-04-2015, 11:28 AM	#5
Logics Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL Photos: Gallery Posts: 212	Some of the things which make it not look realistic is not in your hands such as the specular sky, the shading of the sky, the very steep and rain-weathered volcanic mountain in the foreground with not-so-steep glacial-weathered mountains in the back, that very bright white pole in the rock on the bottom left, man oblivious to train standing in a valley fishing in a lake with a fishing line as thick as a fishing pole, etc. Your flash also looks too harsh. Too much specular reflections in the front left of the image. Try a strong, heavily diffused light (powerful flash, big reflector) and closer to the direction from which the sky suggests the sun is coming. (The strobe has to overpower the ambient lighting to some extent). Granted, this may not have been possible under the circumstances but you could have used whatever existing backdrop was to the right of frame to reflect the light or ask someone in a white shirt to stand there. Also, for more realistic smoke/steam, use Blender with Cycles (or similar app, Maya, etc.), to create the smoke and superimpose. These apps can set your perspective and focus just right by matching the virtual camera and camera position, exposure and aperture, lighting, etc., to your real scene so you do not get focused smoke over a blurry train or left-lighted smoke in a right-lighted scene. If necessary, you can also add tree-shadows, etc (by setting an invisible tree which casts visible shadows), which will also have appropriate focus blur, etc. Yes, perfection takes a lot of time and effort but the picture looks great as it is, kinda Rockwellian. PS., if possible, lose the fisherman. Last edited by Logics; 02-04-2015 at 03:14 PM. Reason: changed, "clouds" to "smoke/steam"

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02-02-2015, 05:27 PM	#2
robgski Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Shenandoah Valley, Virginia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 8,817	Very nice use of perspective.

02-03-2015, 12:18 PM	#4
ChristianRock Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: People's Republic of America Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,912	Great composition, and I bet a print of this would look great! But no, it doesn't look realistic to me. And that's a good thing in this case. I love those 60s/70s style drawings/paintings, which is what this looks like.

02-04-2015, 02:15 PM	#6
tuggie76 Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,216 Original Poster	Thanks for all the advice. Logics, I'll look into those apps, never heard of them before, but that is what this is all about.

02-05-2015, 02:55 PM	#8
tuggie76 Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,216 Original Poster	Originally posted by csa To me, it's way too yellow. I toned it down a bit; hope you don't mind. I really like the composition! Great job! Nice catch to include the fisherman and his dog, also! Thanks, you're probably right about the colour. As the fisherman was part of the set up, i felt he should be included. Tuggie76

02-05-2015, 06:58 PM	#9
lukulele Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Blue Ridge Escarpment, North Carolina, US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,850	Originally posted by tuggie76 Thanks, you're probably right about the colour. As the fisherman was part of the set up, i felt he should be included. Tuggie76 Tuggie, Nicely done D&RGW narrow gauge. My only other suggestion would be some shadow work on the foreground locomotive drive wheels, linkage rods, etc. Difficult area to light I'm sure. BTW, were these HOn3, Sn3, or On3 gauge vintage brass models?

02-06-2015, 06:53 AM	#10
tuggie76 Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,216 Original Poster	Originally posted by lukulele Tuggie, Nicely done D&RGW narrow gauge. My only other suggestion would be some shadow work on the foreground locomotive drive wheels, linkage rods, etc. Difficult area to light I'm sure. BTW, were these HOn3, Sn3, or On3 gauge vintage brass models? Thanks Luk. I don't know the answer to that, but I'll try to find out. Tuggie76

02-06-2015, 03:29 PM	#11
tuggie76 Pentaxian Join Date: Oct 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,216 Original Poster	Originally posted by lukulele Tuggie, Nicely done D&RGW narrow gauge. My only other suggestion would be some shadow work on the foreground locomotive drive wheels, linkage rods, etc. Difficult area to light I'm sure. BTW, were these HOn3, Sn3, or On3 gauge vintage brass models? Hi again, I contacted the engineer and they are On3 gauge. Tuggie76

02-06-2015, 04:30 PM	#12
lukulele Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Blue Ridge Escarpment, North Carolina, US Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,850	Originally posted by tuggie76 Hi again, I contacted the engineer and they are On3 gauge. Tuggie76 A very expensive hobby if one isn't scratchbuilding. Thanks and good to see your work.

02-06-2015, 06:22 PM	#13
p38arover Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Western Sydney, Australia Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,084	I like the pic but I thought it was a painting until I read your words.

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