Some thoughts on photography.
Finally have some time so as promised let's look at photography. First, I am not a professional photographer and my views are simply that-
my views. As in any hobby there are many ways of doing something. Generally they are all correct. Remember these are my thoughts, not necessarily yours or the next guys. Not looking for arguments here.
Let's look at this photo again:
Most will say that it is pretty good. What makes this photo different from yours, or some of mine, or someone elses? A satisfactory photo should represent what the photographer is trying to get across. In this scene a small camp, scenery, track, bridge, and train. I tried to convey that this scene in obviously not in the Midwest or the Southwest. It is in deep woods, in a climate that gets plenty of moisture, and where the sun does hit, plenty of undergrowth. The track is at the bottom of the photo leading in from the right. Too many times we viewers see side on shots that, while they do show the photographers favorite boxcar, the rest of the photo is simply there and seldom tells us anything.
I like to shoot photos that make the observer not only appreciate the scene, but maybe learn something and even use their imagination a bit.
By definition that boxcar photo does tell us something the photographer wanted us to see and that's all good. On the other hand I build my layouts with only one thing in mind and that is photography.
Weird? Maybe. Remember this great hobby will accommodate many different likes and agendas of its participants. Sadly, I have almost no other reason to be in model railroading than photography. I model to make scenery as logically "real" as I can. To prove to myself that I can do it, I take photos. I don't care about 'operations' so not many yards on my layouts. I'm content to let trains run around a folded loop running through scenery and take photos.
Back to this photo. Notice again that the train is going away from us. Way too often modelers show us the engine and we seldom see what the layout is really about. I think we can see this is a mining layout. The loco? Who cares? Heisler, Shay or Climax probably, but this photo is showing the whole idea of a small camp, the wilderness and the reason for the photo in the first place, mining.
There are many techniques for taking a good photo, even one of that side on boxcar. My best advice is to quit taking photos from the middle of your layout room with the camera in your hand. We've all seen those photos and seldom does the photographer get really honest feedback simply because we, the viewer, can't really "see" anything.
Here's how to take a photo.
Always use a tripod! Always use a camera with a timer! Never use a flash! Actually, this isn't my way, it is they way we've all been told how to take a photo for years and years. It is often not done this way.
So things to remember. Photo composition ie. does your photo make the viewer think, even happy? A good photo should be in natural light with maybe only a table lamp or an extra light source to show off some color. If you are in a room with no natural light then you will need light bulbs in the blue spectrum and maybe only one in the red spectrum. You can find these at your bulb stores or at big home centers.
While I don't use Photoshop I don't have a problem with those that have to. Sometimes because we may not have natural light some 'enhancements' must, and I think, should be made. I have something called Photo Impact Pro. It is as least 9 years old now and it allows me only the basic color corrections and cropping. More on that stuff later. I think the program cost about $19 back then and it's around $90 today. So, you can see that mine is pretty primative. I don't think the above photo had any 'enhancements.' Simply light from my tube solar light and my desk lamp. More later. Jim
