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This is my first attempt at photographing a scene on my layout at night.
I'm having difficulty in trying to light the water tower in the foreground some "ambient" light without casting shadows on the wall behind the scene. The full moon is behind the water tower.
Anyone have any suggestions?
This is my first attempt at photographing a scene on my layout at night.
I'm having difficulty in trying to light the water tower in the foreground some "ambient" light without casting shadows on the wall behind the scene. The full moon is behind the water tower.
Anyone have any suggestions?
Perhaps if you tell us exactly what you are doing, someone can offer help. I've shot night scenes and lighted them overall with a small blue lightbulb. This provides ambient light so everything isn't totally black. Another idea is to use a small bulb in a reflector and point it towards the ceiling (assuming your layout is in a finished part of the house). This diffuses the light and spreads it around. I've also mounted a light dimmer in an electrical box with a socket and a plug, so I can dim lights to reduce their overall brightness.
A way to light up parts of the scene is to use small LED flashlights during the exposure.
The enclosed shot is the only one I could find in a hurry. It it lighted by a small bulb pointed at the ceiling. The moon was a separate shot that I added in my photo processsing program.
I typically do night and sunrise scenes with wireless external flash units. Those units are "gelled" with colored translucent plastic strips to get the colors needed. Many times a ceiling reflector is used to bounce fill light back into the scene from the on camera master flash. While the techniques described are mainly for photography enthusiasts, they can produce some interesting results.
Here are a few from the D&RGW Platte Canyon Sub.
First light, Sedalia, Colorado, Oct 1965.
Rocky Mountain moonlight at CF7I's Split Rock #4 coal mine.
Zoegraf, what camera are you using? If it can do a long exposure (15-30 sec), it occurred to me that you might be able to use an LED flashlight to illuminate the scene. A ceiling reflector (foam board) would soften the light and help keep the shadow direction consistent... LED flashlights can be had that have a soft blue color to the light.
Perhaps if you tell us exactly what you are doing, someone can offer help. I've shot night scenes and lighted them overall with a small blue lightbulb. This provides ambient light so everything isn't totally black. Another idea is to use a small bulb in a reflector and point it towards the ceiling (assuming your layout is in a finished part of the house). This diffuses the light and spreads it around. I've also mounted a light dimmer in an electrical box with a socket and a plug, so I can dim lights to reduce their overall brightness.
A way to light up parts of the scene is to use small LED flashlights during the exposure.
The enclosed shot is the only one I could find in a hurry. It it lighted by a small bulb pointed at the ceiling. The moon was a separate shot that I added in my photo processsing program.
I've tried a blue light bulb, but still had the problem of shadows. It's a challenge because my layout is right up against the wall and only 9" to 12" deep. Tonight I will try use a small bulb in a reflector and point it towards the ceiling. The way I avoided shadows so far was to use a led light and lowered it below the edge of the layout using the edge to cast a large show on the wall to hide the other shadows. but this doesn't work as you can see it darkens out all the other foreground details such as the water tower, which ends up being a silhouette.
Tonight I will try use a small bulb in a reflector and point it towards the ceiling. but now I will have to deal with the nasty corner where the two walls meet. Here is a shot to show you the corner of the layout lit with blue light and the challenges.
Zoegraf, what camera are you using? If it can do a long exposure (15-30 sec), it occurred to me that you might be able to use an LED flashlight to illuminate the scene. A ceiling reflector (foam board) would soften the light and help keep the shadow direction consistent... LED flashlights can be had that have a soft blue color to the light.
Will give it a go tonight. Thanks.
I''m just using a point and shoot digital camera with limited manual settings.
Someday I will buy a digital SLR, but I'm saving up to buy a new brass diesel.
In the old days, I used my SLR and used slide film. Digital is somewhat still new to me.
I typically do night and sunrise scenes with wireless external flash units. Those units are "gelled" with colored translucent plastic strips to get the colors needed. Many times a ceiling reflector is used to bounce fill light back into the scene from the on camera master flash. While the techniques described are mainly for photography enthusiasts, they can produce some interesting results.
Here are a few from the D&RGW Platte Canyon Sub.
First light, Sedalia, Colorado, Oct 1965.
Rocky Mountain moonlight at CF7I's Split Rock #4 coal mine.
Thanks. Love your web page and will check out Bob's website. I especially like the bridge shot; it brings up memories of walking across a bridge like that when I was a teen taking risks back in the 70's.
I can't wait til the sun goes down; it's still up high and bright where I am. Will try to do some shots tonight.
Cheers!
Zoegraf, this a shot I took of my downtown. I have an old Kodak 4MP camera that does have manual mode that allows me to go down to F8 and set the exposure to up to 30 seconds. I took this one at F8 for five seconds. You can see some extra light coming in from the side toward the police car and lighting up the red Jag down the street. Those are from two dollar store LED penlights that I have mounted on a wire base with wood spring type clothes pins holding them on. Everything else is from the light of the streetlights and the lights in the trees in front of the courthouse. I use a miniature backpacking type tripod to set the camera on the layout in the right spot for the shot. I always use the time delay feature, since I can press buttons and make any last second adjustments without ruingin the shot. I'm not saying this is a very good picture, but at least an example of what you can do with a cheap digital and a few extra lights for night shots.
Zoegraf, this a shot I took of my downtown. I have an old Kodak 4MP camera that does have manual mode that allows me to go down to F8 and set the exposure to up to 30 seconds. I took this one at F8 for five seconds. You can see some extra light coming in from the side toward the police car and lighting up the red Jag down the street. Those are from two dollar store LED penlights that I have mounted on a wire base with wood spring type clothes pins holding them on. Everything else is from the light of the streetlights and the lights in the trees in front of the courthouse. I use a miniature backpacking type tripod to set the camera on the layout in the right spot for the shot. I always use the time delay feature, since I can press buttons and make any last second adjustments without ruingin the shot. I'm not saying this is a very good picture, but at least an example of what you can do with a cheap digital and a few extra lights for night shots.
So far I've managed to bounce some light off the ceiling without casting shadows on the walls. At least now one can see the outline of the roof, poles/wires, and water tower. Now I got to get some of those LED pen lights to light up the front details such as the tower's legs; track, etc.
So far I've managed to bounce some light off the ceiling without casting shadows on the walls. At least now one can see the outline of the roof, poles/wires, and water tower. Now I got to get some of those LED pen lights to light up the front details such as the tower's legs; track, etc.
Those are looking much better. Try setting your camera white balance to the "tungsten" setting (may be a light bulb symbol). That may give the light from the LED a bluer tint and cool the light from the bulbs in the structures.
Those are looking much better. Try setting your camera white balance to the "tungsten" setting (may be a light bulb symbol). That may give the light from the LED a bluer tint and cool the light from the bulbs in the structures.
I set the WB to tungsten and it did cool the light. I also and managed to get some dark blue light in the BG without any shadows on the wall by moving the blue light during the exposure; I think this is called painting with light. I tried to do it to the foreground details. but with no luck yet. I still need to get those LED pen lights.
Cheers and thanks for your input and advice.
If anyone is interested, more Platte Canyon Sub photos are here...