I just finished reading my February 2011 issue of CTT. Once again, an excellent issue(To be honest, I have yet to see a bad one). I especially liked the article by Dennis Brennan titled "Tips for Digital Photos." I always admired Dennis' photos and I have been trying to improve my own layout photos, so this article really hit home for me. I was surprised by the distance between the camera and the photo subject-I had previously tried to get the camera as close as possible to the subject. Lighting has also been a struggle for me as well. I am curious what Dennis thinks of the use of halogen work lights for layout photography. This article will definitely help me take better pictures of my layout. When I have taken layout photos in the past, I usually have one good photo for every twenty or so shots I take. I wonder what this ratio is for a professional photographer like Dennis?
Karl
Hi Karl,
I'm glad you liked the the article. In answer to your question about halogen work lights--yes, they can be used keeping the the following points in mind:
The twin lights on a stand will be most useful since you have the ability to easily position them. However, the light from these units is rather harsh and each light will produce a separate set of shadows. Double shadows will not appear natural. Also, note the color temperature. It will most probably be in the range of 2700 - 3200 K. These will work with other tungsten light sources in a similar range but not with fluorescent.
Here are my suggestions:
Buy 2 units on stands.
Use one set for your key (sun) light
Bounce one set off your white ceiling or a white card (like a 20" x 40" piece of foam core) to provide overall fill (sky) lighting. Warning: These lights are hot-so keep your distance!
Buy a 2 x 4' sheet of plastic diffusion material made for the standard overhead ceiling mounted fluorescent lighting fixtures. You can find these at Home Depot or most hardware stores.Place this sheet between the other light and your subject. This will smooth out the harsh lighting and give you one shadow. You'll have to figure out how to mount it. Warning: Keep it far enough away from the hot lights so it doesn't melt.
Don't worry about your good to bad shot ratio. Keep shooting until you get what you want. The way to get good at photography is to take lots of photos. Keep notes on what works and what doesn't.
When I shoot layouts for CTT, every shot counts. I don't have the luxury of trying different set-ups for any given photo.
Dennis Brennan
Thank you for the quick reply to my questions Dennis. I am glad I can use the halogen lights as I already have a couple that I use in my garage. I will head to Home Depot and get the diffusion material later this week.
I have your book "Realistic Modeling for Toy Trains" and I refered to it many times as I built my layout. Even though my mining layout has a different theme than your layout, I consider your layout and photos to be the benchmark for me to shoot for. Obviously I am not there yet, especially in regards to the photography aspect.
I do have one slightly off-topic question. Have you made any additions to the Sandy Harbor Terminal Railway since your book was published? Personally I consider your layout to be essentially perfect, but as model railroaders, it seems we can never leave anything alone.
Thanks again for the photography advice. I now have a fighting chance at taking some good layout photos.
I've also written a companion piece to the photography article. Perhaps, Carl Swanson will chime in and let us know when it will appear in the magazine.
Regarding the Sandy Harbor Terminal Ry, I've tinkered with the scenery here and there but nothing that would be readily noticeable. At some point, I'll add interior and exterior lights to some of the structures.
Do keep us posted on your progress. Take your time and enjoy the process. If you ever have any questions, please feel free to email me: dennis@brennansmodelrr.com
Thanks for the update Dennis. I am looking forward to the companion article.
Just a comment that fluorescent lamps can be had that have warmer colors. Even the old T12 lamps are available in the 3000 to 3500 K range. The smaller T8's have even more choices available. I changed to the warm white T12's and like the results much better than previous lamps.
http://www.lightbulbsdirect.com/page/001/CTGY/ColorTemp
You are correct but I wouldn't mix fluorescent lights with tungsten lights, even if they have the same color temperature. Fluorescent lights do not display the full spectrum of colors like tungsten lights.
So, let's say you're financially challenged and have to work with materials on hand. I've tried repeatedly to get magazine quality shots with only limited success. And by magazine quality I certainly don't mean professional quality, but rather good enough to make it into the reader's photos section.
Here's what I have to work with:
Without using photographic terminology, and using the automatic setting for shutter control, how can I take better photos? Is it all in the lighting? That would be my guess since a lot of my pics turn out dark. I try to bounce the light off walls, ceilings and posterboard, but how do you know what the camera will do when you place a 150 watt outdoor floodlight in front of the train? Would my pics look better if I added red or blue floods to the mix?
For reference, look at the "Becky's Trains" postings in the Reader Photos section of this site to see what my camera did with no added lighting.
Any help would be greatly appreciated! I still have a couple of weeks to get good pics before I'll need to dissassemble my holiday layouts.
Becky
Trains, trains, wonderful trains. The more you get, the more you toot!
I agree with Karl, the article was fantastic! I went ahead and ordered one of the special light bulbs. I have had a hard time getting red to appear red in my photos and this article should help. I also have the Sandy Harbor book and really enjoyed from cover to cover. As I design a new railroad, I want to apply some of those techniques. All the best, Dave
Becky,
I think if you read the article, many of your questions will be answered. Then if you have further questions, I'll be glad to help if I can.
Dave B,
Thanks for your kind comments. Please keep us posted on your progress. Let me know how that light works out for you.
Becky -
Select Aperture priority exposure mode and use the smallest (biggest number) f-stop.
Use the tripod for the camera, not the lights. Two or three cheap hardware store clamp-on fixtures with reflectors can work wonders. Use the same type of bulbs in each of them.
Try to light the scene evenly.
Use the self-timer to take the picture.
Experiment with the white balance settings until you find one that pleases you.
HTH.
Pete
"You can’t study the darkness by flooding it with light." - Edward Abbey -
"Select Aperture priority exposure mode and use the smallest (biggest number) f-stop."
Thanks! I'll give that a try! I already found that using the timer is best, but being down on the floor is below the reach of my pod. So I use books, video cassettes, etc. as a base instead.
I got the Feb. issue earlier this week but I haven't read it yet. Hopefully tonight!
Pete, you suggest using clamp-on light fixtures, which I have, but where do I put them? Should they be above and behind the camera? One behind and one on each side? 2 pointed at the ceiling and one straight at the layout?
I know these are vague questions since no one out there in net-land can really see either layout or the rooms they're in aside from the half dozen pics I posted to the Reader Photos gallery. So while I don't know if this would help, I can tell you the small 4 by 6 layout is wedged-in between the end of my bed and a wall in a 9 by 14 room with lots of other furniture also surrounding the layout. And the large 5 by 16 layout in the living room is between tables, chairs, a large window and the TV. In both rooms the ceilings are white, and at least one white or off-white wall borders the layout. And I know that both walls and ceilings would be good reflectors for ambient light since they're white. Also, neither layout is in a spot where a single all-encompasing photo of both tree and trains is possible. So I have to work in macro mode down on the carpet to make the photos interresting.
I guess what I'm looking for here is a simple, inexpensive set-up for both camera and lighting that any geek off the street, such as myself, could use without studying photographic technique. Yes, I have books of that nature, but as many of you know what's in those books isn't always practical in this type of setting. Which is why I decided to pick the brains of those who've had success rather than continuing my blind and frustrating experiments. After all, what we're trying to accomplish with each photo is art rather than documentation.
You have the magazine, read the article. Keep in mind it's very basic. Try taking some shots during the day using only natural light, see if the result pleases you. I'm a big fan of natural light. Study the lighting sections of your photo books and see how you may apply the suggestions to your own photography. Try to copy the style of your favorite photos in the magazines. Plan your scenes with picture taking in mind.
Lighting is an art unto itself. A good place to start is with just a main and a fill light. The main illuminates the scene, the fill lightens the shadows. Given equal wattage, the main is usually closer to the subject than the fill. Move the lights around. Experiment. Bouncing the light off walls and ceilings usually doesn't work so well. Use white foamboard instead, the result is more controllable. Take lots of pictures and be patient. It takes practice.
I'm no expert, but I hope these words will help anyway.
Keep your lighting simple. I have often used 1 light with a white bounce card (used to reflect that light into the shadows). Bouncing lights off walls or ceiling only works if your light is powerful enough. Remember, the light has to travel the distance from the source to the reflector and from there to the subject. Unless the reflecting surface is relatively close to your subject, the reflected light will have little effect. As Pete says, it would be better to bounce the light off a card that can be placed closer to your subject.
I used a clamp on reflector with a fluorescent bulb to augment the overhead shop lights for the lead photo in my article. There is also a shot of the set-up which shows the position of the camera and the light.
One of the real easy ways to make a support for a camera, is to take a Zip Lock 1 gallon freezer bag and partially fill it with with something like unground coffee beans, press most of the air out and zip the bag. This little bean bag and the camera's timer can do wonderful things at low levels for a very cheap price.
I purchased an ULTRA POD many years ago and it really works great. I have taken it on vacation and used it to take the obligatory photo of the Mrs and me at the scenic outlook. See photo and description below. I am also able to set my camera on the layout and use the timer under less that adequate light with this little tripod. It works great for train videos, too. Amazon.com had them for less than $15.
Description: The lightweight UltraPod is a mini, injection molded dynamo. It stands on fold-out, no-slip feet, or attaches to solid objects with a Velcro strap. Ball and socket mount assembly adjusts to multiple positions quickly and easily: UltraPod Mini Features: 1.05 oz. Will support cameras up to 1lb. Folds to 4". Velcro strap. Will attach to 2.75" Diameter objects.
Here is a photo taken with the tripod last summer on Jon's layout in Iowa with no flash with camera on the UltraPod.
Celebrating 18 years on the CTT Forum.
Buckeye Riveter......... OTTS Charter Member, a Roseyville Raider and a member of the CTT Forum since 2004..
Jelloway Creek, OH - ELV 1,100 - Home of the Baltimore, Ohio & Wabash RR
TCA 09-64284
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.
Get the Classic Toy Trains newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month