7mm Layouts and Dioramas by Stephen Fay, including Pontycwm, Newton Mills and St Stephens Bank

Compton castle

Western Thunderer
IMG_0129.JPG IMG_0129.JPG iPhone 6 shot taken out doors
Chris has set a precedent that most other model publications have now set out to follow.
I suppose it works in their favour to have everything in a sharp focus as they can crop certain images to show detail aspects.
Either way it's nice to see my work in print.
 
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Obblygobbly

Western Thunderer
What kills those Nevard photos for me (apart from being so sharp) is the 'too perfect' lighting. The tunnel mouth is in a deep cutting, so light would be coming from above. Really strong lighting of the sides and underside of trains would be impossible in natural conditions. The photo at the top of the last page of this topic work for me because they do have dark shadow in the right places. The magazine style photos don't.
 

Compton castle

Western Thunderer
It's a double mystery!!
I will get some other period cars one of the Jag's will live on Ranelagh bridge.
The car carrier has since been painted, I'll add transfers then give it some dirt. Just needs a large prairie and a passenger coach and it's a complete train.
 

Brian McKenzie

Western Thunderer
Some fine modelling there Mr Castle, I especially like the growth along the banks.

If I may be so bold, the photo of 6023 on the Red Dragon is very much Nevardish (refer earlier discussion), with a Studio like sharpness i.e. the recent phenomenon of too much quality? :) :)

An interesting photographic challenge might be to try displaying the slightest trace of blurred motion, as one would get from a camera shutter speed not quite fast enough to handle a confined location like this. Perhaps just a little bit of unsteadiness around the smokebox, separating it from pin-sharpness of the track and surroundings.

I'm not sure that the physics of moving the loco marginally during a slow exposure, would create the right effect, it being so close to the camera. But if this could be made to work, rather than fudging it via software, I'd be delighted and regard it as a fine achievement with such a splendid set piece.

-Brian McK.
 
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