Building the Pinnacle Creek Mining & Timber Co. RR


Johnny, Thank you. Not much to add, but ain't this a great hobby? Jim:)

PS: I'll finish 'About Photography" maybe Friday, this weekend for sure.
 
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About photography Part 2

I'm not posting the photo here again. Please refer three posts up.

I talked about composition. Basically, I try to have my whole picture tell the story. If I want to show you my weathering on my boxcar, I don't include a photo filling most of the picture with a locomotive in it or even in the background.

In the photo above there is a lot of stuff in there. Ore cars, bridge, mining buildings, and mining camp. Looks good because the whole photo has something for everybody. In fact, don't forget that if your photo is telling the the story you want to tell that maybe there is actually more. I mentioned I have an old photo program. One of my favorite parts of it is the cropping feature.

Check this out.Sorry this site won't allow this photo to be uploaded. But did allow this correct one. This half the original photo. Jim
 mixed train3.jpg

Here we have one half of the original photo and it can easily stand alone. The point is that maybe your photo has 'parts' to be shared as well.

Lastly it was mentioned in a pun about depth of field. Most of us know the procedure to deepen our depth of field, but what makes my photos and other folks photos stand out is a photo stacking program. Using my natural, for the most part, lighting it is near impossible to show you photos all in focus. I use the Helicon Focus program. Because I actually model for photography this program is indespensible to me. There are some other stacking programs out there. I found this one first and I like it so I use it. Never tried the others. Some are even free.

Basically, you need a couple of things for these programs. The first is not the camera but the will or need to have near perfect photos. Depth of field is important, but maybe not $117 important. Second, you need a camera with manual focus. Third, you have to take about 15 to 20 photos to get a shot like the one above. Remember tripod and timer. The program melds the photos together and virtually my photos you've seen use this process.

So the big question you should asked yourself is, is photography and my subject matter worth $117? If it is I would recommend investing in a stacking program. If anyone has any questions about photos or anything else I can help with just ask. Jim:)
 
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Ahh...that's the secret of how you get the depth of field. Nice.
I take it you manually change the focus slightly for each of the 15-20 shots so to have perfect focus through the depth of the scene once combined.

You do have a knack for a good composition.
 
waltr, Thanks for the question I forgot to mention that. You can imagine holding the camera still for 19 shots changing the focus each picture and bending over the layout for the lonely track photo I showed earlier. No wonder I have a bad back! Jim:)
 
Jim,
Do you have a diagram of the layout? All of the sudden my thoughts of a layout are consumed by what you've shown us in this thread. That may give me the ideas I'm seeking.
 
Ian and everyone else. I'm the dummy. I thought I posted of photo of the track plan way back when. My bad, sorry. Here you all go:

IMG_2250.JPG

I needed something in my little bedroom so after looking for track plans I gave up and drew this one. The layout is pretty much spot on.

Ian, I checked the link and there it was. I knew I put it somewhere.Thanks. For the most part I just use the HO forum. Jim:eek:
 
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'Food for thought.' That is what this is all about.

About Photography Part 3

Most of us have a digital camera these days. Some are simple, some are very complex. I like the ones in between these extremes. I think my Canon camera cost about $225. For me it was the correct price point and I've had previous Canon cameras and I like their software. Of course most $225 cameras will do regardless of manufacturer.

I said before that I wouldn't own a camera without manual focus. I also said I always use natural light and maybe a small desk lamp for lighting. Never, for example, do I use my ceiling flourescents to take photos. I said I always use a tripod and a timer.

I never mentioned using the 'zoom' feature and now I will. When you first get your new camera you go to the menu and turn OFF the digital zoom. It is simple: More digital zoom you use the more your photo's quality will suck. Use only the optical zoom for best results. Digital zoom is mearly a manufacturers technique to round up folks that know no better and their dollars. If you think you need to get that close use your macro setting.

Here is a photo using the zoom feature:

telephoto.jpg
Sorry I can not find or figure out what these two photos should be. Jim 12/24/17

And another:

Shayinchains.jpg


Even using the stacking program I left some of the photo blurry. Simply to put emphasis on the subject matter, in this case, the Climax. Don't be afraid to use the zoom. You need a bit more light than regular shots.

Some of you may ask: Why zoom when you can just move closer in and take the shot? You certainly can move in if you can get closer. Zooming has a way of affecting photo quality as well. On the other hand, zooming from my tripod to an object 3 feet away I cannot reach is the better choice.

This leads us to the an important point. Closeups and or zooming. Both are great substitutes for that hand held photo from 5 feet many folks take of their layouts. Closeups/zooms give the impression of your layout being much larger than it is. This is very important on a layout the size of mine; basically 90 sq. feet. So two important things to remember. Lowered fascias and taking more closeups and zooms will make your layout larger!Jim :)
 
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It's all comming together nicely. I'm in the process of a similar HOn3 logging road, but decided to try foam for a hillside. I've broken two electric carving knives so far, so the cardboard and netting (or strips) will be the way I go. That's a lot of ground to cover with WS cloth. Pretty spendy for me, and I think I'll use plaster and paper towels, and clean up the mess afterwards. Good job!
 
pacbelt, Thank you.

sajordan, Thank you as well. About plaster cloths: Of course they can be paper towels dipped in plaster, no problem. You mentioned the mess an this is a valid point. I think MicroMark carries a lesser quality plaster cloth. The price is a few dollars less a roll. You should check that out. I've heard rummers that this cloth can be purchased through medical supply houses but I never confirmed them.

You didn't mention the size of your layout, but I like foam and generally carve it with a thin sharp knife I can resharpen. I have a hot knife, but luck has been slim usiing it. I guess I'm wondering, like some others, if you are in HOn3 why is plaster cloth prices an issue? Seems like I could cover my layout 10 times over for the cost of a decent locomotive in HOn3. In fact expensive eguipment in HOn3 or the lack of equipment is why I went to HO. I thought I gave it a fair look and quickly moved on. Good luck. Jim:)
 
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Jim , I like the track plan. So often today layouts are so large one can not finish all of the details as all the time is spent laying track and doing base scenery.:rolleyes:
Thanks , Mike
 
HOexplorer said:
Thanks Dean. I'm happy you found the thread. Did you spend 45 minutes reading it all? Jim:D
Click to expand...

I'm still reading it LOL. I see some pictures I haven't seen before, hope you don't mind, but I'm saving some to my MRR Reference folder, whenever I need some motivation I open it up and view pictures of some great model railroads.

I agree with the other poster, there is a lot of large layouts out there anymore, I prefer smaller highly detailed layouts to the large OPS Mode type, but to each his own.

Keep up the great work
 
Ore, Empties, and coal 23.jpgDean, No problem. My photos are free for the taking. I'm told I have 'screen savers/wall papers' on five continents. If the photos are a good resource fine, I'm all for helping the cause. In fact here's one some may like:



On this photo I've used natural light. No table lamp or anything. I even turned the engine around! I like this distance for a photo. It shows some of the layout and gives a representation of the layout size. Of course, timer and tripod. Jim:)
 
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Jim. Your scenery is unbelievable! Id rather look at your pictures then look outside, they are better then real life... the colors you have are incredible
 
I also have been savings these great pictures into a folder on my PC so I can refer to them later. I also copy/pasted to text into a word doc since there is much info in the explanations.
Thanks again Jim.
 
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