Real or model
- Thread starter Bread&steel
- Start date
stationmaster
Crusty Old Geezer
Model.
Bob
Bob
Considering that NIevo has produced a link to the original photo, there's little question about its reality. However, the OP's photo has been doctored to simulate a model photo (carefully examine the focus over the entire frame). It's done with at PhotoShop-like process that at first glance makes real-world photos look like model shots, although I have to say that this example has been rather poorly executed with the process. Anyway, the complexity of the air lines should have given it away.
NYW&B
NYW&B
John P
Active Member
Yes, I noticed the seed heads on the weeds. That would be champion weed gardening for a modeler!
On the other hand, there's softened focus in the tracks and cars in the background. Since depth of field is the major bugaboo in model photography (except for Grampy) and a picture like that would be all at "infinity" in the real world, it seems like an obvious clue that it's a model. But now you say there are ways to fake a real scene so it looks like a model--as opposed to the other way around--so that doesn't mean much.
Another factor suggesting a model is simply the viewpoint. So often the camera points down, whereas in reality the photographer is usually at ground level. But in this case the photographer was able to stand high enough to get the car roofs. Again it makes one thing look like another.
On the other hand, there's softened focus in the tracks and cars in the background. Since depth of field is the major bugaboo in model photography (except for Grampy) and a picture like that would be all at "infinity" in the real world, it seems like an obvious clue that it's a model. But now you say there are ways to fake a real scene so it looks like a model--as opposed to the other way around--so that doesn't mean much.
Another factor suggesting a model is simply the viewpoint. So often the camera points down, whereas in reality the photographer is usually at ground level. But in this case the photographer was able to stand high enough to get the car roofs. Again it makes one thing look like another.
Bread&steel
Member
It's come to an end !
He's found the real picture. It did have me going there. Kind of wished it was a model. Anyway it was fun....thanks to my friend, Jim.
Bread&steel
Member
Honestly it did have me going for a while so I was just searching around and trying to find pictures of various cars in the picture to see if I could find differences and just happened to stumble upon the picture, dumb luck I guess
Yeah, I talked to my friend and he admitted that he threw the background out of focus a bit to make it harder. He said he cropped out the CBQ coulpers as well.
Sneaky devil
Bread&steel
Member
cncproadwarrior
North of the 49th
This is great! I was thinking model myself.
Perhaps this topic should be a seperate photo contest forum where members post pics asking if they are real or model.
Perhaps this topic should be a seperate photo contest forum where members post pics asking if they are real or model.
Bread&steel
Member
Looks to me to be a photoshopped pic, which makes it real hard to guess.....I base that on the wandering focus in the picture......which probably means model. For the distances involved, I think if it was real, everything would be in focus, or at least a lot better focus. Notice that the grey hopper in the third row back is quite blurry, the DT&I hopper is slightly out of focus, but the yellow boxcar in the 4th row has areas that are in good focus (ORG, ORTHWE, RAILR). And the couple thing Larry mentioned....you can see the couplers between the BN hopper and the car to the right, and the airlines look like they cross (like a model) not connect together.
Real. One of my many other hobbies is photography.
This is easily accomplished with a special lens called a "tilt shift lens", it basically tilts the plane of focus on the end of the lens. It simulates the narrow depth of field one would get when doing a macro shot on a model.
Here's a few random google photos of the process.
This is easily accomplished with a special lens called a "tilt shift lens", it basically tilts the plane of focus on the end of the lens. It simulates the narrow depth of field one would get when doing a macro shot on a model.
Here's a few random google photos of the process.
If you're talking to me, none are models. They're all real.
Go to Google and type: "tilt shift photo"
