I have seen a lot of recent posts about Pelle Soeborg and his award-winning photographs. I’m sure he will be joining the ranks of some who can be considered legends. Sometimes I see a highly-detailed photo in one the the major mags and, without reading the caption, I can accurately guess who the photographer is by certain ‘signature’ features. For example:
When I see a midwest setting [contemporary or transition-era] with ATSF, C&NW, or other diesels found in that region, I think of: Ken Patterson.
New England scenes of transition-era B&M, Hew Haven, or Maine Central gotta be: Lou Sassi.
Images of interior-detailed maintenance sheds or waterlogged shortlines, with a CN or CPR loco in the background, that’s obviously our own…Bob Boudreau!
As good as they may be considered today, none of the above mentioned photogs (or any others I can think of working currently) can hold a candle to the incredible efforts of New York’s Vic Roseman in the 1980’s, many of whose urban-scene model photos were totally indistinguishable from images of the prototype. But I think even Vic was topped by a man whose name is now probably all but forgotten in the hobby: St. Louis modeler Bill Clouser, whose work dated from the late 1950’s. I believe that Bill was the only MR contributor ever to be repeatedly accused in MR’s Letters to the Editor column of submitting prototype photos and claiming they were of his models! The debate ended when MR printed several of Bill’s shots taken from a distance, showing his traction equipment were indeed scale models shot on various exquisitely realistic dioramas.
I always enjoyed the photos of Stafford Swain’s layout. You don’t seem to hear much about him anymore. I still think one of the most realistic photos ever to appear in MR was Lance Mindheim’s meandering creek scene – in N.
Dave Nelson