May 2011 photography article

Classic Toy Trains Forum
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Dennis Brennan’s companion article on layout photography appears in the May 2011 issue of CTT. I have been looking forward to this article since Dennis told us about it in a previous thread where we were discussing his article published in the February 2011 issue. In this latest article, Dennis teaches us about camera angle, depth of field, and lens selection.

My previous photography experiences were primarily outdoor shots using a 35mm SLR I purchased twenty-five years ago. I switched to a digital camera a few years ago and was able to take some reasonably good shots of outdoor subjects. However, when it came time to photograph my layout, I discovered that my photography skills were nowhere near what I thought they were. Not only did I see the flaws in my layout, but I also saw the limitations in my photography skills. These articles have really helped me take better layout photos.

Karl

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This article is, IMO, considerably more useful than the previous one. Good, solid information. To me, the key to great model photos is a low camera angle. I’ve done film photography for years, even had my own color darkroom long time ago, and I find digital to be equally challenging. I notice you can do a lot of neat things with the white balance control, depending on the lighting. Of course the subject is deep enough that a book could be written, eh.

Pete

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Thanks for your comments, gentlemen.

These articles are written for those who want to improve their digital model railroading photos. As many have discovered, there is a world of difference between outdoor photography under natural daylight and close up indoor photography under artificial light. In some respects, film was easier since digital can lure you into a false sense of security because what you see is not always what you get.