OK, today I took some of the stuff I have done outside for photographing. I’m still a long way from setting up a “running” train set, but impatience got the better of me so I thought I would get a little POCA (Previews of Comming Attractions).
I need your comments to fuel me along and to learn from. Pay particular attenting to the structure, the Two Trees Depot is made from panelling slatted with mini sticks. I assume that it will have to be brought in, albiet it is more suited to the elements than the Warehouse and office I made from foamcore board.
Also, I have some of Alan Dechant’s telegraph poles that I am slowing buying. I also want to give his chainlink fence a try.
I still have a lot of “terraforming” to do in my backyard so this is an early dry run…
Joe,
Nice website & some good info & descriptions.
I couldn’t find the Two Trees Depot page? Can you post a direct link to it?
Am happy to assist with anything you need re info on your buildings etc.
My only regret is that my photo equipment isn’t so hot. Just an early HP digital camera that we got for Christmas a few years back. I have to use my photo editor to bring up the brightness and contrast.
I love taking pictures of these trains. I hope this isn’t blasphmey, but when I look at things that I have put together, I feel like I get a small taste of what God must feel like looking down on the world.
Saddly, I haven’t put a webpage together for the construction of the Two Trees depot. It, however, was my first all wood project. I would like to give that material you use a try, but I have not found it easily. I have a friend who makes political posters for the elections, after November 2 I should ahve my fill of leftovers.
Thanks for your advice with the Norma, Texas Depot. I still need to complete the windows, doors and wooden siding. The roof, of which you have provided the most help to me, is my project for next weekend. On that station I plan to create much documentation.
Thanks for the kind words. I’m really, in ever respect of the word, and amature photographer. I try to use angles that I have seen in Trains and older magazines.
I have been experimenting with different shades and hues to create a wide array of effects that I plan to use later. If I want to make a really old looking image I can add some yellow to the black and white effect. I can add blue to make a sort of mercury/deguerrotype(spelling?). I have almost prefected the technicolor and early color prints of the 1940’s-60’s. Even poor angled shots can be tweaked into looking authenic. For example, when I was looking through photographs at the South Texas Archives and you would believe that blured shots and failed attempts of early and amature photography of the past.
A forced perspective is a movie term that I learned from my film making days (amature college stuff, by no means Hollywood). It refers to a method where a model (or build up scene) is placed in the forground while acting occurs in the background. One is forced to preceive that the material in the forground is “real.” Thus, if you look at the picture of the Two Trees depot with the automobile in the background…the automobile is actually full sized while the depot is about 1/20.
I first learned of it from a friend who was watching that old movie, I think it was called the “Attack of the 40ft Woman” or something like that.
Capt.
Do you have to have “rechargable batteries”? Why not switch to 4 AA batteries like I did they last the same time fame and I keep 4 just incase in the case.
Yes I know HP said to “Battery requirements: 4 AA batteries (rechargeables recommended)” but after so many problems with them I just now use same ole same ole batteries!
I think you are doing great. I have bought a station from Piko, a Durango water tower from Piko and a few town buildings. I am in the process of re painting them for the Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg Senic Railroad. The station will be lettered for Pigeon Forge and later in the year, an extension will be laid to Gatlinburg.
It will be over mountainous terrain as the real towns of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg are in the southeastern part of Tennessee. A report of a live steam railroad based on the ET&WNC that is owned by a man in Seveirville (right next to Pigeon Forge it was part of the original name for the railroad) and the Garden Railroad at the Christmas Place in Pigeon Forge as well as a G-Scale store there and another in Seveirville as well as in Dollywood and a garden railroad in Dollywood has sealed my fate in garden railroading.
I also plan to host a yearly open house and a twice a year annual steam up when the railroad is compleated.
Here’s one more for you. Did you do anything special to improve the depth-of- field. The foreground and the car in the distance both look pretty much in focus.
I was very fortunate that it came out so well. There was some “haze,” but that is to be expected. It looks a bit better in the color shot, but I like the BW images. It’s very hit-or-miss, I have a good idea of the shot, but it seems to be up to the “digital camera” gods.