We finished most of what needs done before we start our layout expansion project, took some pictures, and have been auditioning different photographs to use for a backdrop.
Take a look and see if you like any of them, and if so, which one do you think looks best?
I guess if you hate them all, you should say that, so we can go back to the drawing board and try something different.
I like the blue sky with clouds. Itâs similar to what I used on my backdrop.
The last one looks good with the color and topography matchup. How does the topography line up when viewed from the other angle? It needs to line up right from all viewable angles. So far, that one looks best to me.
Awesome rock work BTW!
The Blue sky one, however there could be an easier comparision if the photos were from the same or similar angles.
The forth one looks best. The first one would be my second.
I liked all of them but the last would be my choiceâŚCox 47
I have to agree, the last one with the mountain, sky and clouds is the best composition with the foreground. That one also gives more distance perspective and fools the eye in thinking that the space is much greater than it is in reality.
The last one does the best job of decieving the eye, the first comes in second.
I went, âNope, nope, nope, âŚyeah!â
I donât think the first three got a fair shake. You can hardly see the backgrounds. I like the forth one best with the pictures shown so far.
You should reshoot them with the identical angle/etc. so the âjudgesâ can compare apples to apples.
The last picture is the only one that shows enough of the backdrop to even make a judgement.
[#ditto] One cannot do a good comparison without seeing them from the same viewpoint.
However, on #4, in the continental United States (where a Santa Fe locomotive would be seen) tree line is generally considered to be 11,000 feet. So this track looks to be at about 9,500 feet. Those baldy mountians in the background would be 13,000 footers. Raton Pass on the Santa Fe is considered to be 7830 feet, and there is nothing even close to 11,000 feet around it. Here is a photo looking south into the actual Raton pass:
http://www.sangres.com/cimages/notc/passesimages/raton/view1.jpg
Your backdrop should look like this.
On the other hand swap out that SF for a D&RGW, or move north a bit for NP, GN, Milwalkee and it would be more credible. I guess even an SP in Donner pass would work better.
I appreciate all the replies, and will try to explain whatâs going on here.
Between the trestle and the finished backdrop, the expansion puts a two level, 13 inch wide staging yard. That gets covered up with a ridgeline coming in from the left, which dies at the edge of the riverâs upper section. Just behind the free span of the trestle there will be a waterfall, maybe twice as tall as the bridge deck.
So, to the left of the bridge, the terrain starts at upper level waterâs edge and slopes uphill to the left. To the right of the bridge, thereâs a ridgeline all the way back at the backdrop line, again starting at waterâs edge and rising to the right. Above the waterfall, the river turns left and disappears behind the left ridge, with a smaller creek coming down the wash at the right.
Essentially, the backdrop will sit behind both ridgelines, but they come down to form a V about where the present terrain does, only higher, so the effect will be similar, just further back. I have literally thousands of high res digital images from Colorado, so the purpose of this thread was to figure out whatâŚtypeâŚof backdrop to use, not necessarily which exact picture.
Different âtypesâ include wider, open valleys leading to shorter mountains, wider open valleys leading to taller mountains, and continuing the foreground mountains on up higher with the backdrop.
My opinion matches most of those given here, the wider valley opens up the space, and the taller mountains and pretty sky make a nice scene. That image works okay from some other angles:
âŚbut there are also problems from some angles too, namely from head on, where we have a âdisappearing riverâ:
I think the two new ridges and bend in the river above the falls will deal with this problem, but time will tell. Itâs not too ear
The first question to ask is which backdrop is most prototypical for the area you are modeling?
#4 easy! It looks best, except for the âdissapering riverâ Do the other ones also have the river problem?
The blue sky and mountains in the disance provides a great feeling of apparent depth to the scene. Isnât that what we are all looking for?
another vote for # 4
Ah I see. The AT&SF threw me. I think that is a perfect backdrop for that given scenario.
Youâre right. The time youâve choosen to model is the peak of the âyou cannot afford not to buildâ D&RG era. Santa Fe had just violated the Treaty of Boston, so they were not on good terms at all. The D&RG was very worried that all the transcons (RI, MP, CB&Q) were going to run them over. The Middland had already gotten standard gauge to Leadville.
Number 4 from the 1st set. Really good job.
Regards,
