# How to Photograph Your Models at little cost to you.



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

Photography on the cheap.

Lights,Camera,Action !
All of the pics that I have taken over the last five years or so and published in my photobucket ,were taken for the cost of the camera alone and that I got on sale ! The rest is just stuff that I had laying around the house.No expensive tripods,special lighting or other equipment is required.The modern day camera does it all for you,the only thing that you have to do is a simple setup.Put it on "Auto" and off you go ! You can experiment to your hearts content (no more film cost to worry about) If only one pic in fifty turns out so what ! Have fun.

First the camera. I will take a pic of it in the mirror for your info.Point and shot,how simple can it be.Prior to the digital era I knew nothing about cameras and it is still that way today.
All the technical stuff leaves me cold and I haven't even read the manual for the digital I am using now ! (some would say it shows LOL) If I can take reasonable pics anyone can do it.
The only real secret to good pic taking is using your creativity to set the scene up, in other words, arranging the stuff in a nice way (composition).This will come with experience.Just start shooting ! Here's how I do it....


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

My style of photography depends on 3 things
Hand held mobile lighting
Hand held camera with a stabilizer
creative thinking, and breaking the rules

Here is the camera that I use for all my shots,very simple but it must have lens stabilizer as I move it a lot seeking different shooting angles.I use my still camera like a movie or stage director would if he were taking a one frame movie.My first digital camera didn't have this function so a lot of my early shots were more traditional.The lens stabilizer is really the basis for my style(if you can call it that)
The camera body should be black so it doesn't get reflected by glass or other shiny surfaces.
And that is about it camera wise !

Lighting. I use a hand held clip on with easily changeable ordinary household bulbs and experiment with different types, wattages and color.The key here is to try everything.
I also use my white ceiling and one of those cheap car maintenance lights from the garage for bouncing light off the ceiling.On occasion when I want a nice moonlight scene I will use just an overhead florescent light.I have even used candles.Experiment and have fun !

And finally use your creativity there are really no wrong ways of doing things just new ways waiting to be discovered.


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)




----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)




----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

Here is a pic I took and then fancied it up using photobucket.
It is a pic of a 1/16th scale engine shop from the 1920's.It could be RR ,marine,auto or whatever.Everything here is scratchbuilt except the engine which was from a highly modified kit.Most of this is built with coffee stir stiks,tongue depressors,plywood or card.The lighting is from a dollhouse and the shades are modified brass Christmas bells.The clear glass is plexiglass savaged from an old parts container.
This is a low angle shot as if your were backing up a truck to pick up a load,probably what you might see in a rear view mirror late on a summers evening.The lights reflected in the window glass adds depth to the scene.The doors act as a frame for the scene and also help to add depth as well.
I took this pic with my old digital camera that didn't have a stabilizer,so all the lighting here is internal not hand held.


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)




----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

This shot was taken using my hand held light and hand held camera technique.
I simply used my clip on light and shone it through the window to see what I could come up with.I am looking to set a mood with a little drama built in.Technically there are probably a thousand things wrong with the pic but I like it and I don't try to please anyone else.
I am a great admirer of Sergio Leone the Italian movie director,who is my self appointed creative mentor and this is the way he operated too.
In this pic I have used the open door at the rear and the shadows across the floor to create a more 3D effect.
The foreground is out of focus for a reason, as it tends to put the figures in the limelight.The bar through the middle guys face was a compromise between his face (which was really not all that well painted) and the meds box over his shoulder.The box in my mind represents the great cost in injury and lives in the early days of aviation and I wanted it in.Sometimes with my hand held camera I am very restricted in movement when I am actually reaching into the diorama itself.
What does this scene tell us ? We are inside an old building made of wood,the clothing styles are from early in the last century,the flag indicates it is air force military.The airplane is a biplane although it would work just a well with a car ,truck,boat whatever.It is probably early morning with the sun low on the horizon and the environment is a little dusty with even some smoke in the air.


----------



## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

When I was doing photography on a more career oriented track I found that alot of best pictures I took where the ones that were not "technically" correct. Those seemed to have more character and creativity.

Massey


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

Massey said:


> When I was doing photography on a more career oriented track I found that alot of best pictures I took where the ones that were not "technically" correct. Those seemed to have more character and creativity.
> 
> Massey


Yeah,I think you are right !


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)




----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

Here is the same group of figures under different lighting.The sun is bright and almost overhead maybe shining down through some windows high on the hangar doors.I used the same hand help camera and lights.The biplanes wings and struts help to frame the pic.By using the shadows on the floor it helps to enhance the 3D effect.
The old sheet in the carpenters shop window has been pulled back to let some light in and also allows us to see the far wall for the same reason.The windows on the back wall open into a darkened storage area.
The idea here is to get the viewer wondering about what they could be talking about.I have left a space in the grouping to allow the viewer's imagination access to the conversion.Here again the era is around the 1920's when smuggling booze across the border was a popular thing to do.In my mind the mobster is trying to convince the barnstormer to bring some stuff in for him while the corrupt official looks on.


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

The "through the biplane wing" vantage and perspective really draws the viewer into the scene, especially with the rib shadows on the floor. Very clever, John.

TJ


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)




----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

Here is another pic that I played a bit with in photobucket.Originally in color I wanted to see what it would look like in B&W.
I have used the carpenter's shop as the main source of light and a little overhead light to create shadows on the figures.Depth is achieved by the floorboards with a little added interest created by the light patterns on the floor.
The carpenter's shop is a self-contained unit heated in winter with a wood/coal stove.The door at the far end leads to the dispatch/airmail office.
This downshot was taken when the roof was removed from the main hangar.A lot of my shots are taken while the diorama is underway as it would be impossible to take them now.
The title of this piece is "Keepers of the Flame" 1918-1927" an era when aviation was struggling to survive commercially.
It is in honor of the risk takers,entrepreneurs&barnstormers,air show men,airmail providers etc...A period in aviation not well known today to the public.
Here the emphasis is on the guy with the tie,a large imposing figure trying to get his point across in a rather intimidating way.He could be the owner,the airport manager or a mobster but he definitely is being listened to.What is he saying? Well that is left up to the viewers imagination.


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)




----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

Here I have mixed a 1/18th scale car with 1/16th figures.I took the pic at a low angle,an upshot, to help conceal the difference.I wanted to see how close I could bring the background figures to the car and still be believable.
The figures are only underpainted and I just let the shadows do the rest.By keeping it slightly out of focus helps a lot too.
The car is a diecast and the figures were only slightly modified.It could be nighttime but this garage is very well lit or it could be daytime with the windows facing a dark storage area or in wartime even blacked out.
You could build many stories into this scene but here again it is pretty much left to the viewers imagination.The title is really not necessary.
The secret here is in the composition and sometimes just a slightly cocked head on one figure gives you the impression that the other figure is saying something interesting.


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)




----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

Here is a pic that I played with using photobucket.The description of the scene in the pic itself is not really necessary but I thought that I would throw it in.
This is an eye-level 3/4 shot that is probably the easiest to set up.I included a little of the foreground to help add depth to the piece.I wanted the airplane to be the center of attention so I focused on it and left the rest a little blurry.I used overhead artificial mobile lighting in this shot depicting late fall or early winter here in Canada where it can be dark by 4 or 5 in the afternoon.
This airplane is a barnstormer and airshow type Jenny Canuck being rebuilt after an accident, that is why I painted one wheel red and the other wheel green.


----------



## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

I want to know where you get all of your modelling goodys John. That is an amazing piece of work you did on that airplane.


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Hey John,

Purely a sidebar curiosity question about old planes like that ...

I'm wondering if a full rib plane fuselage/wings structure would be assembled like that prior to covering all surfaces with canvas, or whether any builder would canvas components first (each wing, fuselage, etc.), and then assemble them to a whole plane? Any insight here? Either way, the "bare" plane looks great!

TJ


----------



## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

I can explain that one TJ as I am building an airplane right now. For this perticular one as the wings are not designed to come off it most likely would have been covered after the plane was finished. Now on the one I am building the wings are designed to be attached so you would cover the wings seperate from the main body.


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Thanks, GC. Makes sense. You're building a _real_ plane, or a model one?


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

gc53dfgc said:


> I want to know where you get all of your modelling goodys John. That is an amazing piece of work you did on that airplane.


I get my stuff wherever I can and scratch the rest.Kits,diecast,coffee stir sticks whatever.I am a model stuff hoarder.


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

The airplane would be put together uncovered ,then disassembled,covered and put back together again except for small repairs which could be done on the finished airplane.


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)




----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

duplipost pic.


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

I have always loved the "Old Barn" look with the light filtering between the boards.Here I have set up a light outside representing the rising sun.The subject matter could be anything from any era.It is the overall look that I am after,a mood,an atmosphere.
The boards are tongue depressors which are quite thin birch wood so I had to paint the opposite side black.The buildings structure is clear pine which I bought at the local wood store and painted using my "Barnwood Technique".The weathering is acrylics and pastels.
The story in this piece is from WW1,probably somewhere in France around 1917.It is an American temporary summer type hanger with lots of nice fresh air.The "Hat in the Ring" symbol hung on the wall confirms this to a knowledgeable viewer.The ripped out piece of canvas with the bullet holes is an Iron Cross souvenir tacked to the wall.The aircraft is a Nieuport of French manufacture that was supplied to the Americans during the hostilities.
Depth has been achieved here by the converging lines on the walls ending in a corner of the barn and the tail of the aircraft also resting in the corner.The aircraft wing set up at an angle also helps with this illusion.The light on the wing would indicate where the barn doors are located or they could be non existent with just a canvas opening used for protection.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

tjcruiser said:


> Hey John,
> 
> Purely a sidebar curiosity question about old planes like that ...
> 
> ...


I can answer that. My father used to run small airports, which explains why I lived in several places growing up.  One of the things he would do is buy airplanes after accidents and rebuild them. The covering would be done as a rule after all the structure work was done and all the internal control rods, wires, and electrical wiring was in place. It was not uncommon to see a bare airplane sitting in the shop hanger while all of that was accomplished, then we'd cover it and start laying on the dope (aka paint). The dope causes the fabric to shrink and creates the nice tight skin you see on the plane.

You can also get really high in a hanger painting the dope with a large brush, that was before anyone was concerned about what the fumes were doing to 14-15 year old kids!


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Thanks for the old wood airplane assembly sequence, guys ... the question had me scratching my head.

John, I've been using clear dope as a clearcoat on my model copper and brass bits. Works nicely, dries quite clear and glossy. But it does has some potent fumes!

TJ


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I didn't need to sniff glue as a kid, I could get high just working in the maintenance hanger!


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

The picture that I have titled "Sunrise" is from my 1/16th scale diorama that is now on permanent display in the lobby of the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa Canada.My other three 1/16th dioramas will be on display on the main floor of that same museum some time before Christmas.I hope that you enjoy them. Cheers ! John.


----------



## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

tjcruiser said:


> Thanks, GC. Makes sense. You're building a _real_ plane, or a model one?


Its a nice sized Biplane. Over a 6 foot wing span and I believe an 8 foot length. Has a large motor that goes in it as well and is going to set me back roughly 350 for the one I need. I won't be able to work on it for a good while now since school has started back up. When me and my grandpa finish this one we are planning on tackling a DC-3 or a P-38 Lighting as those are both twin props. The problem is they are radials which I want to put in them but each one is roughly 1K a piece so the engines will have to wait a little while for them but that of course is after I finish the one I am on now.


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

GC,

Where a lot of other kids your age like to simply "hang out", you are diligently venturing down a path of creativity, hard work, and an unstoppable can-do spirit. Well done, young man ... well done.

TJ


----------



## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

Thanks TJ,

I think I might have to find out where John lives so I can learn from a great scratch builder like him.


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)




----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

This group of figures was photographed using just the overhead doll house type lighting.This lighting was installed specifically by me for pic taking purposes only as the museum has no way to replace the burnt bulbs.The fixtures themselves look good and I am sure their experts will find another way to light it.From a normal viewing distance and inside a case the figures themselves look OK even in natural light.
As you can see I am no great figure painter but I compensate for this by using the shadows to bring them alive.The faces here were underpainted only and just a small amount of pastels were used for a little shading.Models in a diorama can in my opinion be overpainted. Unlike the stand alone figure that will be picked up and examined very closely my figures are different.They are there to primary help tell a story , mood , atmosphere and composition are of primary importance to me.Here again I have left a space for the viewer to join into the conversation.
The second group of figures are there to add depth to the piece.

A funny thing about eyes,most modelers have trouble painting them ,myself included.My solution ?,don't bother. A strange thing happens when it comes to shadows and eyes.The human eye is so used to seeing eyes on a face that the brain automatically puts them in there for you when you leave them in shadow and at a certain distance.
The keen observer will also notice that I left a little joke in there stuck to the heel of a boot.Could that be what they are laughing about ?

I grew up around fighter pilots from WW2 and flew co-pilot with many of them during their later years.My dad was one of them.The piece is called "Buds" because of the unbreakable bond that exists between fighter pilots of any era.


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)




----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

Here is one for the ship modeler guys ! I have included it here for two reasons.One to show what can be done with an ordinary flash light and two making a poster of your work.
This model is in 1/72 scale and it was my first storyboard diorama.It didn't start out that way but the idea developed over time and I had lots of it as this piece took twenty years to build,on and off between woodcarving teaching sessions.
The light is placed low because it is supposed to be sunrise,in harbor and under bare poles.
I won't bore you guys with the storyline ,it is available on the web for those interested.The point here is the lighting.There was absolutely no set up ,the pic was taken with my hand held camera through a plexiglass case in my own darkened living room.
There is a slight tilt to the pic as I wanted the ship to be in a gentle roll.I used the figurehead to put one side of the ship in shadow.The lighted rigging helps to keep things interesting.
The poster was created in photobucket and is very easy to do,just follow the instructions.Believe me if I can do it you can too.


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Very nicely detailed Victory model, John. Have you ever had a chance to go on her? I had that treat about 20 years ago, and really enjoyed seeing (and touching!) history firsthand.

You'll like this sidebar ...

When I was in college, I did a brief internship at Mystic Seaport in CT while they were "retopping" the historic whaleship Charles W. Morgan ... essentially, rebuilding the ship from the waterline up, but delving a bit deeper into "original fabric" wood below the waterline. In that, they had to cut away some of the rotted original wood, and toss it in a scrap heap. I salvaged some pieces, and later fabricated them into the base of a display case that holds a model of the Charles W. Morgan that I had previously built. The model sits on wood from the real ship!

Cheers,

TJ


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

Hi TJ ! nice to hear from you.No I never got to see her in person but I dreamed about it a few times .


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)




----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

Waitin'For The Five-fifteen.
Meet Harley the stationmasters(RR,Airport,Marine ?)faithful buddy as he patiently awaits for some action.
This shot was taken while the office module was under construction.It is a simple shot with the corner of the room used to add a little depth to the scene.Natural light is shining through the windows making some interesting shadows.The ceiling and desk lights are dollhouse fixtures which although they are the wrong scale really doesn't matter a lot because these fixtures come in all sizes in real life.Keep this in mind when mixing scales and you will be surprised how much is available to the diorama maker in any scale.
A good storyboard diorama or vignette does not really require a title,in fact it is always best to let the views imagination fill in the rest.You can hint at an historical era with a few accessories like the clipboards ,door hardware or the old oil lamp sitting on the table.


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)




----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Great lighting there, John. The early-morning (low angle) "sunlight" through the open-cracked barn siding really adds life and depth to the scene. That, and the "dusty" wood barn floor. Well done!

TJ


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)




----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

Here is a very simple composition that anyone could do,you don't even have to be a good face painter.A title,for the average viewer is in this case is not even required.I added it for the very young viewer who might be confused as to what he is looking at.He has enough to take in with the present to give much time to thinking about the future.
Most of this is made with coffee stiks and ordinary cardboard from the back of writing pads.The cans are the metal part of old pencil erasers.The spark plug sign gives us a rough idea of the era involved.The human's thinking is ageless.The disappearing horizon is the key to this storyboard vignette.
Even if your model looks like a model as in this case it is not important as the story itself and the emotion of the viewer is what we are after here .Anyone who walks into a movie house or live theater expects to suspend their disbelief for awhile,same thing for scale models.Just think story first !


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

JohnReid said:


> The cans are the metal part of old pencil erasers.


Brilliant creativity on that one!!!

TJ


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)




----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

Thanks TJ ! Glad you like it.Cheers! John.


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

I enjoy taking shots from outside a room which leads to another room.It is an easy way to engage your viewers imagination in what may be just beyond the door.Framing your shot using a window or doorway is a nice Sergio technique that I picked up from watching his movies.
In this scene there are no figures and none are really required,in fact figures would actually spoil it.Here again let your viewer fill in the blanks for him or herself.If you were standing at this doorway what would come to mind ? It makes me think that someone has just stepped out of the shop for a minute and you can expect his return at any time.You are almost tempted to say "hey Slim ! where are you ?" The shop is warm and inviting but outside it is dark and slightly mysterious.This stark contrast is what I am looking for here to emotionally connect the viewer with the piece.
Being slightly out of focus gives the piece added atmosphere of dust ,haze or smoke in the air.I have used the corner of the room to give depth to the piece.


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

The rag tossed on the workbench in a nice, personal touch. Any coffee mugs sitting around?!? Is that a small coil spring (like from a pen) that you've used to hold the awning window open?

Very nice (as always), John.

TJ


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

tjcruiser said:


> The rag tossed on the workbench in a nice, personal touch. Any coffee mugs sitting around?!? Is that a small coil spring (like from a pen) that you've used to hold the awning window open?
> 
> Very nice (as always), John.
> 
> TJ


I wanted it to look like he just dropped the rag,got up and walked out the other door.Coffee ? maybe that is what he has gone to get.
The window holder is actually a piece of wood with notches cut into it.


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)




----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

This is something a little different ,a birds eye view of the same area that I dressed up a bit in photobucket.
The floor makes for an interesting background.I left it a little clean for a shop floor because I liked the pattern and ah what the hell they may have just changed it recently anyway(artistic license)You will notice with this composition that I have not lined up anything in rows or 90 deg to one another .This is a good general rule but in this case almost an necessity because of the uniform floor pattern.
The theme is common to any engine shop or genre of modeling and the era could be old or modern,unless you can read the newspapers on the floor ! Wink


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)




----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

In this pic I used just the interior lighting of the doll house bulbs which were installed especially for my own picture taking purposes.This is a vignette taken from a much larger diorama while it was under construction.It is a good idea to arrange small vignettes like this while you still have easy access to the shot that you are after.
There is no doubt here what the main subject matter is,the airplane under construction.There is enough here to keep the viewer interested without using a strong storyline.I like my figures in relaxed poses where the viewer really doesn't expect a lot of movement.The only thing moving here would be their mouths in conversation about something which is left up to the viewers imagination.

The airplane is purposely off center and here again I have used the left wall and corner to help add a third dimension.The colors are selected for harmony red,green,gray and earth tones.I make it easy on myself and use tube colors rather than mixing my own like I did when painting birds.Various tones can be achieved later using pastels if you like.
It is not always necessary to complete everything for example I wanted the viewer to know what type of construction was used on the fuselage, so I showed only one plywood panel being installed on the far side and out of the way of the framing.
For those unfamiliar with old aircraft construction it was normal practice to put the open structure together for fitting and preliminary rigging purposes,disassemble it and then it would be reassembled after the fabric and plywood was installed on each mayor component.Finally it would be re-rigged and adjusted for flight.It is depicted here in flying position and the tail is resting on a stand.
The important thing here is not the subject matter but the composition.Anything that you could build in an old barn ship,car,stagecoach whatever could be the center of attention.


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

JohnReid said:


> For those unfamiliar with old aircraft construction it was normal practice to put the open structure together for fitting and preliminary rigging purposes,disassemble it and then it would be reassembled after the fabric and plywood was installed on each mayor component.Finally it would be re-rigged and adjusted for flight.


John -- I had asked that question earlier, and you, Gunjohn, and a few others responded with the descriptions above. Thanks for the historical info.

Per your scene ... I'm no artist, but I've enjoyed watching a few painters over the years ... it's a common tip to locate the main subject matter in one's scene skewed away from the center of the painting, such that it draws your eye into the painting in a perspective-view manner. Same idea with your scene. Nicely done.

TJ


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

Thanks TJ ! You know I actually prefer taking the pics to building the dioramas.My new RR diorama is really exciting as there is so much to learn when starting new subject matter.I am looking forward to taking lots of pics as I go along.


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)




----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

Just about all of my shots that create a lot of shadows and other dramatic effects were taken in a darkened room using this simple hand held light.I hold my camera in one hand and move this light around until I get the shot I am looking for.I experiment with different watts and types,soft cool etc....You could put it on a simple rheostat of course but I just change bulbs.Don't be afraid to break all the so-called rules of picture taking,there really are none just new ways waiting to be discovered .Point and shoot ,erase,point and shoot again the only cost to you is your time.
Because my dioramas are large and heavy natural lighting in most cases has not been possible for me so I have had to find a way around the problem and create my own style which is kind of an artificial stage type lighting.I experiment with everything and mix all types of lighting together and see what I can come up with.Try bouncing light off the ceiling or walls or use card.A simple Kleenex type paper( in various layers )over a flashlight can make a nice filter for pin point shots.Etc..etc
Try whatever comes to mind and you may surprise yourself with your own creativity.
I will post some shots and try to remember what I used to light them as I go along.Some shots are pure luck and even I couldn't duplicate them if I wanted to.Bottom line is to have fun and please yourself,it is your hobby and there are really no wrong ways of doing things anyway.


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)




----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

Here is a little vignette that I set up while the larger diorama was under construction.I wanted to capture the look of fear in the face of the figure yet at the same time project a kind of defiant pose of bravado against the unknown.
Overhead lighting can be used very effectively to your advantage.The face has been underpainted a flesh color only with no other detail painted on ,it is the lighting alone that is used to bring it to life.
I used one overhead doll house bulb to light the doorway and another inside the office.The pic was taken in a darkened room with the camera on auto.Except for the face I wanted the rest to be out of focus.The sign above the door has been cut off as I didn't want it to become a center of attention.An old classic car with its drivers side door left open was used in the foreground.The rest of the story is left up to the viewers imagination.


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)




----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

This is very unusual subject matter but interesting nonetheless.Even wreckage and junk can be interesting to look at.This pic was taken outdoors in natural light and converted to B&W.The title comes from an old pilots saying "any landing is a good landing as long as you can walk away from it".
I blurred the edges of the pic to concentrate the viewers attention on the cockpit area.It is an upshot of an upside down WW1 biplane fuselage with trees from my backyard in the background.The camera was hand held and set at auto with a little magnification.


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

deleted


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)




----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Cool. Reminds me of the "Wolfman Car" at Clark's Trading Post family fun center in NH ...

http://www.w1vtp.com/images/wolfman-2.jpg

During a Climax train ride through the woods, the "Wolfman" rides around in his rusty car, trying to scare the kids away from his secret mine. Good fun for all ages.

On the crashed plane ... did you build it "crashed", or was that actually some victim of a real flying model?

Cheers,

TJ


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

I built it crashed as part of a larger diorama .Lots of fun to do !


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

The car in the weeds is a 1/16th scale plastic kit that I weathered and stuck in the corner of a building.An interesting feature here is the brush.It is something my Huskey dog chewed on years ago and was left outside in the mud.The bristles weathered as you see them here and look quite natural as old dead grass.Nothing has been airbrushed,it is flat acrylics and pastels only.Here again I used a corner to add depth to the piece.The siding is called board and batten and is painted like barn siding.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

JohnReid said:


> I built it crashed as part of a larger diorama .Lots of fun to do !


Don't you just build the kit and then smash the front? :laugh:


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)




----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

John,

On the several beautiful plane models you've built, can you elaborate a bit on how you make the wing airfoil ribs? Looks like a top and bottom edge glued to several H-like spacers in the middle ... but I can't quite see it that clearly. Whatever you're doing, it's a very realistic effect.

TJ


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)




----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

Here is a fun shot through one of the windows.The lighting is dollhouse from fixtures in the rafters above.Unfortunately these shots will never be available again and were taken during construction of the larger diorama.The interior lighting will be impossible to maintain in a museum setting which is too bad but at least I have the pics.
This downshot uses the flooring to advantage for a 3D effect.There are a lot of square shapes in this piece so I took the pic at an angle to make it more interesting.I got lucky with the depth of field as my camera set this up automatically.Each pane of glass has its own reflective surface and is quite clear considering the problems usually involved when shooting through glass.It is high quality plexiglass with little or no distortion.


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)




----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

Smoky and dusty with filtered light,your typical 1920's workshop.The pin up girl is Mary Pickford,a Canadian girl that went on to fame and fortune in Hollywood.Under the other light is Harley the company mascot sitting in the cockpit of a Jenny Canuck biplane.The darkened area beyond could lead to another room or to an outside porch.
If I knew how to do it I would tone down the shiny hinge on the door as it attracts too much attention for my liking.This is another shot that I took when the diorama was under construction,there is an exterior wall where the camera is now positioned.I have again used the rooms corner and the open door and slanted window for increased depth.The lighting is again dollhouse with real bulbs screwed into in a modified Christmas bell type fixture.In this case out of focus is a good thing.The open window set at an angle adds a little interest and suggests maybe a hot and humid summer evening..


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)




----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

I took a series of pics of my 1/72 scale HMS Victory as it sits in a case in my home.These pics were taken in a darkened room through a plexiglass case using nothing more than my camera on auto,a flashlight on a stand and a sheet of kleenex for a filter.By playing with the light and camera angles I could get specific shots of areas of the ship that I could get no other way.Here is my fancy set up:


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)




----------



## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

Why can this lighting never be replaced in your dioramas? I built a huge three story dollhouse for my sisters as a Christams present and all of the lighting has little screw in bulbs. Now they may be a little large for HO scale but they make mini connectors and you can wire bulbs to those so it becomes just a plug and un plug system. Now I understand that the staff could not be capable of working with the delicate dioramas and replacing the bulbs but surely you could offer it as a kind of service and replace the burnt outs for them so they can have them lit up and simply pay you when it comes time to replace them.


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

gc53dfgc said:


> Why can this lighting never be replaced in your dioramas? I built a huge three story dollhouse for my sisters as a Christams present and all of the lighting has little screw in bulbs. Now they may be a little large for HO scale but they make mini connectors and you can wire bulbs to those so it becomes just a plug and un plug system. Now I understand that the staff could not be capable of working with the delicate dioramas and replacing the bulbs but surely you could offer it as a kind of service and replace the burnt outs for them so they can have them lit up and simply pay you when it comes time to replace them.


Thanks but 
the diorama is in a glass case and the top weighs a ton so they are not keen on moving it to replace a bulb.


----------



## xrunner (Jul 29, 2011)

JohnReid said:


> Thanks but
> the diorama is in a glass case and the top weighs a ton so they are not keen on moving it to replace a bulb.


I suppose this is a dumb question - but why not use LEDs? Can't you use an amber LED to simulate a bulb?


----------



## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

JohnReid said:


> Thanks but
> the diorama is in a glass case and the top weighs a ton so they are not keen on moving it to replace a bulb.


Okay. It makes sense that they would not want to move the delicate glass if that is what it is encased in. I would have thought most museums would have moved to acrylic plastic cases by now. The LED idea is also a good one. Miniatronics makes a yeloglow LED that is practically the same as an incandescent bulb and they make them as small as SMD's which are 3mm by 2mm so they can be used in a wide range of things. Just some thoughts.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I'd go with the LED's if I had a place where bulb replacement was difficult to impossible, why ask for problems?


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

Too late for LEDS now.I wish they were popular 10 years ago !


----------



## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

Oh, I did not know they were made 10 years ago. So are the dioramas you are producing now still using the incandescent bulbs or does this mean we can start seeing some dioramas with LED's in them? I would like to see the ingenous things you decide to light up with the small LEDs if you do do it. Your work is coming along great as is though.


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)




----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)




----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

Here is another little composition that was made up of different elements temporarily brought together.The Model T on the left is actually a diecast and the one on the right a plastic kit.
I enjoy doing relaxed poses where a lot of movement is not really expected.A driver catching a few rays of spring sunshine while waiting for the mail to arrive.The signs above the window gives us only a few hints about the storyline.
The open door into another room ,the corner,the car pointing inwards all help to add depth to the piece.The colors of green,red , gray and various earth tones harmonize well with each other.

The pic before this one is of the various parts required for one overhead light assembly.I had to make about 30 of them for this one diorama and wire them all together just for my own picture taking purposes.It will never be lit this way again.
I will however send a copy of the pics to the museum to show them how it was originally intended to look when I built it.


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)




----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

Sometimes I just enjoy taking pics of just nothing in particular such as this shot.The lines and shapes themselves can be interesting.Yes sawdust can create floors but it can also create airplanes.I wonder what this next board on the pile will become ?


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

Lighting my way.
I believe that if you want old style lighting that looks like old style lighting in miniature, then that is exactly what you must try to reproduce, old style lighting in a miniature setting.Yes wiring,bulbs and fixtures just like they used to be.For my own work I have gone far out of my way to try to reproduce that look even though if as it turns out now it was only for my camera.My dioramas were never built for museum purposes although in the end it turned out that way.
I have always had a thing for creating moods or atmosphere using lighting ,I don't know why but it has always been there for as long as I can remember.
About fifteen years ago when I first looked into the subject for lighting my first diorama I relied upon the RR guys at my hobby store for basic information so I used RR type locomotive headlights for bulbs.I had no idea about the doll house scene at that time and their much easier ways of doing things,so I came up with my own handmade wiring plan.It was a nightmare but suffice it to say I did get it working using a train transformer as a rheostat.
I never took many pics back then so I won't even bother trying to explain how it worked.

The next diorama was simplicity itself .I took two five watt Christmas lights for internal lighting and lit the rest from outside using my hand held ,handy dandy reading light to create a barn like type setting.(see pic)

The third diorama I went back to overhead lighting using fixtures,about 35 or so in all.Each one hand made using Radio
Shack type wiring and doll house type bulbs this time but again using a train transformer which of course was overloaded so it had the nasty habit of turning all the lights out after about ten minutes.For my picture taking purposes I really didn't need them all on at once anyway.

The fourth diorama,an outdoor scene has no lighting at all so far although I am planning a little lighting in the individual rooms behind the brick facade probably using LEDs.

For the most part I am happy with the way it turned out for my own picture taking purposes, which is really why I did it this way in the first place.If I had used todays more modern ways of doing things I just don't think that it would have ended up looking the same somehow.


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

In the spirit of "a picture is worth a thousand words"I have started a new album in my photobucket site titled "Lighting" for those interested in how easy it is to obtain different lighting effects when using my method for taking pictures.Remember all it takes is a hand held camera with a stabilized lens and set on auto , a hand held light with changeable bulbs and
most importantly your own individual creativity.Have fun !


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

Sample pic.


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

John,

As you're discussing lighting, that is remarkable the different effects you've achieved in the 3 pics above. The outside scene has a very white light, echoing natural sunlight. The pic directly above, in contrast, has a much more yellow light, echoing an old latern or similar. Nicely done. I like the low vantage of the pic above ... makes me think that someone was kneeling or laying down near the plane, working on landing gear or engine.

Cheers,

TJ


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

You know sometimes ignorance can serve you well in the end.Looking back now I realize that I would never have gone to all the trouble of using RR or old dollhouse lighting methods if I had known at the time that there were a lot easier ways of doing things.But I am convinced that LED's etc... just wouldn't have given me the same results.I would have lit my stuff for the museum and not for the camera, no question about it.It is a lot like film making once it is shot and in the can that's it.It is the image that is important not the diorama or movie set.It is all about capturing a moment in time.Things may constantly change but( for awhile )the camera has stopped time.Sure in time the image will get old and deteriorate and go the way of all things but for a brief instant time appears to have stopped.Therein lies the magic !


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

I was out shopping yesterday and was very impressed with all the various types of LED's now on the market.Because these lights run cool and most acrylic paint is transparent to varying degrees ,it may be worth experimenting a bit with creating mood lighting using a painted bulb technique.The only problem I can foresee is getting the paint to stick to the bulb permanently.
I will try experimenting with a transparent undercoat or maybe even a little fine sanding of the bulb itself and see what happens.
Man,if it works,I wish that I had this option ten years ago when lighting the inside of my structures.
The other option would be to borrow them back from the museum and re-wire them here at home using LED's, as I really would like to have them displayed as they were intended to be when I built them.


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

John,

We just had a thread about painting light bulbs. (I assume thoughts here could apply to LED's, too.)

http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=9009

Sounds like Tamiya paint gets rave reviews!

TJ


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

Oh thanks TJ for the heads up .


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)




----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

This pic was taken using the facade of my latest airplane diorama.By positioning the camera just right (no tracks) I can create a whole different scene and use different subject matter as the primary subject,in this case a locomotive that I am building for a "Far West" diorama that I have underway at this time.The locomotive is 1/24 scale and the facade is 1/16th.

For those who may be interested,I was told yesterday the the cases were already built and are awaiting their glass tops and all three should be on display before Christmas.The fourth one is finished but as you can see but I am using it now for photography purposes before sending it along too.


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

Building your own facades or backdrops are really easy things to do using materials that are usually available to most of us.They are quite cheap to build and require only hand tools to make.

Glue,cardboard,tongue depressors , coffee stir sticks or small scale scale lumber is all you need.The core could be plywood ,cardboard or foamboard or whatever, as long as it is easy to cut,and does not warp with the use of water based materials like carpenters glue(white or yellow) and acrylic paint.

You will need a flat surface to work on and lots of #11 Xacto blades (changed on a regular basis) and your basic core material to start with.You will want to be able to easily change your design as you go along ,if you wish to.Save all cutouts from doors or windows etc... to use as perfect patches if required.I just usually tape any mistakes over using the patches,because these basic shapes only act as a easily worked flexible core for any brick or wood sheathing.The actual strength will be in the sheathing material you put on or your basic framing.

Before starting I will usually make a small scale complete structure,walls and roof etc ,using cardboard or thick paper.It doesn't have to be to any exact scale as it is only something that is used to stimulate your imagination or work out a final composition.If you want to build it to scale then that is OK too as you then will be able to take direct measurements for the scaled up version.

I will be using lots of pics to illustrate how I do things and as little text as possible ,I find long texts can be boring .

Well here goes ! I hope that you guys enjoy it.The thread will probably end up a little long so please just bypass it if you don't want to read it.Cheers ! John.


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

Lest We Forget


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

Note: first a little of that boring text that I talked about !
Saving Picture References.

For those who may want to permanently save pics or text ,what I have done in the past is just simply save it to my camera.Simply darken the room,set the camera on auto and use a little of the telescopic function to remove any distortion .The quality of the pic will suffer a bit but for our purposes here it will be sufficient. You could of course always save it to your computer the normal way.
Why bother ? you may want it for future reference and I often lose my pics on photobucket when I change anything.Example,whole albums can be lost if I change album names or when switching pics between albums.It is also easy to do and cheap and saves room on your computer.I have in the past copied whole books this way.
It is also sometimes nice to have a hard copy of an example of what you are trying to do right there at your workbench.Sometimes changing them to B & W also helps to get away from all the color distraction as well,especially when looking for shapes and patterns.


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

Hi guys ! I haven't been posting much recently as I am trying to finish up my fourth and final diorama commitment that I made to the Canada Aviation and Space Museum to have it finished before October of this year.Thing are going so well that I should be finished earlier than I planned.
I am getting anxious to get back to the RR diorama for a much needed change then on to the Bleriot/Falcon sculpture after that.
Right now I want to post a few pictures of a neat way of taking pictures of water scenes involving any type of modeling .It could be used for any model that passes on,by,over or through a water environment.I will post a few pictures I took the other day as examples,and later I will explain how it was done.


----------



## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Welcome back.


----------



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Glad your back onboard, John ... your diorama work is always first-class!

TJ


----------



## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

JohnReid said:


> ..............It could be used for any model that passes on,by,over or through a water environment............


 
what color will the water be?


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)




----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)

Thank you guys,I really appreciate your kind words.Cheers! John.


----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)




----------



## JohnReid (Aug 10, 2010)




----------

