Beeston Market Station forecourt/backscenes

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Southern188
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Re: Beeston Market Station forecourt/backscenes

Post by Southern188 » Sat Jun 09, 2018 8:27 am

I greatly admire all your modelling skills and the realistic scenes and enjoy viewing them but I'm dissapointed to find that some of the photos and videos are being, or will be, digitally enhanced. They are good enough without this and more natural for a railway that is in a garden.

Please, no fake photographs or videos.

Michael

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Re: Beeston Market Station forecourt/backscenes

Post by ge_rik » Sat Jun 09, 2018 9:09 am

Southern188 wrote: Sat Jun 09, 2018 8:27 am I greatly admire all your modelling skills and the realistic scenes and enjoy viewing them but I'm disappointed to find that some of the photos and videos are being, or will be, digitally enhanced. They are good enough without this and more natural for a railway that is in a garden.

Please, no fake photographs or videos.

Michael
Hi Michael
Interesting. Does that mean you normally blank out an ugly looking background? It's only the background which has been or will be changed (and so far I've only touched up the background on the one video listed).

I'm asking because I'd like to take pictures from angles different to those I've been using for the past ten years. The reason I've not taken pictures of those parts of the railway before is because of the backgrounds (ie brick walls, wooden fences, sheds and general garden clutter). For example, there are very few pictures of the swing bridge because in one direction the background is tatty sheds and the other direction is the house or garage.

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Re: Beeston Market Station forecourt/backscenes

Post by ge_rik » Sat Jun 09, 2018 3:28 pm

OK - to further the debate. I've been tinkering today.

Here's an unadulterated photo of one of my trains crossing the swing bridge with its actual background (ie the sheds etc)
IMG_7856.JPG
IMG_7856.JPG (170.05 KiB) Viewed 9595 times

Here, I've erected a screen of blue plastic to hide the sheds
IMG_7855.JPG
IMG_7855.JPG (140.75 KiB) Viewed 9595 times

And in this shot I've chroma keyed a background. It's a bit rough and ready as you can still see the wrinkles in the plastic.
swing bridge view.jpg
swing bridge view.jpg (118.43 KiB) Viewed 9595 times

Now, the question is, should I develop this approach further or am I wasting my time?

Rik
PS - My thinking is that, as my railway is hypothetically situated in a real location, I could take photos of the locality and occasionally use these as backgrounds. Will it add an extra dimension or actually detract from the garden railway?
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Re: Beeston Market Station forecourt/backscenes

Post by tom_tom_go » Sat Jun 09, 2018 3:47 pm

You should do what you want Rik and not post to appease others.

My railway is not realistic enough to worry about such things as it's a railway that just happens to be in a garden.

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Re: Beeston Market Station forecourt/backscenes

Post by Dwayne » Sat Jun 09, 2018 4:49 pm

IMHO, anything artificial in a photo attracts my attention away from the intended focus... the trains, track and lineside structures. Perhaps it's because I know that our model railways are set in a real world of tool sheds, wheelbarrows, fences, etc. My mind's eye sees these items in photos but dismisses them automatically. Perhaps this is because after years in the hobby my mind has become "trained" to the trains.

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Re: Beeston Market Station forecourt/backscenes

Post by philipy » Sat Jun 09, 2018 5:20 pm

I actually like both but for different reasons.
With the original shot my mind automatically concentrates on the model loco, more or less to the exclusion of everything else.
The final shot looks much more like a train in a landscape and less of a model.
So if you want to show the loco detail, use (a) if you want to show a realistic scene use (b) (IMO of course!)
BUT, I agree with Tom, it's your railway, do what YOU want.
Philip

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Re: Beeston Market Station forecourt/backscenes

Post by bazzer42 » Sat Jun 09, 2018 5:55 pm

I'm with Dwayne any detritus in a photo (I have plenty) isn't instant to my eyes and helps set the context of the space you have to work with.

That said the last photo has to be double checked to be sure it's a model.

If it's one or the other it's au natural for me but I will still be looking at your pics either way 😀

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Re: Beeston Market Station forecourt/backscenes

Post by Southern188 » Sat Jun 09, 2018 8:48 pm

Post deleted.
Last edited by Southern188 on Sun Jun 10, 2018 1:25 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Beeston Market Station forecourt/backscenes

Post by tom_tom_go » Sat Jun 09, 2018 9:27 pm

No one is right or wrong and no one is a favourite here so you are entitled to an opinion.

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Re: Beeston Market Station forecourt/backscenes

Post by ge_rik » Sat Jun 09, 2018 11:18 pm

Southern188 wrote: Sat Jun 09, 2018 8:48 pm Rik, as stated above you can do what you want but I'm sure I've seen that video before and thought it was so realistic. Now looking at it again, I can clearly see the changes and realise what an idiot I was for thinking it was real.

Sorry for making an issue of it but I can't now believe everything I see. The picture with the river in the background is obviously false so fine if that's what you want to do, I just can't see the point. Your models are so good without digital enhancements.

Your popular here, I'm not (not now anyway) so I wish I hadn't replied.
Hi Michael
No, please, I was honestly interested in your response and everyone else's come to that. I am really wrestling with this issue. I sometimes feel that people must be getting bored with seeing yet another photo or video of the PLR showing the same loco and stock going along the same bit of track. I'm glad you have responded as I can now see that my idea for trying to obliterate unattractive backgrounds is maybe not as essential as I thought.

I think I'll still experiment with chroma keying for my own amusement, but given the amount of effort required to set up and process each shot, it will be an occasional distraction. The vast majority of my photos and videos are literally taken in the midst of an operating session by plonking the camera down to grab some footage or snaps as things happen. I will, however, sometimes re-run a sequence if the loco hits the camera or something becomes derailed (sod's law often seems to apply).

I'm sure I have irritated a fair few people on here by my repeated requests for basic information or views on topics, and also by my cack-handed modelling efforts (and also my perversity at running battery powered steam locos). I think I am more benignly 'tolerated' than 'popular'.

I hope I haven't put you off watching future videos. If ever I do resort to digital trickery again, I will flag it up clearly.

Rik
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Re: Beeston Market Station forecourt/backscenes

Post by Dwayne » Sun Jun 10, 2018 2:29 am

Rik, I for one enjoy your videos, photos and all the other information you put out there. I may not comment on everything you post but I am perusing your FB page, blog and YouTube channel as well as what goes on this board. An example of your influence was my purchasing ten HLW flat car kits with the intent of bashing them into useful freight cars similar to what you've done on the Peckforton. Even today I ordered another six kits to be outfitted with the remaining six pair of Bachmann 24.5mm wheel sets I had on hand.

Regarding the enthusiasm towards battery powered locos, I've been contemplating switching over to the Deltang system myself for the past week. Prior to your mentioning this system on this forum... I'd never heard of Deltang since the vast majority of US modelers are still in a love affair with track power for some odd reason.

Keep in mind that although your modeling is based on UK themed railways which is foreign to my mind, I've gleaned a ton of useful information from you that may be incorporated into my own railway eventually in one form or another.

In summary, don't stop doing what you do. :)

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Re: Beeston Market Station forecourt/backscenes

Post by ge_rik » Sun Jun 10, 2018 6:14 am

Thanks Dwayne
I do enjoy doing what I'm doing and it's good to hear that some of it rubs off on others. I've always found looking at other people's model railways interesting and still do. The most interesting section of the Railway Modeller magazine was and is the Railway of the Month. We learn so much by seeing what others have done, which is what motivated me to write my blog, in the hope there might be a nugget or two to help someone else - even if it's to say, "Well, I'm not going to do mine like that!"

I'm always inspired by your track making and your terra forming. I'm not convinced I have the skills needed to make my own track, but am really tempted to give it a try - especially after seeing your outcomes. Not quite so sure about the terra forming, though - I don't think my soil is quite so well behaved as yours (and I do like my rocks and concrete ;) !).

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Re: Beeston Market Station forecourt/backscenes

Post by tom_tom_go » Sun Jun 10, 2018 8:47 am

Like Dwayne, I never heard of Deltang until you started documenting about it online Rik so you keep rambling away!

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Re: Beeston Market Station forecourt/backscenes

Post by BorisSpencer » Tue Jun 12, 2018 5:16 pm

That's very impressive Rik, puts your railway into its prototypical context.
I can't imagine you would want to go to those lengths for every photo, but to enable you to show a picture of something that I don't think I've seen outside of your blog describing its construction, adds a new perspective.
I've decided to take a slightly different approach and invested in a couple of cheap cammo nets to throw over offending garden detritus.

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Re: Beeston Market Station forecourt/backscenes

Post by ge_rik » Tue Jun 12, 2018 6:11 pm

BorisSpencer wrote: Tue Jun 12, 2018 5:16 pm That's very impressive Rik, puts your railway into its prototypical context.
I can't imagine you would want to go to those lengths for every photo, but to enable you to show a picture of something that I don't think I've seen outside of your blog describing its construction, adds a new perspective.
I've decided to take a slightly different approach and invested in a couple of cheap cammo nets to throw over offending garden detritus.
That's a really good idea, Boris, thanks. I was in the garden centre the other day and spotted some brushwood screens, but they were a lot more expensive than I was prepared to pay. I reckoned it would have cost me around £130 for sufficient to mask the areas which I'd need to cover for some of my shots. I was trying to figure out if and how i could make my own. However, I'm assuming a decent sized camo net would be less expensive than that.

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Re: Beeston Market Station forecourt/backscenes

Post by ge_rik » Tue Jun 12, 2018 6:20 pm

Actually, just looked on eBay and the nets are a lot cheaper for the equivalent size. A definite proposition. Thanks.

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Re: Beeston Market Station forecourt/backscenes

Post by Soar Valley Light » Tue Jun 12, 2018 7:38 pm

ge_rik wrote: Sat Jun 09, 2018 11:18 pm
Southern188 wrote: Sat Jun 09, 2018 8:48 pm Rik, as stated above you can do what you want but I'm sure I've seen that video before and thought it was so realistic. Now looking at it again, I can clearly see the changes and realise what an idiot I was for thinking it was real.

Sorry for making an issue of it but I can't now believe everything I see. The picture with the river in the background is obviously false so fine if that's what you want to do, I just can't see the point. Your models are so good without digital enhancements.

Your popular here, I'm not (not now anyway) so I wish I hadn't replied.
Michael,

Whilst in general I'm personally in the same camp as Phil, Tom and Dwayne, it doesn't meant I don't respect - and welcome - your opinion. It's been said before but this ability to share opinions openly and to be able to give and receive honest feedback is one of, if not THE, greatest strengths of this forum. PLEASE continue to to share yours with us and don't feel you are any less popular for having done so. I can't speak for the others of course but I'll have a quid on most of them sharing my view (I could be well out of pocket if I've got that one wrong!)

All the best,

Andrew
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Re: Beeston Market Station forecourt/backscenes

Post by Peter Butler » Tue Jun 12, 2018 10:57 pm

I'm with you all the way Andrew and this is one reason why I encourage communication rather than just a 'like' or a silly smilie thingy which gives no alternative or constructive opinions whatsoever.
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Re: Beeston Market Station forecourt/backscenes

Post by FWLR » Thu Jun 14, 2018 7:55 am

ge_rik wrote: Sat Jun 09, 2018 11:18 pm
Southern188 wrote: Sat Jun 09, 2018 8:48 pm Rik, as stated above you can do what you want but I'm sure I've seen that video before and thought it was so realistic. Now looking at it again, I can clearly see the changes and realise what an idiot I was for thinking it was real.

Sorry for making an issue of it but I can't now believe everything I see. The picture with the river in the background is obviously false so fine if that's what you want to do, I just can't see the point. Your models are so good without digital enhancements.

Your popular here, I'm not (not now anyway) so I wish I hadn't replied.
Michael, don’t stop commenting on threads, everyones entitled to their opinion and you made a very valid point about the back scene. We all display in the garden, that’s want it’s all about isn’t it. If we had lakes and castles and other stuff we would be in the real world of the standard gauge railways.

Come on folks we run in the garden or back yard for our America cousins and if we had everything covered up with unreal scenes then we wouldn’t be in the garden or yard.

I did notice the offending wheelbarrow Rik, which I think started this discussion, but to me I at first only saw the building and then the barrow and also the waste bin, which to me is just part and parcel of having a garden, (we all don’t have massive areas to store such things) so keep on showing has is for me and leave all the back scene stuff to those who run trains indoors. :thumbright:

For me I at first look at the trains and rolling stock, then the buildings, then the track laid and then the flora, then all the other stuff comes into view.

Ps. I have said before in another thread of yours Rik, how much I love your stream and the way you have videoed it.

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Re: Beeston Market Station forecourt/backscenes

Post by ge_rik » Thu Jul 19, 2018 4:13 pm

I've posted a link in another thread to an online tool for creating poster-sized images by printing a picture out on a series of A4 sheets which can be glued together. Thought it might be useful for testing an image before forking out for a vinyl banner - https://gardenrails.org/forum/viewtopic ... 54#p138550

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