Peterborough North

[great northern]

Do we have another image to offer? Just one that has been prepared, it seems.

9F's train to the left, a pilot resting from its exertions, one B17 heading off for a rest, and another still waiting for something to do. And lots of ****** lattice posts.

[great northern]

One quick photo before a visit to Jeremy at Digitrains in the hope of sorting out a conundrum.

A very famous train, headed by a very famous locomotive, runs through from the North, while an Ivatt4 waits to leave for the M&GN, a BR standard clone backs down onto the Ely- Birmingham, and the B17 slumbers by the water tower.

[Richard E]

Out of interest the orange shelter in the centre of the 'today' photo contains the pay machines for the car park!

 

I agree that selling off redundant railway land, especially alongside lines that are still in use, is shortsighted. What will happen when we wnat to reinstate lifted track, sidings or even demolished stations because there is a demand for rail travel. It will come unless we do something very soon to sort out our dependence on fossil fuels. And even then we are going to have to get a sea change in attitude towards nuclear, wind, solar and hydroelectirc generation schemes.

 

I also agree that the today scene is tinged with sadness as the buildings there are all that is left of the area from the 1950's, swept away in the rush to make Peterborough a city of the future, perpetuated in the wish to be the "Green capital of the UK" as our council liked to say at one time.

[Clive Mortimore]

Unused railway land and buildings.

 

For many years in many locations it became an eyesore, over grown with weeds and home to many a vandal. With land in towns being at a premium and sort after it was right at the time to sell it. Up until the 2000s our railways were in decline so from the 1960s to the 2000s it was the correct thing to do. Had the planners who worked on the famous report of 1963 known what life in 2016 would have been like then things might have been different..................hands up all those who know what our national railway needs are for 2063?

[great northern]

Every now and again, it is necessary to admit defeat. I can find no way of satisfactorily photoshopping those lattice posts and signal arms at the North end. I have tried every combination of settings, but nothing works. Give the ****** things sufficient adjustment  to get rid of the nasty black lines which form round everything, and Paint.Net will gleefully wipe out other areas which should remain. Add the fact that the sun has already done its bit too, and I'm beaten. This then is a preamble to some very technically imperfect images. I did say some time back though that I would leave you to make your own minds up, so that is what I shall do. Please don't magnify them, they just don't bear close examination, even though I spent a long time on them.

Actually I rather like the composition of this last one, but the back lighting was really too strong even to attempt it.

[great northern]

A period of disenchantment has set in. I really cannot find anything that I feel is worth showing to you, and my heart sinks at the prospect of spending long periods trying to photoshop something which will have little merit when complete. Instead I shall go and do something else, leaving this, which is the best I can find of what remains.

[rockershovel]

The whole business of railway planning seems to me to fall at the same fence that so many plans so - specifically, that forecasting of technological change tends to be either wildly inaccurate, or to miss fundamental changes which are not foreseen at the time.

 

The whole business of online shopping is a case in point. Twenty years ago, it didn't exist in any significant form, and plans for town centres didn't reflect it. My local Halfords is now less than one-third the size it was ten years ago, and I've just ordered oil for my motor bike online because no local stockist carries it, including the franchise dealer. A local model shop conducts a significant proportion of its business on eBay and has reduced it floor space by two-thirds, with no apparent loss of turnover; indeed, they admit to questioning whether the actual shop is worth retaining at all.

 

Honda's Asimo robot is basically a party trick, a test bed for concepts which actually appear in wholly functional assembly arms; robotic container handling is carried out by cranes and flatbeds which have no cabs at all.

 

Same goes for population figures. If Dr Beeching, or indeed any other planner up to about 2000 had produced a report forecasting that population growth would be exponential, because we would tear up our historic border controls and allow the largest influx of population in our recorded history for ideological reasons, that report would never have been allowed to see the light of day, being "scouted at, as a monstrous fable" which made no sense at all in the context of available information.

 

I don't doubt, given that we now have a situation where (amid the impenetrable thickets of quangos) the Office for National Statistics is being openly accused, in the Daily Telegraph as it happens, of effectively producing fraudulent, incorrect or incomplete data for political reasons, I don't doubt that any current planning being done is of even less value than its predecessors.

Edited March 31, 2016 by rockershovel

[St Enodoc]

A period of disenchantment has set in. I really cannot find anything that I feel is worth showing to you, and my heart sinks at the prospect of spending long periods trying to photoshop something which will have little merit when complete. Instead I shall go and do something else, leaving this, which is the best I can find of what remains.

14 very close.jpg

Gilbert, I would be very happy to see photos that haven't been "modified". Then I know I am seeing what you (or at least your camera) saw.

[Oldddudders]

Gilbert, I would be very happy to see photos that haven't been "modified". Then I know I am seeing what you (or at least your camera) saw.

Absolutely. While meeting the high standards that the Andy Ys of this world achieve in magazines etc is very worthwhile, it is also very time-consuming, thus reducing Gilbert's time for actually running trains, so raw pics of models are entirely acceptable and enjoyable here.

[landscapes]

A period of disenchantment has set in. I really cannot find anything that I feel is worth showing to you, and my heart sinks at the prospect of spending long periods trying to photoshop something which will have little merit when complete. Instead I shall go and do something else, leaving this, which is the best I can find of what remains.

14 very close.jpg

 

Hi Gilbert

 

Nice photos as usual but it must take you ages to photoshop around those lattice signals, would it not be possible to place some card as a permanent fixture or temporary in a very light grey or light blue behind the problematic structures then just blend in the photoshopped sky around the signals.

 

I hope what I am trying to explain  makes sense to you.

 

Regards

 

David

[mullie]

I'm sure everyone who follows this thread would be more than happy to see 'raw' photos, the quality of the modelling will still shine through. The thought of spending hours Photoshopping would fill me with horror and my job is very ict based. My layout is nowhere near this quality but when I take a photo, if I don't like it I ditch it. Then and only then do I crop it and carry out a tiny amount of editing. My thread is effectively the trials and tribulations of my modelling and I use, phone, iPad as well as a camera to record my progress. If I have some time, which can be rare, I'd rather be modelling.

 

As has been suggested before, why not look into a temporary back scene that could provide a suitable background, you could even have a range of scenes featuring different weathers! It could save you a massive amount of time.

 

I can't imagine the number of likes will go down if you show raw photos.

 

This is a great layout so enjoy it.

 

Martyn

[The Blue Streak]

I think you are being a bit hard on yourself Gilbert. As everyone else has said, We are just as happy to see pictures of the layout just the way it is.

[New Haven Neil]

Agreeses to all the above photo comments.  We just like to see your railway, Gilbert.  Even the B17's.........

[great northern]

Hi Gilbert

 

Nice photos as usual but it must take you ages to photoshop around those lattice signals, would it not be possible to place some card as a permanent fixture or temporary in a very light grey or light blue behind the problematic structures then just blend in the photoshopped sky around the signals.

 

I hope what I am trying to explain  makes sense to you.

 

Regards

 

David

That is what I have done David, though you wouldn't think so. I've erased most of the original images, but the one below shows the problems.

Behind the footbridge tower is a piece of card. it is actually white, the same colour as the very obvious piece to the right of it. There was another such piece of card to its left, but it has chosen to fall off. Unfortunately, being in shadow under the bookcases, the white comes out grey, and even my duck egg blue walls do the same. When I position the camera up that end, the effect is even worse.

 

It may well be that I do not properly understand how to photoshop, as somehow I get black lines around signal posts and arms, which are very hard to remove. Adjusting tolerance levels seems to have no logic to it. If I try a high tolerance, something way away from what I am working on will get deleted, but if I play safe I get halos round everything.

 

It is strange, but when actually in the room the distractions don't get noticed. The camera of course picks up on everything, which I dislike intensely. It is very good of all of you to take such a generous attitude, but, you see,if it isn't acceptable to me I just feel like binning it.

 

One thing I could and should do is to avoid trying to process things when I'm tired, having a bad day or struggling with very difficult light. Perhaps then I would not get so uptight about it. Please do say if I have completely misunderstood what you are trying to suggest.

[great northern]

Here are a couple more which I have dealt with to a degree. Considerably easier up this end though.

 

Surely these two are preferable to this though?

The only differences are selective cropping, erasing of background and addition of sky. So far as the railway is concerned, you see exactly what is there.

 

[jukebox]

Gilbert - there are more than a few RMwebbers who have masterful photoshop skills.  I'd suggest that if you post some raw images, and you didn't object, they might even be tempted to have a dabble in thier spare time on your behalf.

 

And as others have said, we're pleased to see any of your work - and don't need the perfection that a magazine editor might demand.

 

Regards

 

Scott

[St Enodoc]

Here are a couple more which I have dealt with to a degree. Considerably easier up this end though.

long view.jpg

14 emerging.jpg

 

Surely these two are preferable to this though?

unshopped.jpg

The only differences are selective cropping, erasing of background and addition of sky. So far as the railway is concerned, you see exactly what is there.

Yes the first two are better Gilbert, but the third on its own would be better than none at all.

[bigwordsmith]

 Gilbert - it could be down to resolution - because you use paint.net it and win doze there are many image problems, and because you are running over the web, what you see on screen is only going to bet at 72dpi.

 

given the time and frustration have you not thought it might be worth shelling out £ 120 for Photoshop Elements? http://www.adobe.com/uk/products/photoshop-premiere-elements.html

 

This gives you total control on your PC rather than through the Cloud - it may be an answer

[great northern]

Thank you. All comments taken on board, and will be carefully considered. Today I am waiting for the plumber to call, and so have been playing trains. First though, as Jukebox suggested, I have taken a shot which anyone is welcome to have a go with. This is one of the angles which gives me the most trouble.

Theoretically everything is in my favour today, as there is light cloud cover, and a fairly good even light.

 

Next I gave my 02 its first test run, as it now has a decoder which it seems to like. No lamps yet, as it isn't in full service, and it will be handed over to Tim in due course to be transformed into the state in which I remember them.

I have taken my time with this, quite a lot of it actually, but it still doesn't come out as I wish. Do I want to spend even more time, and pay for a better programme? I don't think so frankly. I'm not a professional photographer, and don't want to be one, so I'll probably just ignore the angles that I know are going to give me grief. again though, I'm posting the original image, so that anyone so inclined can play around with it.

The 02 runs very sweetly and quietly indeed, and has no problems at all with a load of 40 wagons plus brake.

[Mallard60022]

Good afternoon G. My only suggestions are to return to crop and do close ups more often. We love the signals and views but the 'processing' of those must be distracting you from other enjoyable tasks. 

I like the helicopter shots and that must mean you don't have to deal with the poles and signals quite so much? 'Helicopter' position for views I mean.

ATB,

Duck

[landscapes]

Here are a couple more which I have dealt with to a degree. Considerably easier up this end though.

long view.jpg

14 emerging.jpg

 

Surely these two are preferable to this though?

unshopped.jpg

The only differences are selective cropping, erasing of background and addition of sky. So far as the railway is concerned, you see exactly what is there.

 

Hi Gilbert

 

I see what you mean regarding your background, obviously the shelves are the problem as they do not allow you to create a smooth continuous backdrop.

 

Having said that, your latest batch of photos you have posted are very good I would be more than pleased if they were my photos.

 

One other suggestion is, (and its always easy to advise someone when you cannot see the actual layout)  could you fix a curtain rail to the end face of the top shelf then drape a curtain down onto the base board, again using a light sky colour of pale blue of even grey.

 

That may help with the shelf shadow problem and still retain some light colour behind your signals.

 

I use Adobe Photoshop Elements 12 I am not sure now but I think the latest addition may be Elements 14, I purchased Elements 12 on the Internet brand new for around £60.00.

 

As it's out of date it may be even cheaper now and there is more than enough tools in it to cover the type of photoshop work you do, and it can also edit Raw images as well which is very helpful when trying to remove any colour casts.

 

Looking at your first photo of thread No 10719 it is always difficult to photoshop in a sky when it goes down to the base board level, I think its always helpful to have some form of scenic background to the layout edge such as buildings or a grass embankment which then gives some hight and something to blend your sky or what ever other background you choose into.

 

This morning was quite sunny and my Wife was out playing Golf so I took the opportunity to go out in our garden to photograph some of my models on a Photo plank I built some time ago, the photo plank has a grass embankment background So I photo-shopped in a scene from a Scottish landscape photo I took some time ago.

 

I enclose two of the photos I took earlier today. one before and one after to show how easy it is when you have the right background to match the scene you are photo-shopping in.

 

Obviously it is much easier to do this on my 1200mm length photo plank rather than on a layout the size of Peterborough North but it gives an idea of what can be done even in a small confined area if you have some form of scenic height to the layout edges. 

 

Good luck with what ever option you choose and as many other members have already stated the quality of your photos speak for themselves photo shopped or not.

 

Regards

 

David

Edited April 1, 2016 by landscapes

[stewartingram]

Photoshop was on free download offer until very recently, so surely it is now in the public domain? I do have a copy stashed away, which I was able to use when I recently rebuilt the PC.

 

Stewart

[islandbridgejct]

Do I want to spend even more time, and pay for a better programme? I don't think so frankly. ...

 

Lawyer to lawyer mode on...

 

Gilbert, you have used the classic solicitor's trick and posed a false issue here.

 

The question is not one of spending more time AND money [but rather one of spending] more time OR more money?

 

...

 

Alan

 

[edit - rest of post deleted on reflection, as it ended up sounding critical rather than funny, and I was a bit embarassed by it. ]

 

[Further edit - I see there's not much point editing it as it's quoted below. Anyway, above is what I meant to say. The rest, well, went a bit off.]

Edited April 5, 2016 by islandbridgejct

[great northern]

Good afternoon G. My only suggestions are to return to crop and do close ups more often. We love the signals and views but the 'processing' of those must be distracting you from other enjoyable tasks. 

I like the helicopter shots and that must mean you don't have to deal with the poles and signals quite so much? 'Helicopter' position for views I mean.

ATB,

Duck

Glad the flu didn't materialise Phil. I can assure you that crops are a major part of my plans. Anything which looks like being a pain to photoshop will be ruthlessly excluded, if at all possible. And I will hire the helicopter more often.

[great northern]

Lawyer to lawyer mode on...

 

Gilbert, you have used the classic solicitor's trick and posed a false issue here.

 

The question is not one of spending more time AND money. It is do you want to spend more time OR more money?

 

Pay for the programme, save the time, and stop whining.

 

Or save the money and spend your time with paint.net if you prefer, but it's your choice. So stop whining anyway.

 

:nono:

 

Lawyer to lawyer mode off...

 

Oh dear, that came out a bit strong. A thousand apologies.

 

Please just show us photos of your layout. We like them, and we want you to spend your time improving it, not improving photos of it.

 

If you're lucky, I might even make a comment about LNER 4-6-0s looking better than their Pacifics.

 

Alan

Well deserved I think Alan. One should not post things when feeling a bit down. Today, in stark contrast, all has gone swimmingly. The trains have run faultlessly, and all the photos I have taken since I last posted have turned out well, and been very easy to deal with. My mistake was to take several shots of the A4 running in, and then try to photoshop them all at once. One of those every now and then is the best policy. I'm still waiting for the plumber to show up though.....