Chris Nevard

Thanks - natural light is far more gentle on the beige, greens and yellows which tend to get distorted with artificial low energy lighting like flus. They're still better than spots though with their mulitple shadows and pools of light. Daylight or my daylight photographic lighting is best though.

nevard_110206_catcott_DSC_1324_web, originally uploaded by nevardmedia. BR Std Class 3 MT No. 82005 slows for Catcott Burtle with an early evening service from Evercreech Junction during the late summer of 1964.The layout lights were turned off and the natural north facing window light was allowed to stray in. Clunk. The only addition is the fake engine-clag and some git leaning out of the engine. The Morris traveller has been sprayed with a little matt varnish to kill the toy like shine. Oh yes, before I go - here's a 1280 x 800 pixel version..

Just a pale blue one would work well with no clouds I guess - though it would need to darken to the top. But with Catcott it was important for me to get get that big summer sky effect so typical of the area with cumulus clouds. Something to think about with other projects maybe.

I could start messing about with the backscene, but then I'm doing computer graphics rather than photography and model making and I'm keen to keep away from that unless I'm shooting a layout without a backscene when I have no choice. Otherwise I might as well turn the camera off, sell the layouts and and buy MS Trainsim or whatever that's called. I think sometimes we have to accept limitations or merging 3d with 2d? A non-AF lens cannot become an AF lens. AF is no good for this kind of photography anyway, so even if you do have AF you'll be turning it off. You'll be able to use old Nikkors (they'll need to be Ai converted - lots on Google about such - the mount goes back to 1959!) on the D70 and D40, the only other thing you won't have is metering, so just pop the camera in manual and take some test exposures using a small aperture with the camera well supported at the lowest ISO. Do not underetimate the D70, good technique and good glass is still the most important thing, though the chap in Dixons well not agree with me of course.

Click on the photo above for a 1024 sized version. This snap shows a typical Highbridge Branch train as seen in the last 2 years of the line's existence; a single Hawksworth Brake Compo and a ex-Southern Railway bogie-van for perishables (fun things like cider and cheese). You can see some rather nice prototype photos of such trains here. Note the narrow gauge trucks in the background used for transporting peat from the nearby moor. I hope to get that aspect operational before the next show. Of more interest to photographers, might be that this photo was taken using a Nikon Nikkor 35mm focal length prime lens dating from the mid-1960's. We tend to think of digital photography as throwaway, but this need not be the case, many makes of digital SLR allow the use of wonderful older lenses - and 'vintage' is so cool! So, if you have a limited budget, the smart money will always go on a good lens, the chances are that you or your kids might still be using it 45 years later like here - whereas that expensive camera body will be down the car boot sale with all the knocked off tat in just 5. And the real bonus is that 'camera make' prime lenses are frequently optically far better than mid-priced zooms and go for pennies on Ebay! Of course that smarmy salesman called Wayne in the out-of-town megastore will not tell you any of the above for obvious reasons. So, here we have a portrayal of the end of steam scenario, taken on a lens that was around when steam ruled supreme, well just! Below, hopefully some of the answers to the blizzard of questions that will no doubt follow...... Loco: Bachmann Ivatt Class 2MT 2-6-2 renumbered, detailed and weathered. Coach: Hornby Hawksworth Brake Compo after a bit of fettling Van: Ratio (Kit) SR bogie van. Layout: Catcott Burtle. Toys: Nikon D200, Nikkor S 35mm f2.8 shooting RAW with the camera tripod mounted. Exp: 3 sec at f16, using 6 exposures combined in Helicon Focus to extend the depth of field. Lighting: The layout's own fluorescent lighting. Cheating: The only computer addition is the loco-clag using 'Clouds' in Photoshop. Not-cheating: The sky is physically there, actually part of the layout and was produced photographically - proof here for those that think everything is make-believe: http://www.nevardmed.../p57399245.html . I'm mid-way through writing an article for the popular press on doing such.

The moggy does look a little too tidy despite a wash over of matt varnish. It's quite tricky getting cars to blend in without making them look like bangers. I think I'll give it a light wash of my gunk mix and wipe most of it off. I've a nice little green Moggy saloon to do. The camera is do unforgiving! Terry, September the 24th 1964 was a very windy chilly day you must recall? It was taken whilst be were in Bath trying to blend in with the boho locals I'm just working some shots with the an Ivatt 2-6-2 and a SR bogie van...... to follow shortly...

Click on the pics to enlarge to 1024 pixels... Ok, now I've got your attention with my wife superimposed in unseasonal clothing onto the little bridge that crosses the remains of the Glastonbury Canal next to Catcott Crossing, the reason for this post is to highlight a little basic weathering on the rather splendid new Hornby ex-GWR Hawksworth Brake Compo. These rather stylish coaches were regularly used during the final couple of years of the former SDJR Highbridge Branch. And yes that is me in the cab looking stupid. Weathering has involved a few washes of black acrylic mixed with Carr's rusty coloured weathering powders, the filthy mix was then splashed all over the pristine coach, wiped off and then buffed with a stiff brush to produce a nice sheen whilst working the pigment into the recesses. Prior to this filthy task, the roof was repainted a darker Humbrol matt grey. The peeling paint which appears to be a feature of these coaches in their final years was achieved by applying some PVA glue before-hand and then peeling it off after the darker grey paint was applied to reveal the original lighter colour underneath. Of course there are special bespoke products to do this - but you know me by now I'm sure. Tight and no mug. I also added a 'first class' stripe just below the roof line courtesy of some HHRS Pressfix, the model doesn't come with this, but photos of these coaches show such in 1964-65. Below, a slightly more close up view which hopefully better highlights what I have done. Further improvements might be to remove the glazing and paint the edges of the clear plastic to reduce or possibly eliminate the slight prism effect. Of course some passengers could be added too (the token passenger on the right in the top photo is a well known model railway scenic expert courtesy of Photoshop) - but we all know that this little piece of railway never carried anyone in its final years apart from spotters so who cares? Before someone takes great delight in letting me know that the guard's handrail is missing - yup I know, it got damaged when buffing the coachwork - so it will need to be replaced with some brass wire. I quite enjoy these quickie weathering jobs, they really transform these already excellent ready to run models. So, next I quite fancy doing a Hornby 'Blood & Custard' Maunsell 3 coach set next using similar techniques for running on Combwich, such will look super behind an ex Midland 4F.

Don't worry guys, no paint or ballast or clay will go near the layout until everything runs - I've done a lot of this in the past, albeit with code 75 rather than 55. For the cobbled bits I will ballast first to sleeper height - it makes a good key for the Air Clay to adhere too and avoids any looking down issues

Catcott is all foamboard (card/foam/card) apart from the ends, fascias and sides which are ply. Almost 4 years on and it's perfect. MDF and ply is just as likely to distort if stored somewhere damp (which will never happen). I like to get all the wood work out first, this way suits me because I can borrow the dining room table and not damage it, whilst being sociable rather than hiding in the garage.

Nice crane and phot Mr Angell323 - on one of my favourite layouts too B) Good pic Jim - a 'proper' B&W conversion too

Thanks, the K point should be OK, there should be an older post on it on this blog somewhere. Code 55 doesn't take long to file into shape either. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php/blog/206/entry-5380-brewhouse-quay-wiring-fun/

nevard_110204_brewhouseQ_IMG_9104_web, originally uploaded by nevardmedia. Track laying has now started in earnest on my brewery project. Because the layout will be presented diorama style with a high curved backscene on 3 sides as mentioned on previous posts, I'm laying the track 'off set' using a 5mm foamboard sub-base which will be firmly bonded to the proper plywood base once most of the fiddly stuff has been done. It's much easier to work this way because I can spin the base around to suit and really ensure that the trackwork is all properly aligned without having to resort to some kind of contortion act. Good track is something that is particularly important with a layout which will mainly be running 4 wheeled locos, though of course one should always aim for well laid track irrespective of what one is running. Much of the trackwork on the left hand side (which is next to the canal basin) will be embedded in sets (cobbles), so armchair modellers shouldn't worry too much about the iffy sleeper spacing. Note the check rails on the nearest line in preparation for the 'sets' which will probably be scribed Humbrol Air Clay.

I like the old Agfa CT18 look of this -despite being 50 asa is was always a very grainy film.

Classy!

What is normal layout lighting?

nevard_110123_combwich-53809_DSC_211127b_web, originally uploaded by nevardmedia. At Combwich, a nicely buffed up 82005 prepares to take on coal next to the foreman's Morris Traveller. For most layout photographic commissions we have to use portable studio lighting to get the best out of layouts because most model railways are nowhere near a good source of natural light or are lit by domestic spotlights. This type of artificial lighting, whilst popular is totally unsuitable for photography because of multiple shadows and uneven pools of light it generates. Tip: do what Pendon do and use fluorescent tubes if you want to use your layout for photography, modern digital cameras cope very well with this type of lighting. Sometimes though the layout can be placed next to a window, the soft lighting especially if on an overcast day can produce a very nice luminous quality. For the shot here, the layout was placed at about a 70 degree angle to the window, the angle being important to add a bit of modelling which highlights texture and detail. In the digital darkroom, apart from some basic level control (which is no different to the old days when we used to send negs away for printing or do our own home), the only computer addition is the little whiff of smoke. Oh yes, and the use of Helicon Focus to extend the depth of field, that however will not have added anything that isn't actually there. You can see a bigger version here: http://www.nevardmed.../p68805715.html

I did, with just 5 mins to go before the doors shut last weekend. They simply bend. Easily fixed - this time, I bent the gate back.

Watched by Tiddles the huge station cat bruiser, SDJR 7F No. 53809 arrives at Combwich with the afternoon goods from Evercreech Junction during the August of 1961. The obligatory WIDESCREEN wallpaper version is here! This is of course the rather super new Bachmann SDJR 7F 2-8-0 which has appeared a few time over the last few week on this blog. The big difference now is that I have at last finished the weathering process. I never weather in one go, but tend to do it in stages over a few days or even weeks, for it is very easy to overdo weathering and end up with something crude if rushed. I also like to see how the loco looks in different light and how it compares to other item of stock that it will be running with - that and of course using as many colour photos as one can find for reference. And that aspect now has been taken care of due to this wonderful resource in the form of Barking Bill's Photostream.

Gonzo - you've managed to get that look of old slide film very well. Sort of Agfa CT18-esque. Pete - spooky! Dry ice again? It's a full moon tonight I believe, so this could be a scene right now and like a shot out of Quatermass....

You're doing a great job here, do not underestimate your skills, you certainly don't give the impression of this being your first time - keep em coming!

I love this concept of different modules and the chance to model all sorts of different seasons or landscapes with out having to commit t a whole layout. I think you might start a new trend here and one that I might pinch when I have a bit more space.