Progress on layout...

Uteram

Member
Haven't posted in awhile and wanted to give you all an update of what's happening. I've started work on the other end of my shelf layout.

As you can see from the pictures, it's a very narrow shelf (only about 1 and a half feet right here). As I've probably mentioned, I idolized Furlow and John Olson growing up as a young model railroader. I hope their influence comes through in the modeling.
 

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Uteram

Member
The styrofoam is only for set up purposes for now. When the scene is complete, there will be a dirt road that meanders up the side of a retaining wall separating the tracks below.
 

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Uteram

Member
Question for photo experts out there...

Notice in my photos above, the right side of the picture is fuzzy. This always happens when I set up shots. I use a Nikon Coolpix 775. Nice camera, but this always seems to happen. User error or faulty lens?
 
Beautiful weathering Uteram, you've really captured the atmosphere of what you are planning. Geee, I can't wait to see the finished results! .... Keep going the way you are and we'll put you in the same category as Furlough and Olsen ... you're already half way there!

As to the fuzziness in your pics, I just put it down to depth-of-field limitations. Try photographing somthing that fills the frame left to right but where the whole subject is the same distance from the camera. Lens problems you suggest are a rarity (like hen's teeth :D :D )

Errol
 

jon-monon

Active Member
Maybe it's just me or the angle of the photo, but it seems the out of focus is more intense towards the corners? I'm not sure what that says about the liklihood of a problem with the camera. I would agree with Errol and do that test, maybe photograph a sheet newspaper dead on and see what you get. A lense problem, I would suspect, would show up more with less depth of field as the error would be in front of the aperature. A problem "inside" the camera, like if what holds the film flat is warped or the electronic sensor, the dugamahickey in a digital camera, should cause a consistant problem at any angle or an ligthing.

If you don't have manual control, therefor no direct control over depth of field, does it improve if you take a picture in bright sunlight?

If it's new I would just exchange it and see if the "problem" goes away.
 

marty w.

Member
Thats some excellent work your doing there Uteram. I really like those buildings.
There maybe a problem with your lens. Try what Errol has suggested and if the problem is still present, maybe find a good camera shop in your area to help you out. I can change lens with my Nikon 4500, but I don't know about your model.
Marty
 

shamus

Registered Member
Nice work Uteram, don't worry about that out of focus building on the right, your camera was looking straight at the one in the foreground and smiled at that. If you had turned the camera to the right ever so slightly, and pointed it at the centre of those buildings, pressed the shutter (On timer) and moved the camera back to the original position, I guess the whole picture might have been in focus. (You just gotta fool the camera you know)

Shamus
wink.gif


 

Uteram

Member
Thanks for the info.

What's strange about the camera is that it only appears to do this when taking model photographs. If I'm taking pictures of the kids, etc, it doesn't have this effect.

Kettlestack, I think I'll take your advice and try it.
 

Lighthorseman

Active Member
Love It!

What a GREAT job, Uteram! I just love those "Furlow-esque" twisty uphill towns. That is going to be a breathtaking scene.

Uh, Can I move there?:D
 

Uteram

Member
Thanks all for your compliments.

It's interesting. I started out in the hobby when I was in my pre -teens (I'm in my 30's now) and Furlow and Olson were the big name modelers at that time. They were almost like celebrities in the model railroading world. You don't see that much anymore. Sellios comes close, as does a few others, but there aren't really any other widely recognized model railroaders anymore.
 
Uteram, those are some very nice looking structures. You've done a really good job with the brickwork and exterior detailing.

I can definitely see Malcolm Furlow's influence on your modeling, particularly in the way you're planning to use "vertical space" to arrange the buildings. Malcolm was a master at that.

I assume you know that he is back in model railroading again. He had an article published about a year (?) ago in the Gazette, and he had a couple of "letters to the editor" published in Finescale Railroader prior to that. His main interest now is in large scale trains.
 

Uteram

Member
Casey,

I saw that Furlow article in the Gazette. The way they set it up, however, it made it sound like he would be contributing some aritcles down the road. That hasn't materialized. Glad to see he has gotten back into modeling after all these years. Sounds like he's been quite busy with his art work-very successful as well!

I left the hobby during my teens and didn't get back into it till about 4 or 5 years ago. I was saddened when I found out that Furlow and Olson hadn't contributed anything in years. From what I hear about Olson, he's still modeling, but just not out in "public". I understand that his Disney job keeps him traveling the globe and he doesn't have the time to devote to writing magazine articles, etc.
 
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