Model Railroading > Ah, the things you can do with an Iphone

You can, for example, recreate a scene that never actually happened.

I did indeed own a blue VW beetle, and I did indeed chase quite a few D&H trains with it. And like this scene, I often arrived at a cool location, not quite in time to set up and take a photo.

But my beetle was baby blue, and was seldom as clean as this one. Other than that, the "Oh, crap he beat us here again" sensation still comes through, loud and strong. I just wish I could add a little bit of flying dust under the wheels, and add DCC to the beetle, complete with a few choice curse words for moments like this.

BTW, there's an element of forced perspective at work here. The car is 1:64 scale, picked up this weekend at the local Walmart. The diorama and the locomotive are HO. All shot with an Iphone, which gives way better depth of field than any of the fancy expensive cameras in my collection.

Gardiner Cross
Cripplebush Valley Models

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Dust? Alco smoke?

Photoshop clone stamp can do that!

Nice image: a story, some color, and great composition, sorry to crash your party but I couldn't resist.

Thanks for sending me a little project this morning.

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I can see why cell phones are killing the sale of stand-alone digital cameras!

I can't afford the extra monthly cost of a phone with a data plan so I may see if I can upgrade my ancient Canon Powershot S40 with something that works better for model photography!

Cheers, Jim Fitch

You could just pick up an Iphone 4 used on Ebay, and just use it as a camera and not as a phone. Plug it into your computer and the computer will read it like an external storage device.

march_hare Wrote:
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> You could just pick up an Iphone 4 used on Ebay,
> and just use it as a camera and not as a phone.
> Plug it into your computer and the computer will
> read it like an external storage device.

Actually I've read on immigration forums that there are some low cost cell phone services that work if you have an Iphone vs. which may even be a savings over my basic cell phone plan. Something I may look into in the future since cutting monthly costs will be helpful to me to get though the next couple years.

That said, your photo's are great and quite frankly seem to out do my digital camera!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/28/14 13:06 by SPDRGWfan.

Hey, Gardiner. Great photo and train lore. But since you refuse to toot your own (Volkswagen) horn, for all the folks that don't know, all the scenery rocks in the photo are produced by you. I use them on my layout exclusively now, with a few actual rocks thrown in once in awhile. No messing with plaster, or molds and the coverage is great! ....and no, you did not put me up mentioning this. with my so-so modeling skills, I'm just thrilled at how easy and simple it really is to do the scenery and get on to running trains. BTY, I use my iPhone a lot for layout photos and exclusively for video.

Mark <><

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I am glad someone ignored the camera discussion because the diorama is the subject which deserves attention. I too have bought your rubber castings and think they look fantastic. Unfortunately, I do not have them in a scene yet.

What I find amazing with both of the photos above, is how you guys blend the rubber castings in. Great work. I have to say that I've done some nice casting using the old fashioned plaster method. I used to get compliments with the only negative coming from a real life Geologist who said the stratification was not realistic. Having took some Geography (of Mountains) and a Geology course, I do know what was being said and I was not insulted. We do go over the top with our mountain creations but that is part of the creation of the railroad.

Rick



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/29/14 13:48 by rschonfelder.