HO Scale Model Photography

HO Scale Model Photography. 
Showcasing some of my SAR rolling stock.
Green Screen Photography - Outside in Natural Sunlight with Backgrounds Manipulated in Photoshop. 
Forced Perspective: Turn Pictures of Model Trains and Cars into Nostalgic Life-Like Images.
I can now take photographs at any time of day, preferably during sunny conditions, under a diffused roof, as direct sunlight can also be too bright, editing the images at any time of day or evening. 
I prefer this method, as it is difficult to find a really nice background setting in nature in order to take a Life Like photograph of a model. The depth of field, lighting and weather conditions and even the time of day are issues to be taken into account when doing a live shoot...  

One of the raw samples....

The end product - the model itself was in no 
way manipulated, only cropped and with a 
background layer added.
(An HO scale 34 class SAR Diesel Electric 
Locomotive (Frateschi - kitbashed) 
on a colourful route.)

A SAR freight train (HO scale) - 

SAR class 8X engine (Frateschi - Kitbashed), 

SAR FZL-1 Grain Wagon (CMD) and 

a SAR VL-9 Guards Van (SARM). 

Another background setting, Kraai River,
Barkley East, South Africa.

A SAR freight train (HO scale) - 

SAR class 8X engine (Frateschi - Kitbashed) 

and SAR FZL-1 Grain Wagon (CMD). 
Another colourful background setting.

A SAR freight train (HO scale) - 

SAR class 8X engine (Frateschi - Kitbashed), 

SAR FZL-1 Grain Wagon (CMD) and 

a SAR VL-9 Guards Van (SARM).

Another background setting, this time with the
Drakensberg mountains in the background.

A SAR freight train (HO scale) - 

SAR class 8X engine (Frateschi - Kitbashed), 

SAR FZL-1 Grain Wagon (CMD) and 

a SAR VL-9 Guards Van (SARM).

Another background setting, this time with the
Baviaanskloof mountains in the background.

A SAR freight train (HO scale) - 
SAR class 8X engine (Frateschi - Kitbashed), 
SAR FZL-1 Grain Wagon (CMD) and 
a SAR VL-9 Guards Van (SARM).

HO scale 34 class SAR Diesel Electric 

Locomotive (Frateschi - kitbashed) 
in the Knysna area.

I have added a motion blur effect to the
Locomotive in this image...
HO scale 34 class SAR Diesel Electric
Locomotive (Frateschi kitbashed)
in the Knysna area.

HO scale 34 class SAR Diesel Electric 

Locomotive (Frateschi - kitbashed) 
on a colourful route.

HO scale 34 class SAR Diesel Electric 
Locomotive (Frateschi - kitbashed) 
on the Drakensberg route.

A SAR OZ-11 Boxed Fruit Wagon 
Greenfields...

(((WATCH THIS SPACE FOR MORE PICTURES OF SAR ROLLING STOCK)))

SAR Tanker Car

Some extra detailing on a SAR Tanker car...

I have fitted the etched brass ladder, but still it did not
look like an actual SAR Petrol Tanker.

I have moved the etched brass ladder to the right,
reworked the sides of the chassis and fitted more
detail. Now it looks more like an actual SAR
Petrol Tanker.

HO Scale Accident

HO Scale Accidents do happen in real time during the layout vacuum procedure. 
The truck ran off the embankment due to engine and brake failure...

SAR Livery rolling stock in HO Scale

SAR Livery rolling stock in HO Scale

I played around some more with my new 36" x 6" diorama. It's a simple single track module, but it seems to work OK for photography, especially when I take it outside. Here are a few more photos. Nothing looks more like sunlight than actual sunlight.

SAR Class 6J 4-6-0 Locomotive. 

(Precision Miniatures) (HO scale)

History of the CGR class 6J 4-6-0 Locomotive:

The 6J can trace its lineage back to the original 

6th Class designed by Locomotive Superintendent, 

M. Stephenson for fast passenger service on the 

Cape Government Railways. 

These locos were built by both American and 

British builders between 1893 and 1904. 

The most successful of the bar-framed 

versions of the numerous 6th class, which 

originated in 1893, were the fourteen locos 

supplied in 1902 by Nielson, Reid and Co., 

which were used initially on the Cape main line. 

The last of the type was withdrawn from Bethlehem 

in the Free State as late as 1972.

A smoking hot SAR Class 6J
Locomotive on my Aliwal North
SAR Layout - HO Scale -
a digitally framed image...

SAR B-2 wagon with pipe load.

SAR B-2 wagon with coal load.

SAR U-13 Abnormal load wagon with load. 
Detailed and weathered. (handcrafted tarpaulin 
covered load at the rear and steel cable 
tied CAT D5M Dozer)

The Railway Tracks... 

"Can you tell a green field from a cold steel rail?"
A line from the PINK FLOYD song "Wish You Were Here"

SAR XPHR-17 Fuel Tanker

SAR BAL-J Wagon with Coal Load

SAR STJ-2 Log Wagon - with Load

SAR Class 8x (kitbashed) (Frateschi) (OO scale)
History of the CGR class 8x 2-8-0 Locomotive:

The first 8th Class 2-8-0 Consolidation type 
locomotive of the Cape Government Railways 
(CGR) was designed by H.M. Beatty, the Chief 
Locomotive Superintendent of the CGR 
from 1896 to 1910. Sixteen of these engines 
were ordered from the Schenectady Locomotive 
Works in the United States of America. 
In 1901, while they were being built, Schenectady 
merged with seven other American locomotive 

builders to form the American Locomotive 

Company (ALCO). 
As a result, the first two locomotives, 

numbered 749 and 750, were built by 
Schenectady in 1901, while ALCO built the 
rest in 1902. Of the latter, the first seven 

were numbered in the range from 351 to 357 and 

were allocated to the Midland System, while the 
last seven were numbered in the range from 
751 to 757 and joined the two Schenectady-builds 
on the Western System. They were conceived 
as mixed traffic locomotives, equally 
suitable for goods and passenger work.

Marshalling...

SAR Class 35 Diesel Electric (semi kitbashed)

SAR VL-9 Guards Van

SAR ZO-3 Officials Coach

The race is on

Peterbilt 359 with Flat Trailer Load

SAR GZB-1 Small Livestock Wagon

(((WATCH THIS SPACE FOR MORE PICTURES OF SAR ROLLING STOCK)))

South African Railway Staff Home

A scratch built South African Railway staff home. 
To more-or-less resemble the real house.

A South African Railway house Type 95A - Plan C -
Scale 1:1

Tools needed to build this model.

Card-stock taken from discarded cereal boxes, etc.

Windows and door.

Window frames are complete for the one side, glazing 
next (frosted plastic sheet is used for bathroom window
and clear plastic sheets for the remainder of windows)

Roof structure progress.

The "asbestos" roof sheets - card stock from a 
discarded Cellular phone box.

The finished model - scale 1:87

The finished model - scale 1:87

The finished model - scale 1:87

The finished model - scale 1:87

The finished model - scale 1:87

The finished model - scale 1:87

The finished model - scale 1:87 - remember, 
there is NO need for perfection, any 
imperfection seen on the image of this model 
is NOT noticeable at a distance of a meter to 
two meters, as this model is displayed at 
the far rear left corner of my Layout.

As seen through the Municipal Workshop fence....

Same house, different layout.
Added foundation and lights. 

Added a scratchbuilt tree,
fence and static grass.