1: My assault on the photo contest begin near the
Oakhill gravel quarry with this shot. From here I moved
the camera around (including into the quarry) and
experimented with lighting and equipment placement.
Photo shoots can be like a box of chocolates – you
don't know what you're going to get until you've got it.
It's best to try a variety of approaches. Chances are at
least one will yield good results.
In a break from writing about modeling and operation on the
BC&SJ, I thought the process I went through to produce my
contest entries might be of interest.
Contest rules
Before dragging out the camera and starting to shoot, it's
a good idea to check the rules. This photo contest had four
categories: color model photos, B&W model photos, color
prototype photos, and B&W prototype photos. Each entrant
for the Boise convention contest was allowed a maximum of
six entries with a maximum of three in any single category. I
figured on entering in the color and black and white model
photo categories.
1
What to shoot?
One thing about entering a photo contest – snapshot quality
photos aren't likely to do the trick. If you decide to participate
be prepared to work at it.
I took some test shots in Oakhill looking for good camera
angles (1). This down-the-road-next-to-the-tracks view can't be
seen from the layout aisles, but it wasn't quite what I was hop-
ing for. There was another place in Oakhill where I'd never shot
photos – from the inside of B. Josef Gravel.
I repositioned the loco and cars on the Oakhill wye track,
propped the camera in place inside the gravel quarry, and shot
another test photo (2). This one had a lot more potential.
Refining the shot
I liked the camera angle, but I could see lighting would be
a problem because the lights have to stand in the aisle and
2
2: Test shot from inside the B. Josef gravel quarry.
Up the Creek - 2
MRH-Aug 2013
