# A scale snowfall on the POC - 1 Photo



## Richard Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

Had a nice dusting yesterday, actually a sort of soft hail rather than snow. Thought you might like to see it. Note how those moss sprigs stand erect in the snow; neat stuff. They stand up even to hail and hard rain.










Just a note for beginners taking snow shots with those digital cameras...
Hold the camera towards the darkest object, push the shutter button half way down to lock the exposure, back outwards to where you want to shoot without releasing the button and then push the button the rest of the way down to take the photo. Be just as steady as possible and don't use the zoom unless absolutely necessary. The old SLR users already are familiar with this.

Happy snow shooting!


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## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

Wow, Richard, that looks fantastic! The "snow" makes your models and your layout look really lifelike. Great stuff. 

Because my ex-boss/friend now lives on Bainbridge Island, Washington, I follow the weather there and was surprised to see that you guys got cold temps and snow. That's almost like Buffalo, which is why we live in So Cal. But then, I don't have a huge piece of property with a serious garden railroad... 

Happy holidays, in case we don't "chat" before then.


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Richard,

Nice shot. BTW, what is the total length of your railroad now?


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## R.W. Marty (Jan 2, 2008)

Richard,
Great picture. 
I took some here this morning and will post them.
Later
Rick Marty


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## SteveC (Jan 2, 2008)

Nice picture Richard, and good advice too.


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## Richard Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks for the nice comments. 

*Gary,* 
The RR is about 150-160 feet long. Another 80 or 90 to go.....


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Fantastic photo. Really captures the the RR as a true to life one. Later RJD


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

Great photo! You should put that in the photo contest.


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

yes, that's a marvelous shot!


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## Robert (Jan 2, 2008)

Thank you for the photography tip Richard. I'll remeber to try that in the future. 

Robert


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## rpc7271 (Jan 2, 2008)

I'd put a train on the tracks, take a picture and enter it in the photo contest!


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## Dougald (Jan 2, 2008)

Richard

Your usual wonderful modelling and some great photography. 

Pretty soon you will qualify as a winter time engineer for the IPP&W! A very Merry Christmas season from all your friends in the OVGRS - where there will definitely be a white one!

Regards ... Doug


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## flatracker (Jan 2, 2008)

The only thing I can add is....JUST SUPER!!!


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

I was wondering when we would see some of the snow pictures from you NW folks. Nice shot and agreat RR. I wish I was that talented, your RR looks great elevated and kept so nice. WHen is TOC going to show off his snow pictures? Oh amd lets see some more pictures. You need to throw some cross country skiiers into that scene


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Very nice, Richard. The scale depth is just right for a wonderful image. Great tips for getting the right exposure as well. Right on....


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## Richard Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks friends for the kind comments. It's a lot of fun shooting scenes in the rare snowfalls around here. Especially when you can shoot ground level without getting your knees & elbows wet. hehe!


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## Richard Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

Here's a couple of other shots taken on the 14th also. Everything's pretty much melted now so I can't take any more snow photos until next time. Subjects you've seen before but maybe still of some interest in view of the wintery environment.


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## Don Howard (Jan 2, 2008)

Beautiful pics! 

Locos may need sand on those rails. 

Thanks for posting.


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

As always the thing you really get right is the relationships between the buildings. They just look right in relation to each other, like they were built where they were for a real logical purpose. Building great looking structures is one thing (one thing I can't do) but getting them to look right in site and in relation to each other is another. That's an art


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

Fantastic photos, Richard! The snow, combined with your beautiful models, makes for a very realistic scene. And I agree with Mike, the layout and positioning of the structures is excellent.


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## Dean Whipple (Jan 2, 2008)

Richard, 
The Photos, especially the first one could make a great Christmas card.....


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## Richard Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

Actually the siting of the structures was the reason for having only three communities on the RR instead of five as originally planned. While you would expect crowded buildings in a city scene or even in a Colorado mining town sharing a narrow canyon with a river, mine tipples and track most communities trackside are spread out quite a bit. It also makes for a more realistic track configuration and closer to prototype sized buildings.


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## Tom Thornton (Nov 18, 2008)

When I saw the first photo I thought I was looking at a 1:1 railroad. It took a little time and I still wondered why you were showing the pictures of some small shortline some place out in the woods. Finally I could start to see it was a garden railroad after I read all the posts. Could be the new glasses but I must say it must really just be a great photo!

Tom Thornton


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## Mike O (Jan 2, 2008)

Richard, 

Great pictures and great depth of field. What are you shooting with? 

Mike


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## Richard Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

*Tom,* 
Thank you so much for the kind words. The scene was photographed on my outdoor railroad which is itself on raised benchwork. 

*Mike,* 
I have two digital cameras, both Fuji. The photos are really more technique and waiting for proper lighting than anything else. The photos were taken with my oldest Fuji model 3800 with only 3.2 mp. My newest is a Fuji S8100 with 10 mp. Both use the xD chip. I still prefer the older one for track level shots. 

The secret with digital cameras is to avoid using the zoom as much as possible as it's most important not to jiggle the camera when shooting and the greater the zoom the more exagerated any movement becomes. Also set the exposure by aiming at a dark spot in the scene and pushing the shutter button 1/2 way down then holding the button pose the shot and push the button the rest of the way down. Also I practically never use flash.


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## GarryNCGRR (Jan 18, 2008)

Just tried your picture taking suggestion....thanks so much, what a difference! These new cameras take some getting used to







And...your layout looks great. Everything looks so real....in the 1-1 sense. 
We're taking a trip down I 5 to southern Oregon then out to coast and back north in May....want to drop in at C&OCR for some track and stuff....but don't tell my wife







Might be in your area at some point.

Garry NCGRR


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## Richard Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

Garry, 

Glad it was of some help. I expect to see one of your photos in the winner's circle in MLS's photo contest one day soon. 

Drop by if you should have the opportunity during your winter sojourn here in Oregon. We're in the Port Orford phone book under Richard & Helen Smith. Be sure and get the one with "Helen" because there's at least 3 Richard Smiths in the area. 

You can of course email me but wait a couple of weeks as I'm dumping Hughes Net and will have a new email address shortly. My present email address should be good through January 20.


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## tbug (Feb 16, 2008)

Superb pic's Richard!!! Though I must admit, I look closer at the excellent builds you've done. 

Re the Water Tanks, what/ how did you do the roofing? If I remember correctly from earlier posts, the double lightpost was not. If I'm wrong, what did you use as the 'base' from the main pole to the two branches- the 'Y' shape?

Again, superb stuff, tbug.


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## Richard Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By tbug on 01/20/2009 5:40 PM
Superb pic's Richard!!! Though I must admit, I look closer at the excellent builds you've done. 

Re the Water Tanks, what/ how did you do the roofing? If I remember correctly from earlier posts, the double lightpost was not. If I'm wrong, what did you use as the 'base' from the main pole to the two branches- the 'Y' shape?

Again, superb stuff, tbug.



*tbug,*
Thank you kindly for the comments...

The link will provide some info on the octagon watertank construction. If you still have questions feel free to ask. 
http://www.mylargescale.com/Community/Forums/tabid/56/forumid/7/postid/56859/view/topic/Default.aspx

The older rectangular water tank construction is laid out in the "Articles" section on Largescale Central.

The lightposts are all brass and were mail ordered from *Bridge-Masters*. Very nice people to do business with.


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