Scale realism...

[Harlock]

I debuted the following image at the Wintrail train photography conference in Stockton this weekend...



...and fooled a bunch of people, until folks knowledgeable with the D&RG figured out the shot was impossible in the real location for various reasons.

It was actually shot last weekend at the Flintridge and Portola Valley - Peter Moseley and Ron Schmidt's private 7.5" track in the South San Francisco Bay Area. I used the same lighting techniques I would use to light a full size steam locomotive. In this case, the engines were cold at the time except for headlights, and a fog machine was used for precise control of atmosphere. The photo is unmodified save for the removal of an extra-shiny rail joiner which stood out.

I will be bringing my strobes and equipment to various live steam meets on the West Coast this year, and I will be available for locomotive portraits (with and without rider) if the track operators are willing to accommodate. Details of the transaction still being worked out.

I plan to also have scale switch lamps and maybe some signals to use in the shots.

Behind the scenes...you can see one of my studio strobes to the left:



same in color:



Enjoy,

--Mike

[hitandmissman]

Great pictures. Where can we see more like this?

[Harlock]

On my website, as soon as I take more! THat's the only one for now..

[Bill Holland]

You would make Winston Link proud. Good job. I was huge into photography in College, think I am going to sell off my photo gear, just don't have the same burning desire for it any more.

[Harlock]

Here's some more pictures from that track from that day....including the first steaming of a bumblebee 20 years in the making...

www.mikemassee.com/gallery/v/livesteam/flintridge_and_portola_valley_09/

Not very many running photos because I was busy shooting a video documentary that day.