I like to use my phone to take pictures while I am working on the layout. The phone is in my pocket and its easy. I like to be able to look back and see your progress as I build. It also lets me reference what I did later. I am not an expert with photography, but I do enjoy documenting my process.
You can take some excellent photos with a phone using a clean lens and apps that allow for manual control of the camera. With a smartphone I can fit the camera into some very tight spaces which can be an advantage. Early on in construction I like to explore different camera angles to get a sense of where I will want to place my camera on the finished layout to get certain shots.
The Little Current Model Railway is the first layout I have built entirely from photos and historical information to the best of my abilities. I am making it as prototypical as I can while still fitting my available space. Because of this I have been thinking a lot about photography and how to recreate some of the reference photos I used to build the scene. As my layout progresses I want to take better photos than I have before.
I’ve never explored layout photography beyond taking photos in this way but I thought it would be a great thing to do with a layout like this. Above is a photo I quickly snapped on my phone that might have been as far as I took layout photography. I was lucky to get some wonderful feedback from Keith Hopkin about how to get better images after posting them online. The depth of field is way too shallow and I need better lighting among other things to create a more effective image that looked like the reference photos I used to build the layout.
I realized quickly this could turn into its own entire hobby. It also seemed like a lot of fun. Based on these tips and a little research I decided to try taking photos with my SLR camera, a tripod and some better diffused lighting.
I took the above photo on my SLR with a lens that is close to the field of view our eye sees. I did my best to match the intensity and angle in the backdrop. I took several photos at different focal lengths and used Canon Digital Professional to focus stack or depth compose these image into a single focused photo.
Because the camera is larger, I am limited to where I can place it. I’m definitely going to think carefully about how I do my scenery so I can continue to be able to get my camera in this space.
I have a long way to go before my Little Current Model Railway is anywhere near finished. I am currently sceniking 1/4 of the layout and have so many models to build and finish. Documenting my layout construction along the way is a wonderful way to create a visual record of my progress. Practicing these skills to improve my photos goes a long way to my enjoyment of the layout even if its not finished yet. With practice I know it can get even better.