Creative Model Photography

**airdave** · #1 11-11-2009, 09:28 AM

By now, most of us have seen the fantastic "vintage action-fotos" created by Hans Gerd (docrox) using his own card (ship) models.

This is one of my favorites:

I love this stuff!!

Photo editing and manipulation is a big part of what I do in my daily work
and I love it when I can apply it to my hobbies too...like creating those photos of completed paper models.

I thought it might be cool to share some of own "creative" model photos?
Obviously computer editing programs are big part of creating these "staged" photos, but not always necessary.
Photographing a model in a good outdoor location or using forced perspective can yield impressive results.

Heres a couple of photos I created using digital editing...
various background shots, combined with model photographs and creative digital effects.

For this shot of the Macon Belle, I used a composite photo for the background made from two different angle views of the same hangar,
some grass and tree shots and a lot of digital fill.
Add the right amount of distance blur,
and then blend the "ground" into the background photo.

For this shot, I used a stock nighttime distance photo, digitally edited the transitional horizon...
superimposed the foreground photo
and added a colour glow to the outline of the aircraft to help it tie in to the background lighting.
A little creative blurring helps the plane blend into the photo a little better too!

This Hawker Hunter was a little tail heavy, and wanted to sit nose up...
so i thought why not photograph it that way, as if its taking off!
I used three background photos, blended to create the grass and tree line.
Some digital editing on the black paper surface to create the runway...
throw in some motion blur and the Hunter is taking flight.

Lets see your creative photos??!!

**cdavenport** · #2 11-11-2009, 10:05 AM

Here are some of mine. I cheat, though. These happen to be diecast models. I have one of the paper HL Hunley.

P-36 downing a Zero: is fantasy. The P-36 is the model and everything else is pulled off the web.

B-17s: 1/144 scale models, two different ones composited together.

Delta DC-8: diecast on a model ramp posed at the Ben Epps Airport in Athens

Tiger 1: 1/35 scale prebuilt/prepaint composited into my backyard

FW-190: 1/72 scale diecast composited into a photo taken off the internet

HL Hunley: my paper model "stuck" into some water. No effects.

**Ron Caudillo** · #3 11-11-2009, 10:18 AM

Wonderful photos and very creative! It's an inspiration to me.

Great work (I'm jealous) and thanks for sharing!

**nebeltex** · #4 11-12-2009, 01:02 AM

the background is real, the foreground is not...

**airdave** · #5 11-12-2009, 07:33 AM

is that paper?
that looks great!
what about the figure?

**Wyvern** · #6 11-12-2009, 12:45 PM

great work, gentlemen; enjoyed it a lot. thanks!

Wyvern

**jagolden01** · #7 11-12-2009, 02:23 PM

Not fantastic but I think feels cold, uncomfortable and messy as I suspect the Russian front was.

**cdavenport** · #8 11-12-2009, 10:11 PM

Not until I saw the 2D figure did I realize that's a paper tank! Geez! Really well done and the scenery is most convincing

I got to spend some time in a T-72 and a BTR-60; methinks Russians live to suffer!

**jagolden01** · #9 11-13-2009, 07:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdavenport

I got to spend some time in a T-72 and a BTR-60; methinks Russians live to suffer!

I'd love to get inside any armored vehicle! I'm too large for that at this stage. Bet both were tight fits.

Thanks for the notice. That's a repaint of NOBI's KV-II in 1:16. Later this year I'm going to start on his PUMA. found a nice, simple wheels tutorial for those big tires.

Joe

**cdavenport** · #10 11-13-2009, 10:37 AM

The T-72 was a nightmare. The BTR-60 was only a bit roomier. The fun part of the 60 was that I was inside the vehicle with a former Russian armor officer who had defected to the West. We talked for quite some time. I asked if the 60 was an effective weapon. He said, "it is piece of shit."

That was a fun day.