A different type of model.

One of my other interests for when it is dark and the weather is miserable involves constructing and painting models. I belong to a couple of modelling forums and often start a thread on them, using photos to show the progress of the builds.

I thought that it may be of interest to the photographers here. Most of the time I use a 'quick and dirty' setup as I don't have lighting permanently in place (must get a bigger house). I use a couple of Canon 600ex-RT flash guns, both screwed onto spring clamps using the supplied small stands that come with the flashguns. One is clamped onto the radiator in the modelling room, and the other clamped to storage shelf. They are both pointed up to the white painted ceiling for bouncing the light. The Flashguns are set up and fired with a canon st-e3rt mounted on the camera. I always take a shot of a whibal card so that and colour imbalance can be corrected in post processing.

Depending on the type of shot required, I either use a canon G12 or a full frame SLR with a 90mm TS-E lens. The compact camera gives plenty of depth of field for close ups and the image quality is plenty enough for web forum use. The SLR is used when ultimate quality is needed, TS-E lens gives me control of the perspective and plane of focus.

The backdrop is vinyl graduated grey sheet. The set up can be used for many types of product shot and ideal for showing items to their best effect if you are selling on eBay for example.


This one is a Corsair F4U-1D in 1/48th scale. A kit by Tamiya. The model is around 7 inches long, the figure about 1.5 inches tall.

Those are beautiful, great work, great shots too, Well done!

Wonderful models and the photography of them is spot on, nice!

Very impressive! Great photos! Models are very cool, in general how much time is invested into the larger ones? You do a great job of painting them as well.
way cool

Great photos, and the detail in the models are incredible.

The green in the wings of the Corsair looks exactly like the primer that is used on aircraft

That spitfire looks like it has seen better days too - how hard is it to make it look older like that ?

beautiful models, you're very talented to be able to do those. nice photos of them too.

WCMTWS wrote in post #15474082
Very impressive! Great photos! Models are very cool, in general how much time is invested into the larger ones? You do a great job of painting them as well.
way cool

Thanks for your kind comments.

I don't rush them, it is very therapeutic for me to take my time and try to get every little detail as good as I can. Not including watching the paint dry - it takes me from 50 to 100 hours to build and paint depending on the complexity of the model.

Wow I almost thought these were the real thing until I read your post. The detail in these is amazing. Very nice pics and good lighting there, too.

Echo63 wrote in post #15474522
Great photos, and the detail in the models are incredible.

The green in the wings of the Corsair looks exactly like the primer that is used on aircraft

That spitfire looks like it has seen better days too - how hard is it to make it look older like that ?

Thanks. I do use paint colours that match the real colours very closely, and sometimes mix my own to get the right colours. The weathering of the models is great fun and various techniques are used to show chipped and worn paint as well as sun bleached colours.

Glad you like them.

Thank you all for your kind comments.

There are many who used to cobble together the old airfix kits years ago. I'm still a big kid
I was amazed when I started to build again a year or so ago, how much the hobby has changed with affordable airbrushes etc., modern paints and fillers and weathering materials.

I find it very satisfying, and of course I enjoy the photography, where I endeavour to get the colours and detail right to show off the models to their best.

What fantastic work! The models themselves are superb and the images are great. I wish I had the patience because I certainly have the time.

I used to have tons of WW2 models when I was a kid, but not as detailed as yours of course. Brings back memories, well done!

The chipped paint really got my attention. Lighting is real nice.

Now, since you've miniaturized the subject, has anyone miniaturized Flash with LED's or Fiber Optics to simulate 1:1 Scale Lighting? Say, 8 light sources from underneath the wings?

CanonCameraFan wrote in post #15506126
The chipped paint really got my attention. Lighting is real nice.

Now, since you've miniaturized the subject, has anyone miniaturized Flash with LED's or Fiber Optics to simulate 1:1 Scale Lighting? Say, 8 light sources from underneath the wings?

Interesting thoughts. When not shooting purely descriptive images for the modelling forums, I try to attain a viewpoint that you would have with a full size aircraft. The lighting is overhead to replicate daylight.

Outstanding work, excellent captures