I don't know if it is just old age and vision not as good as it used to be or if it's because now there is a so much more to look at because of the combination of things that it takes to make the whole picture? This meaning as a child I would hold a new toy up and and gaze at all it's intricate detail that it had, And now as a model Rail Roader I look at what I want to take a picture of with a camera and not my mind and figure out how best to do that. My layout being an island type can create some challenges. What it first requires: Is what I am taking the picture of in the forground, background or somewhere out in the middle?

Once figuring this out I create a radius or line of focus. I always try to put a combination of items in the picture along with what I am actually taking the picture of, Other surrounding scenery and a background. To me to have a complete picture it requires all three: Other than that it is a portrait picture or display picture. For every picture that I post I will have taken about 5 or 6 others from various positions and different combinations and either deleting or choosing only the ones posted.

The camera that I use isn't a top dollar camera but a good mid range one ,It is the Nikon CoolPix L1. I purchased it at Costco for $199.00. It has all the digtal settings that our 35mm Cannon Rebel has. The three settings that I use are the close up, party indoor for combination of mixed light , and some night settings. I always shut the flash off and most always use the 10 second timer, I always use a tripod when I can, I even have a 3" tripod I use for pictures out in or on the layout , And when this isn't possible I just find the best place to set the camera on the layout to get the picture I am after.

Generally when I am taking a final picture I am working with a window of three foot in the background as for this is the size of my backdrops that I have made. My back drops are ones made of pictures that we have taken throughout the years while on vacations, trips or just out driving around, friends have taken while on hikes and trips ect. For each picture you need a backgroud that fits the angle of the shot.

If I am taking a picture from up above I need a background that looks like I am on top of a mountian looking down since my layout is portraid to be up in the mountians. Or if I was to be looking accross the line of focus, a picture of rivers and forest or building structures that fit the dimension of depth and distance. Always remembering that when I enlarge the picture to print it out it stays in this acceptance range.

To create my backgrounds I scan the picture with my scanner if it is a hard copy and save it to 1020x840 resolution so that when enlarged and printed out it remains clear. If it is a download from the camera and you are after pictures for background you will have to adjust these settings to PC setting as for the setting used to post pictures here on the website are 640x480 setting to achieve the 100kb.or less requirement. To print the picture open up your printer program and select the picture you wish to print. Next select the picture options and choose print a multi page poster, My choise that works for me is the 9 page setting which gives a poster about 24"x36".