The picture above (which is mildly edited) is among the best I have taken on my model train layout. Although the eye may initially focus on the locomotive, there are many other elements that I was able to capture in such a beautiful way. I describe how I achieved this result below:
Setting and Model Creation:
Unlike many other areas of the diorama, this section made with quilt batting laid over a base of hardware cloth. A thick coat of interior home paint provided a nice textured look. To create the rocks, sheet rock mud was applied onto this surface and textured while still damp. The water is Mod Podge poured on and textured with a paintbrush.
Lighting
To create the desired effect, I placed three desk lamps nearby. One was placed to light the camera view, another placed overhead to simulate sunlight, and a third light was placed behind the train pointed slightly toward the camera. This light created the beautiful sparkle present in the river at the bottom right. I also turned on other lights in the nearby area to keep the image free of harsh shadows.
Photograph
I took this image using a camera on a tripod. After lowering the color contrast of the photo, I added the blue sky background and edited out some small model imperfections in GIMP.
