The Little World

I learned a lot yesterday when I attended a model car show.

I probably knew it beforehand, but my mind had not bothered to assemble the various facts. Now I can look at the photo results and do some thinking.

Firstly, let me say the clubs that did the exhibition worked all-out to make a good show. The workmanship of the models displayed was exemplary, and the people there were very friendly and welcoming. The venue was well-attended – even early in the morning. A great deal of display work had been done by the modellers, the trade and shop displays, the clubs, and the scale R/C trucking group.

The venue was easy to get to – central to most of the metro area. There was a coffee truck out front and a snack bar inside. The entry cost was very reasonable and they had an EFTPOS machine in operation to take ticket money. What’s not to like?

Well, I soon realised that any exhibition of jewels – and these model cars are little jewels – needs to be well-lit to bring out their beauty. The venue, by it’s very nature, was illuminated in the fashion of 30-40 years ago, and not specifically for table displays. I am pleased with the colours of the models in my photos here at home, but that is after a considerable correction through Lightroom. Lighting for static displays is crucial, just as audio is for dance shows.

I also discovered that my choice of lens and camera for the coverage was less than optimal. I have more convenient examples of each item to work with, and much sharper and better-lit photos could have been expected with different gear. A lesson to me – the camera and lens that was used is best suited to 1930’s shots in a studio. Different one next time…

It is also time to consider what my own models look like on public display, and possibly up my game.

Note: The business of lighting is crucial for all trade or show displays. I have attended camera markets dedicated to photography that seemed to be lit by glow-worms.