Captain Scarlet

I (Ben) am a massive fan of Gerry Anderson tv shows, and with Gerry Anderson Day 2024 coming up just after Easter, I thought I'd take the opportunity to build some models, and shoot some pictures out on location in Wales over Easter.

Building the models was a saga in and of itself, covered in exhaustive detail as usual over on the model making blog (link on the right-hand-side, over yonder)

Sufficed to say that trying to shoot outdoors during a named storm was a pain in the backside.

With the assistance of Elder Child, I tried to get some pics, but the weather really was appalling; really irritating after some nice weather earlier in the week, but the models weren't quite finished.

A last attempt, up on the hill above where we were staying, and this shot taken with the mountains hidden by cloud and the model about ten seconds from blowing off the top of the tripod.

The solution was a very, very hastily improvised shoot the Saturday we were home, using my sky-painted backdrops, and a lot of cotton wool.

As it happened, the shoot turned out very well, better than I might have hoped for a last-minute idea.  I'll be more prepared next year...

 

Ffestiniog Holiday

Of the railway photography goals for me (Ben), one was the Cambrian Coast Express, the other was to get some pics of the new Double Fairlie on the Ffestiniog.

James Spooner is a new-build, a replica of the open-cab early locomotives on the line, but built to modern standards.

Welsh Highland service passing the car park.

We spend a lot of time in Porthmadog, and we always go to the station as it has a decent shop, a very good cafe, and (crucially when you have Childs) a free toilet, something of a rarity these days.

Hunslet "Linda" simmering on the sidings.

James Spooner running-round, attempt at some arty shots.

The weather was pretty poor during the week, whilst out getting some miniatures shoots (or trying to anyway) during the fun and games of Storm Kathleen, I managed a shot of the Fairlie at Penrhyn.  An attempt to get some more pics in the woods near Tanybwlch went predictably badly, a combination of the weather and operator error with the camera.

A final shot, another from the Welsh Highland, finishing where we began earlier in the week.