Bluefish Loc: Berks County, PA

Black plexi floor. Black velvet background.
M2 model. IPhone 11 Pro Max. Lume Cube overhead, key and fill.

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AZNikon Loc: Mesa, AZ

Nicely done!

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

Scale models are difficult- you did a good job. Suggestions: Jet black backgrounds can be dramatic but sometimes create an artificial ambience. A totally black low ky setting is effective but can lack the illusion of depth. You don't need to light up the background to add depth, that is the feeling that's the viewer can enter the image and walls arod the subject, at least with their eyes.

The trick in maintaining the low key effect and creating some depth is to provide just a tiny bit of lig called tonal or colour mass. Perhaps the very fain r image of a scene alongside a highway- I somets just use an out-of-focus poster or existing print. Another tactic is to use a textured base to suggest a highway surface or a tarmac of some kind. The reflection is nice but a more irregular "puddle of dirty water would be more authentic.

You lost the detail of the tow rig at the back of the truck. If you move yo overhead light slightly more to the back of the subject it will better outline the lies of the truck and put some highlights on the tow rig. One lig source and a simple reflect made of crushed and re-expanded aluminum foil stretched on a sheet of cardboard or Foam Core is a gret lighting method for plastic models.

Bluefish Loc: Berks County, PA

Thanks so much for your time and expertise E.L. I have much studying and experimenting to do. I’ll be back.

User ID

Dark backgrounds don't need real black materials. Dark-ish materials can look black but also allow for tonal gradation. Give it a try. Works even with a phone.
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kpmac Loc: Ragley, La

Nicely taken.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

OK, Thanks for the posts! So, I have some homework for you or anyone else who wants to try some lighting of these kinds of objects.

You are a good model maker/collector, I am not. I tried it as a kid and they took my favourite Type "S" airplane glue off the market, seems kids were sniffing it- UGH! Duco cement didn't cut it so I gave it up!

A few years ago, The Cana Post Corporation(The Canadian Post Office) began marketing commemorative stamp collections and accompanying history books through their Philatelic Division. I contracted to do all their advertising photography for that project. In the attached image there are two-scale model aircraft. The overhead and slightly to the back of the subject lighting placed highlight on the important lines of the models. The "tarmac" is black vinyl, the background was an inexpensive store-baught poster of a Spitfire. The softbox was placed over the set and the reflector provided fill. It is basically a one-light job. I time the softbox upward and towardthe camera (feathering) and that provided enough fall off to darken the background if you sufficiently. If I had increased the distances from the backgron for the set, it would have been darker. This is where the old INVERSE SQUARE LAW comes in handy- if you want a falloff light but not total darkness.

This was originally shot with view care on transparency material. I had tosh the entered kit, the Samos and he book. In the shot of the models, your I-phone is a good tool, it is small enough to come in low and thigh and get some interesting perspective to make the model seem more realistic. Your phone may have a wide-angle feature or a "portrait" app that can put backgrounds out of focus. And...you can always use your regular camera!

Bluefish Loc: Berks County, PA

Thanks for your input ID.

Bluefish Loc: Berks County, PA

Thanks kp.

Bluefish Loc: Berks County, PA

Thanks EL.