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CLASSIC BEAUTIES IN THE DARK - CMC MB Targa Florio 1924 (29/05/2019)

19K views 124 replies 22 participants last post by  vulpex 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hi everyone!

Being new to DX I will try to start my first topic. Would like to present some pics of the CMC Uhlenhaut Coupe, a model which I was lucky to acquire earlier this year. (Really not cheap but in my eyes worth every cent!)

Of course, during the last years there has been shown quite a lot of impressive pictures of this great CMC model in DX topics including very professional contributions (e.g. from Zuugnap).
Most probably you will most think: "Uhlenhaut Coupe again? How boring..."

However I haven't yet seen the Uhlenhaut Coupe presented in front of a completely black background which IMO very much emphasizes the spectacular shape of the famous car. Additionally, I played a little with the light while taking the pictures and finally ended up with some special pics which I call "night shots".

So, here are the pics (alternating "conventional" ones as well as "night shots"):































Hope you enjoy!
 
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#5 ·
Nice pictures, it's an absolute beauty!!! This was one of the first CMC models I ever purchased.


Yep, me neither!! I saw one go for over £500 last week!
 
#11 ·
I saw this thread and forgot to comment. Some really nice studio type shots, especially the silhuettes which really bring out the lines of the car. Just watch when you darken the background your don't leave a halo; but overall clean and really shows of this great looking model.
 
#12 ·
Thanks colourkin22 for the compliments!

"studio type" is a good description for this style, I guess.

Also highly appreciate your advice - always keen to improve my skills...

Admittedly I'm not sure where you see this halo.
Left you a message 'cause I don't want to bother the community with my personal learning curve.
 
#13 · (Edited by Moderator)
One more thing...

Just noticed that my Uhlenhaut pic won the December POTM competition - many thanks for your votes!

This shooting has been an experiment with quite satisfying results and I'm glad that so many of you seem to share this view!

The following 2 images are a side product of my Uhlenhaut shooting and proof that not only silver cars unveil their beauty in this kind of low-light / studio-like scenary.

The model itself is of quite poor quality but very special to me: It's my very first 1:18 diecast model. It's from Bburago and I acquired it during a vacation in Italy more than 25 yeras ago(!). Since 15 years it serves as decoration of our bookshelf - without any protection against dust and dirt.




 
#14 ·
Vulpex you have joined DX with a bang! The "studio" shots are INCREDIBLE
. Yes we've had wonderful photography here over the years, with Zuugnap and Koen being the absolute leaders. However I dare say you've joined their ranks and in terms of lighting even surpassed them. I'm very interested in learning about your lighting setup, as I'm sure others must be.

Well done again!
 
#16 · (Edited by Moderator)
Many thanks, gents! Your kind comments are highly appreciated!




Wow. Uzair, your words make me speechless!!
Your warm comment goes far beyond a compliment and I feel truely honored that you see my pics in row with the work of Tjeu and Koen!!!

But to be honest - this is too much of an honor to me.
I mean Tjeu and Koen are the masters of the universe
and their pictures are so professional and perfect - real pieces of art!!

I'm only an ambitioned hobbyist with a loving eye for his models.
But I'm always trying to improve my skills. Just have started to dig deeper into PS and coulorkin22 kindly encouraged me to to make myself familiar to working with layers. The possibilities offered by this strong tool are really amazing!!!

W.r.t. to my lighting technique:
Happy to share my setup, no secret at all - as long as you promise not laught because the arrangement is so simple...

Just let me as a DX greenhorn know whether it would be appropriate to share the setup here as an addon to this topic.
Or should I better post it somewhere else in the forum?
 
#17 ·
Dirk -

First of all, I have to add my belated welcome to DX and congratulations on your superb photography! I have yet to master the limited tools I have so it's always a joy to see the work of those more accomplished than me. And PLEASE share your techniques for others to learn from - if I can bring my photostudies up even a small amount, it would add to my enjoyment in sharing my collection and hopefully to that of those viewing it.

We have a separate thread on the forum where it would be most appropriate:

http://www.diecastxchange.com/forum1/forum/152-dx-photography-discussions-%26-tutorials/
 
#20 · (Edited by Moderator)
Dirk -

First of all, I have to add my belated welcome to DX and congratulations on your superb photography! I have yet to master the limited tools I have so it's always a joy to see the work of those more accomplished than me. And PLEASE share your techniques for others to learn from - if I can bring my photostudies up even a small amount, it would add to my enjoyment in sharing my collection and hopefully to that of those viewing it.

We have a separate thread on the forum where it would be most appropriate:

http://www.diecastxc....s-&-tutorials/
Done!


Please find my brief explanations in the following thread:
http://www.diecastxc...ut-coupe-again/
Hope you enjoy!

@Red: As you can see the equipment needed for this kind of shooting is very limited...
 
#18 ·
Your first model story reads exactly like mine, same holiday in Italy and wanting to buy a Ferrari. The years was 1982 I reckon! I was 8 years old!

I wanted a Testarossa (The F40 wasn't out then!) My Italian Dad bartered with all the street vendors, telling me not to look excited as I would increase the price! Finally I saw some action when the seller started wrapping the box in newspaper while they were still bartering! They agreed a price!

I was the happiest kid walking the streets of Naples that day with my Ferrari in hand. Another younger kid even shouted "Bella" as he passed staring at my Bburago Testarossa!
I don't think I have it anymore, if I do it'll be in the loft at my parents! I played with it to it's death I think!
 
#21 ·
For those who already know this thread ("1:18 CMC Uhlenhaut Coupe again"):
I just have re-named the topic as I'm planning to share some new pictures here from time to time - different models with similar lighting effects.

So please don't be irritated and stay tuned - shots of CMC W196R Streamliner will follow soon...
 
#22 ·
One more thing:

After the experiment with low-light shots of the Uhlenhaut Coupé it seemed to be obvious that silver arrows would also look quite nice in this kind of scenery.
On New Year's Eve I managed to utilize 1 or 2 hours for a shooting while we were waiting for 2018 to come. Afterwards it took me some time to get the images processed but finally I got the job finished and now would like to share the results with you.

The model itself is very special for:
More than 10 years ago I noticed it in the shop of the Daimler Museum during a visit in Stuttgart. Although it cost almost a fortune (€200 for a diecast model - unbelievable at that point in time!) I simply couldn't resist. I had never dreamed before that 1:18 models exist on this level of quality. At the end it was just this silver arrow that started me with collecting. Meanwhile I proudly own models which are even better crafted, show even more details and have been even more expensive. But if you would come and tell me that I had to sell my little collection for whatever reason and was allowed to keep only one model - guess what...


And here are the pics:












Enjoy!
 
#25 ·
Hehe Vulpex your story reminds me a lot of my own. I first saw diecast models in person during a visit to Berlin waay back in 2007. I stumbled onto the main Mercedes-Benz showroom, and saw a 1:18 McLaren MP4-20 in orange test livery, and it was love at first sight. Later than evening I also saw a Schumacher Ferrari F2004, and almost bought it but even as a rank newbie I could tell the Hotwheels was roughly finished and worse in details compared to the Minichamps McLaren. It was at this same toy store in Berlin (called KaDaWe) that I saw my first CMC model, this time in 2012. In the intervening time I had collected only 4 or 5 F1 diecasts, and seeing a CMC silver arrows (I think it was the W125) for the first time it gave the impression of being fine jewellery
. And as you say, the price tag of about €200 seemed incredibly high at the time, so I did not buy it. My first CMC purchase was in 2014, by which time I was well and truly into collecting Minichamps and Hot Wheels and a few Exotos.

As to the photos of the W196R Streamliner, superb job again
 
#27 · (Edited by Moderator)
Thanks again friends - your warm comments are highly appriciated!




Thanks for sharing your personal story, Uzair!

Does anyone know whether there is somewhere in DX already a thread like "my first model" or "how I got started with collecting"?
I believe there definitely should be because I'm sure that so many of us would have have to tell so many interesting stories...
 
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