Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Chapter 41: Night Passage

Date: November 4, 1899
Situation: Rescue Party Departure
Location: The Imperial Camp
All Right Then. Double Click Images And Look to Your Front
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The Rescue Party alluded to in Chapter 40 departs as evening arrives.

Acting Captain Gill, 9th Bengal Lancers, salutes the officers at General Pettygree's Headquarters. He leads his command on a night passage to conceal the start of the mission.

More 9th Bengal Lancers pass by; supply horses in the rear.

Sgt. Davies, 10th Hussars, follows. He salutes the officers watching the departure too.

The tail of the Rescue Party; Lt. Caddy, RE, close by his vital supplies guarded by two 10th Hussars.

Darkness descends quickly in the mountainous high altitude.

Later, senior officers gather round the campfire. Their thoughts and prayers are with the rescuers, as should be ours.
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CLOSING REMARKS
1. The last image was shot using pulsating campfire light only. Other images required some distant overhead light to suggest descending dusk. It is my understanding amateur astronomers use open lens settings to capture light at night. Perhaps you can do that.

2. The campfire is from Miniature Building Authority's tent set. 

3. Campfire illumination was provided by three grain of wheat light bulbs (LEDs) commonly used in model railroading connected to a switch and 9 volt battery. Pulsating lights are from Evan Designs, PO Box 2044, Broomfield, CO 80038 USA. Ask for set DC3F FIRE! I bought mine from Walthers Trains; probably the largest supplier of model railroad items in North America. Also see http://www.modeltrainsoftware.com/  

4. The two chaps on the right side of the last image are Foundry Miniatures. See WWI Great War, GWB001, British Interrogation Set. Mine were specially painted by John Preece. I look forward to using them in future vignettes. 

5. YOU can do this too. I had fun thinking and doing all this. Kind of different.

6. Your remarks are appreciated. Click on "Comments" to chat, if you please.
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14 comments:

Der Alte Fritz said...

Cool night scenes and campfire! You are very creative.

Anonymous said...

The lighting effects are very atmospheric.

Duke of Baylen

johnpreece said...

Amazing stuff, takes me back to the boxed dioramas that used to appear in Military Modelling. I am most impressed with the fire.

I might point out in my defence that I did not paint the camp set in Lime Green it is an effect of the light, honest.

On the other hand I did not paint eyes on my figures and I can see this is a mistake for the photos that are being taken. If I do any in future, I will put them in. In the meantime we can just assume the officers are grabbing a quick nap.

John

Anonymous said...

Absolutely brilliant, Bill. Quite frankly, there's a career as a film-maker waiting for you out there!

Furt said...

Very atmospheric indeed. I like the light reflecting on their faces. Godspeed men.

ColCampbell50 said...

Bill,

Your photography is simply amazing!

We can only hope that the rescue mission goes smoothly. But somehow I have a feeling that it won't.

Jim

Howard Shirley said...

Excellent work. The lighting is perfect throughout, especially in that last photo.

Along with the officers, I look forward with hope to the events ahead.

Tom Campbell said...

I won't rest well until Capt. Gill's mission proves successful...

- neat night effects... I think I heard crickets!

Fitz-Badger said...

Your pictures are always very cinematic, with lots of interesting details and vignettes, but this time you have outdone yourself! Very nice.
Also hoping for a successful mission!

Steve Gill said...

Wonderfully atmospheric.

Prinz Geoffrey said...

Your imagination knows no bounds. Good luck chaps.

Gallia said...

Thank you Sirs,
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I am very appreciative of your kind and thoughtful remarks plus interest in this blog photo novelette. Thank you for the pats on the back.
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Respectfully,
Bill

Anonymous said...

Always a joy to read your blog, Sir! And now night time sorties... Great Scott, Sir! Did these men volunteer for this rescue mission, after such previous exertions one would have imagined they wanted their 40 winks, not another mission?!
Squibzy

Conrad Kinch said...

Magnificent! You can almost hear the crackle of crickets and horses coughing in the lines.