Last week, I exposed this digital image of Amtrak 656 gliding through the curves at Gap, Pa., using my Nikon Z6-III with a Nikkor Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S lens. My intent was to create a stark silhouette.
Here I’ve presented three variations of the same NEF RAW file.
The top is essentially unadjusted, except for scaling the file size for ease of presentation.
The middle photo is the product of adjustments to color and color saturation, contrast, and exposure using Lightroom. The bottom is essentially an unsaturated version of the middle image, with further adjustments to highlights and shadows.
Tracking the Light Presents Variations on a Theme!
Hazy, bright sunshine prevailed over the Irish Midlands at Corbane, near Ferbane (Co. Offaly) on the evening of August 23, 2014
We had been following an empty Bord na Móna train of peat wagons returning to the bog for reloading. This was a rarely photographed portion of the three-foot-gauge network, and located a considerable distance from the Shannonbridge Generating Station where the peat would be burned for electricity.
This location was uncharacteristic of the Bord na Móna network that mostly crossed bogland. Here, on higher ground, the line passes through a cutting, where the tiny locomotives would struggle ascending a grade.
I made this view with my Canon EOS 7D fitted with an f/2.8 200mm prime telephoto lens. Last night, I processed the Canon CR2 Raw file using DxO PureRAW 5, then made post-processing cosmetic edits with DxO PhotoLab 9.
I’d traveled from Richmond, Va., to Philadelphia on Amtrak train 94.
Working with my Lumix LX7, I made this view of the columns outside 30th Street Station.
Last night, I used PureRAW 5 to process the Lumix RW2 RAW file, showing the full capture and image area—normally hidden during conventional RAW to JPG processing.
I’ve also included the same photo cropped to a rectangular format to eliminate the extra image area.
Lumix RW2 Raw File showing the full capture of the image area.Conventional crop of the same RAW file.
By spring 2014, my old Panasonic Lumix LX3 (my first digital camera) was functionally worn out. I had made an estimated 65,000 exposures, and the camera had traveled extensively with me, subject to my normal level of heavy use.
Considering a replacement small digital camera, I borrowed my father’s Lumix LX7.
I brought the LX7 I brought this camera with my on a trip to North Carolina with Pat Yough, and made extensive use of it.
On May 31, Pat and I visited Charlotte, where I used the Lumix to photograph the Lynx light-rail system.
Pleased with the high-quality images from the LX7, I bought one of my own a few weeks later. I’ve carried one with me ever since!
Recently, I’ve been using modern digital processing to get the most out of my older Lumix RAW files.
Lumix RAW file converted with PureRAW 5 to DNG format (which implements DeepPRIME3 corrections). Afterward I adjusted the file in Lightroom to improve highlight and shadow detail and provide better color balance.
Tracking the Light Looks Back Over Older Digital Files!
What is “nose light”? You might call it “front lit.” This is a lighting condition when the sun’s position illuminates the railroad in such a manner that the shadows fall right between the rails, with the front of a train or locomotive brightly illuminated and both sides of the train fully in shadow.
It can present a bold, dramatic lighting opportunity, or result in a lackluster, contrasty image.
I made this view the other evening at Shelley Drive in Lancaster, Pa. As you can see from the shadows cast by the catenary masts, the sunlight is front-lighting the approaching Amtrak Keystone. The shadows are perfectly parallel with the rails.
The top photo is essentially unaltered. The bottom photo has been adjusted from the same NEF RAW file.
Working in Lightroom, I produced an alternative version of the image by greatly lightening the shadows and overall image, while controlling the highlights. I warmed the color balance slightly.
I was aiming to improve the overall appearance of the photo while preserving the basic lighting situation.
Last week, on arrival in Columbia, Pa., the signal for the Columbia Secondary was lit Slow Clear—the route was made for Norfolk Southern’s H19 to work west through Cola Interlocking and on to the Port Road Branch.
We didn’t wait long before we could hear the freight sounding for crossings in town, and then its headlight came into view. Cars on North Front Street helped illuminate the scene.
I made the first three photos from the well-lit parking lot near the old PRR station as H19 passed, then we followed the freight west through Marietta. At Vinegar Ferry Road in Marietta’s Riverfront Park, we paused, and I made long-time exposures of the passing freight.
North Front Street, Columbia, Pa., Vinegar Ferry Road, Marietta, Pa.,
Here’s another take on what has become a familiar setting for my railroad action images.
Last week, after photographing at Cola in Columbia, Pa., we followed Norfolk Southern’s eastward 632 unit coal train on its way down the Port Road Branch to the bridges at Safe Harbor.
This location is easily accessible in the evenings and offers considerable man-made ambient light, much of it from lights around the hydroelectric dam and related electrical infrastructure (which supplies high-voltage alternating current to Amtrak).
This evening, low-hanging clouds over the Susquehanna River made for a dramatic sky beyond the bridge, while lights behind me helped illuminate the railroad. I opted to make vertical pans of the eastward train.
To do this successfully, I had to turn off my Nikon Z6-III’s image stabilization. While this may seem counterintuitive, it is necessary to pan without image stabilization because the system will actually prevent a sharp image of the panned subject as it tries to “correct” for the camera motion.
After exposure in RAW, I processed the files using PureRAW 5 (which I’ve described in detail in earlier posts) and afterward made nominal corrections to shadows, highlights, and color balance in order to make the most of the data captured.
f1.4 1/10 second.f1.4 1/15 second.
I am very satisfied with the way these images turned out. They really capture the majesty of the enormous trestle while portraying the coal train in motion and making the most of the clouds and foreground.
Under the cover of darkness, Norfolk Southern unit coal train 632 (Keating to Baltimore) was rolling down the Royalton Branch. Kris and I waited for it in Columbia, Pa., and when we heard it was getting close, I moved into position opposite Pennsylvania Railroad’s old Cola tower.
I tried this angle several weeks ago and felt it had potential for another try. I like it because the location is readily visually identifiable and has a lot of railroad history.
Among the challenges at this location at night is trying to compensate for the locomotives’ excessively bright headlights. This evening, I was also facing high humidity, stemming from damp conditions along the Susquehanna River, which kept causing condensation on the lens.
My result is atmospheric, if imperfect.
Nikon Z6-III, 50mm f/1.4 lens, set at ISO 40,000, 1/160th of a second, f/1.4. NEF RAW file processed using PureRaw 9 with DeepPRIME 3 digital corrections.
It was a beautiful late-summer evening. We paused at the old Leola Station along Horseshoe Road in Lancaster County, Pa., where I’ve made a variety of images over the last few years.
I snapped a few photos with three cameras. This image was made with my Nikon Z7-II with a 24–70mm lens. I have yet to view the results from my Lumix LX-7 digital camera and Leica M4 (loaded with Kodak Ektachrome).
24-70mm set to 32.5mm, f/4.0, 1/60 sec., ISO 1600. Image adjusted from NEF RAW using DxO PureRAW 5 with DeepPRIME 3 corrections and post-processing with DxO PhotoLab 9.
Only once did I catch Norfolk & Western’s A-Class 2-6-6-4 under steam.
My pal TSH and I were on our annual two-week summer photography adventure.
July 23, 1988, was a rainy, gray day, and we found ourselves in Erie, Pennsylvania. Our aim was to make photographs of Conrail on the Water Level Route, but the weather wasn’t ideal for that objective, so we took a break from modern mainline action for a steam interlude.
We set up on Erie’s 19th Street along the route of the former Nickel Plate Road—the trade name of the predecessor railroad (in case the context wasn’t clear). After a short wait, the big locomotive came walking down the street, much to the astonishment of some of Erie’s residents.
I made a couple of Kodachrome slides of the event, and my general feeling is that, despite the weather, the color photos are better than this pair of black-and-white images.
Part of the problem with the black-and-white images is that I’d underprocessed the negatives. I recall the disappointment of looking over the still-wet film when I realized what I’d done: I’d over-diluted my D-76.
Recently, however, I was partially able to correct for this chemical error using modern scanning and digital post-processing. Now, I find that the trailing view is pretty cool.
Tracking the Light Looks to Improve Old Photographs!
We paid a nocturnal visit to Middletown, Pa., where I photographed Middletown & Hummelstown’s Alco S-6 switcher in Western Maryland paint from Brown Street.
I worked entirely from ambient light, which included street lights near the railroad yard, and a background glow from the nearby Harrisburg Airport.
Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens, ISO 200, f4.0, 25 seconds. Viewing the scaled file on my computer, screen the stars are evident in the sky.Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens, ISO 200, f4.0, 25 seconds.Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens, ISO 200, f4.0, 25 seconds.
With my Nikon Z7-II mounted on a 3Pod tripod, I exposed a series of relatively long exposures with the camera set to low ISO (200) to allow for greater data capture. My exposures were nearly 30 seconds. In post processing, I reduced overall contrast, lightened shadow areas to reveal detail not evident with the naked eye, and controlled highlights.
On the morning of August 2, 1986—more than 40 years ago—I made this view of NJ Transit’s former Erie Lackawanna U34CH 4170, set against the backdrop of New York City’s iconic World Trade Center twin towers.
Kodachrome slide film exposed with a Leica 3A fitted with a Visoflex and 200mm Telyt lens.
Several days ago, I posted some photos of the tracks and signals at Tome, Norfolk Southern’s interlocking at Port Deposit.
Last week, Kris and I were lucky to catch unit coal train 590 rolling through the historic town along the Susquehanna River.
I made this selection of images using both my Nikon Z6-III with a 24-70mm zoom and my Nikon Z7-II with a 50mm f/1.4. I didn’t have the benefit of a nearly full moon for these photos, which had provided sublime evening lighting in my earlier images.
I processed the images using DxO PureRAW 5 with DeepPRIME 3 corrections and made nominal cosmetic adjustments using PhotoLab 9.
Nikon Z6-III with a 24-70mm Nikon Z7-II with a 50mm f/1.4-f1.4 at 1/320 sec 25600 ISO, scaled directly from the Nikon NEF RAW file without PureRaw/DeepPRIME3 corrections. See corrected and adjusted file below.Nikon Z7-II with a 50mm f/1.4-f1.4 at 1/320 sec 25600 ISO-following PureRaw and processing with PhotoLab color and contrast adjustment.Nikon Z6-III with a 24-70mm Nikon Z6-III with a 24-70mm Nikon Z7-II with a 50mm f/1.4
This location has potential, and we’ll be back again.
Tracking the Light explores nocturnal image making!
After Keystone 656 rolled east through Gap, I had but a short wait for its westward counterpart, train 651, destined for Harrisburg and led by ACS-64 620.
In the short interval between trains, I thought about all the Pennsylvania Railroad electrics that worked through this same curve more than a half-century ago.
In 1963, my father made photos of GG1s and E44s working trains near the Irishtown Road crossing in Bird-in-Hand. Someday, I’ll recreate those angles with modern trains.
What is common today will someday seem novel.
What was once working the Main Line may someday serve as a display at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. I wonder, did I catch old Amtrak 915 at Gap? I may have.
A few minutes after Amtrak 656 went east, Keystone train 651 navigated the famous curve at Gap. It would have been cool to catch a GG1 here—or even one of the old Metroliner sets when they were assigned to Keystone services. These days, I’m happy to catch a modern ACS-64 leading westbound.
Today, Tracking the Light ponders the numbers and the passage of time.
When arriving trackside, be ready. Have your camera accessible and ready to go.
When I pulled up at my pre-selected location in Gap, Pa., I knew I was very tight on time.
I’d miscalculated how long it would take me to drive there, and I half expected that I’d already missed Amtrak Keystone 656 on its eastbound journey toward Philadelphia.
I reached for my phone to check the train’s progress, but at the last second decided to get out of the car instead. I turned on the camera, removed the lens cap, and heard the rail’s “ting” as the train leaned into the curve.
I keep my eyes open for photo locations, paying careful attention to lighting, time of day, and season. Days, months, and sometimes years may pass before an opportunity arises to make the desired photographs. But when the moment comes, it is necessary to have the equipment in hand and be ready to act.
On bright days in the early evening, there’s nice light on Norfolk Southern’s New Holland Secondary where it winds through the industrial estates approaching Greenfield Road in suburban Lancaster, Pa. While I’ve explored this location for more than three years, until Thursday last week I had not caught a westward train here in ideal conditions.
When I saw Norfolk Southern’s local freight changing crews nearby at Jefferson Drive, I knew I had a good chance of catching it. So I acted accordingly.
I arrived a few minutes ahead of the train. Fortunately, there were no cars or trucks parked near the tracks that would obstruct my view. When I heard the whistle at Jefferson Drive, I stepped across Independence Court, where I’d parked, and waited in the bright sun.
These are my results.
Tracking the Light Explores Photographic Technique!
As a follow-up to yesterday’s Tracking the Light, finding Norfolk Southern’s returning New Holland local crawling up to Jefferson Drive for a crew change presented a number of photographic opportunities.
While I’ve made many photographs of trains along Jefferson Drive in Lancaster, catching a freight paused in the evening sun allowed me to try a variety of angles while planning my next location.
With the sun over my right shoulder, I worked quickly with my Z6-III fitted with a 24–70mm lens, exposing this selection of digital images while simultaneously making a few Ektachrome 100 slide images with my dad’s old Leica M4. In all of these images, I was trying to make the most of the foreground and background while featuring the pair of vintage EMD diesels.
Before the train began moving again, I drove the short distance to Greenfield Road to set up my next photograph.
Stay tuned!
Tracking the Light explores the details of railroad photography!
I spotted the Norfolk Southern truck as I approached the grade crossing at Jefferson Drive, in Lancaster, Pa.
Looking left, I saw the returning New Holland local freight (train symbol H28?).
The train came to a stop short of the crossing to change crews. I don’t know the circumstances, but this was the first time in three years of documenting the former Pennsylvania Railroad New Holland Branch, that I’d witnessed a crew change on the line.
Nice evening sun and a paused train made for an opportunity to work a few angles. I started with this dark-side view, exposed with my Nikon Z6-III.
I’ve included two interpretations of the camera’s NEF RAW file.
Yesterday evening, it was sunny when we departed for Christiana to intercept the passage of Keystone services 656 and 651.
I made this view from the old freight house as ACS-64 649, dressed with Amtrak’s Freedom 250 logo, raced west with Keystone No. 651 on the old Main Line.
By this time, clouds had thickened and textured the evening sky.
Using DxO PureRAW5, I converted the Nikon NEF RAW files to DNG format. I then transformed the DNG by adjusting color, contrast, and exposure. Below are four variations/interpretations of the file, each is the result of a different technique/settings.
I’m curious to see how these might appear on my phone’s tiny screen following compression by the WordPress platform. In the past, I’ve found that, despite considerable adjustment, WordPress compression can nearly nullify my changes, yielding results that don’t make for particularly extreme comparisons.
Can you see a significant difference between the variations?
DeepPRIME3 corrections in conjunction with conversion to DNG, without adjustment to color, contrast, exposure or level.Nominal adjustment to bring in sky detail, improve level, lighten shadows etc.Heavier adjustment, with significant lightening and exposure/contrast controls.Extreme adjustment with over the top vivid color enhancements.
Tracking the Light Examines Image Processing and Presentation!
A while back, I learned that my Lumix LX3 files had been slightly cropped by the camera.
However, when processing these old files using DxO PureRAW, I discovered that, in addition to correcting various lens anomalies, the software reveals slightly more of the image captured by the camera’s sensor than was originally visible.
Below are two versions of the same photo of Irish Rail’s IWT Liner, exposed on August 28, 2014, at Clondalkin in suburban Dublin. The top image shows how the photo appeared out of the camera; the bottom is the result following PureRAW 4 conversion of the original RAW file to DNG format.
This provides a little more space at the bottom of the frame in what was an exceptionally tight composition.
The downside of the conversion is that the resulting file is nearly four times larger.
CR2 RAW file before conversion to DNG format. Note the extremely tight compostion with the locomotive pilot nearly touching the bottom of the image area.This version offers a hair more track below the locomotive than visable on the original CR2 file. It’s not much, but it makes a difference!
