Tracking the Light posts daily!
The fine art of the pacing shot was perfected many years ago. In the steam era, Jim Shaughnessy and others paced big steam across the prairies and grasslands in a quest for dramatic images.
I was traveling along the west bank of the Rhein a couple of days ago with Denis McCabe, Stephen Hirsch and Gerry Conmy.
The railway here is exceptionally busy. The sun was bright and we were searching for photographic locations.
‘Green signal. Southbound.’
A minute later, ‘there’s a train overtaking us!’
I unrolled the window, switched my Lumix on, set it to ISO 80 at f8 and used the ‘A’ (aperture priority) mode, and exposed this series of images in rapid succession.
By using the settings described above, I allowed the camera meter to adjust the exposure to compensate for changing lighting conditions, while insuring the slowest possible shutter speed to maximize the effect of background blur.
Complicating the exposure was the reflective silver paint.
Other than scaling for internet presentation, I have not altered these images in post processing.
Tracking the Light posts daily!
I’ve made similar images with film. However, no two camera systems are precisely the same, so while the result might be similar, it would be different. The train was moving at 85 kph. Our Opel Zafira was doing the legal speed of 70 kph. However the speed limit on the road was soon upped to 100 kph, so we were able to gauge the train’s correct speed (compensated for the inaccuracies of the speedometer.)
I thought you’d like that! Reminded me of chasing Conrail on the PRR east of Huntingdon in the days of yore.
Bravo! Well done Brian. Coolest photos of your trip to me. TSH
What speed was the train going?
Two, if you were using a film camera, would you have received the same results?