The Ulster Transport Museum at Cultra (in Co. Down, Northern Ireland) has one of the finest static displays of restored vintage railway equipment.
This is comparable to the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania and California State Railroad Museum and well worth a visit.
Kris and I paid a visit to Cultra at the end of March and I made this selection of photos using my Nikon Z7-II.
Since the lighting is contrasty and relatively dim, I set the camera to record at comparably high-ISO. While this resulted in comparably pixelated images, found the overall quality of the photographs very satisfactory.
Where possible, I lowered the ISO to allow for higher image quality. However, since I exposing everything hand-held, I didn’t want to use a shutter speed much slower than about 1/15th of a second.
In post-processing, I lightened shadow areas and controlled highlights, while lowering overall contrast in order to improve the overall image quality, while preserving the relative atmosphere of the museum environment.
ISO 4000, f4.0, 1/50th second, Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm Z-series zoom at 26mm.
ISO 4000, f4.0, 1/50th second, Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm Z-series zoom at 26mm.
ISO 4000, f4.0, 1/50th second, Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm Z-series zoom at 26mm.
Adobe Lightroom work window showing camera settings (at right).Adobe Lightroom work window showing adjustments to exposure, contrast, highlights and shadow areas.Same file as above, but without changes in post-processing in regards to contrast, exposure or highlight/shadow adjustment.
Same file as above, but without changes in post-processing in regards to contrast, exposure or highlight/shadow adjustment.
Same file as above, but without changes in post-processing in regards to contrast, exposure or highlight/shadow adjustment.
ISO 4000, f4.0, 1/60th second, Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm Z-series zoom at 63mm. RAW Files scaled for internet without postprocessing adjustments to contrast, exposure, highlights or shadows.ISO 4000, f4.0, 1/125th second, Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm Z-series zoom at 63mm. RAW Files scaled for internet without post-processing adjustments to contrast, exposure, highlights or shadows.
On 12 April 2003, I traveled on the Irish Railway Record Society special from Dublin to Northern Ireland. This operated with NI Railways GM 111 class diesels and NIR Mark II carriages.
I made this photo during a photographers stop at Cultra on the Bangor Line.
This was exposed using a Contax G2 rangefinder loaded with FUJI Neopan 400 black & white film.
I processed the film using Agfa Rodinal Special mixed 1-32 for 3 minutes 45 seconds at 70 degrees F. I scanned the negatives last year with an Epson V600 flatbed scanner.
I’ve composed this post several days in advance as I am ‘off the grid’ for several days.
No, not on display. Not yet! This was a service train.
It had just begun to rain. So rather than making a potentially bland colour view, I exposed this photograph on black & white film using my Canon EOS 3 with 40mm lens
My choice of film is a bit obsolete: Â Fuji Acros 100. I have a few rolls left in my bag.
Afterwards, I hand processed in a Paterson tank with Rodinal Special mixed 1 to 31 with water for 3 minutes 45 second at 68F.
Below are a selection of contemporary digital photographs that I made on visits to the Ulster Folk & Transport Museum at Cultra, near Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Museums offer opportunity to study historic equipment and take in the spirit of earlier times. But can be challenging places to make captivating photos. Confined quarters, cluttered arrangements, and other visitors can complicate composition.
Contrasty mixed source lighting is another problem. Thankfully modern digital cameras do an excellent job of balancing  florescent, incandescent light with direct and indirect daylight. While the ability to make test shots helps to obtain better exposures.
I exposed these images using my FujiFilm XT1 with a 12mm Zeiss Touit lens.
