Tag Archives: #digital photography

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

On this Day 16 Years Ago!

On January 16, 2010, I paid a visit to the Mid-Hants Railway in the UK.

I was relatively new to digital photography, having only acquired my first digital camera a few months earlier. This was a compact Lumix LX3. Originally, I anticipate using my first ‘Wee Lumix’ primarily for social photographs; snap shots of friends and family, and architectural studies of buildings in my travels.

However, not long after buying it, I experimented with the camera for railroad photos and found that I had a range of capabilities.

On this misty day visit to the Mid-Hants, I exposed dozens of images with my LX3. Although I simultaneously exposed in both RAW and JPG formats, in my early days I didn’t have advance image processing software, and so tended to primarily work with the in-camera JPGs.

Last night I decided to revisit my photos from January 16, 2010, and retrieve this selection from an old hard drive and processed the RAW files using DxO’s PureRaw4. This allows me to see the full image as captured by the camera, while correcting for a variety of lens defects. In situations where the camera’s zoom was at its wider setting this interpretation results in non-parallel edges to overcome barrel distortion and other defects.

Rather than crop the RAW images to rectangular format to match the JPGs, I’ve opted to show the full file which displays camera’s RAW capture that shows the whole field of view. This reveals detail at the edges of the image that has been hidden away all these years

The LX3 allows the photographer to set the aspect ratio at the time of exposure. This 5.1mm view was made using the 1:1 ratio.
LX3 photo; 5.1mm focal length using the 1:1 aspect ratio.
12.8 mm view made using the 4:3 aspect ratio.
5.1 mm view made using the 4:3 aspect ratio.
11.1 mm view made using the 4:3 aspect ratio.

Tracking the Light Looks Back!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Glenside—11 Years Ago

On this day, 11 December 2014, I was experimenting with a FujiFilm X-E2 with 18-55mm f2.8-4 Fujinon lens that fellow photographer Pat Yough had lent me.

At the time, I was intrigued with the FujiFilm X-series digital cameras for their exceptional sharpness, excellent color rendition, and overall ease of use.

In the evening we visited SEPTA’s Glenside Station on the former Reading Company, where I made this series of photos during a snow squall.

Later in the season, Pat loaned me a FujiFilm X-T1. I preferred this Fuji over the X-E2, and bought one about a month later. I’ve been using FujiFilm X-series cameras ever since, and still make occasional used of my X-T1s (I acquired a second body in 2019).

I processed this FujiFilm RAF RAW files using Adobe Lightroom and manually adjusted color temperature to minimize the effects of sodium-vapor lamps.

Tracking the Light explores railroad photography.

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Blitz at Christiana on a Cloudy Evening

Amtrak Keystone 656 was due eastbound on its way from Harrisburg.

I set up at the old Pennsylvania Railroad freight house, now maintained by Lancaster Chapter NRHS that includes a trackside deck well-suited for watching trains.

I aimed to include this historic building in my composition.

As the train came into view, I exposed a burst of images, then turned to make a going away view and was pleasantly surprised to see the Phase VII painted former Metroliner cab control car at the back of the train.

The 1960s-era Metroliner cars are some of the last vestiges of the Pennsylvania Railroad still on the role in Pennsylvania.

Tracking the Light Examines Railroad Photography!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Mogul and the Ultralight

I’m remided of the famous painting showing the race between Pennsylvania Railroad E6s Atlantic 460 and a mail plane, both carrying newsreels of Lindburg’s famous transatlantic flight.

Yesterday Kris, Seamus-the-Dog and I waited at Esbenshade Road for the Friday evening departure from Strasburg. I was positioned on the north side of the crossing. As the locomotive came into view working across the fields of soybean and corn, I spotted a small aircraft flying alongside the train.

Time waits for no one, and I had only moments to compose a photo of the race.

In 1927, the E6s Atlantic, a famously poweful and fast machine, made the best of the plane. Not so at Esbenshade. The buzzing light aircraft gain altitude and whizzed ahead of the plodding excursion.

I made these photos using my Nikon Z-series mirrorless cameras.

Strasburg Rail Road’s former Canadian National 89 is a 2-6-0 Mogul type locomotive. Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Sunset at Mount Sidney Road—Smoketown

What better place to catch a smoky sky than in Smoketown?

I’ve eyed up this location for a few years now. It’s not great in bright daylight, but I’ve thought it might make a nice view in the evening.

Last night, Kris and I had gone for ice cream, and afterwards were driving around in the post sunset glow. Canadian fires continue to tint the evening sky.

We parked off Mount Sidney Road, I had time to frame up the scene, set the ISO rating on my Z7-II to 8000, and lo-and-behold, there was the blue-white sheen of an ACS-64’s headlights on the rail.

Even at ISO8000 my exposure was f4 at 1.60th of a second.

I processed the NEF RAW file using DxO PureRaw to create a DNG file, which I then imported into Lightroom for minor adjustment. Among other corrections, PureRaw eliminated the granular effect of ISO.

Below is the straight NEF RAW scaled and converted to JPG but unaltered in terms of appearance (exposure, color, contrast, grain or vignette-control).

Straight NEF RAW scaled and converted to JPG but otherwise unaltered.
NEW RAW after conversion to DNG and cosmetically adjusted in Lightroom to enhance appearance.

Above is my interpreted NEF RAW file after conversion to DNG with changes to color, contrast, exposure etc.; below is the same file with extreme interpretation of color, contrast and exposure. The result is surreal.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Difficult Light at Amos Herr Park

Hazy midday summer sun presents difficult lighting for photographing trains on the move.

The overall light quality is flat, yet shadow areas are muddy and indistinct. This especially challenging on the underside of equipment and tree leaves.

The other day at Amos Herr Park in Landisville, Pa., I photographed Amtrak’s eastward Pennsylvanian. Moments before it came into view, a small fuzzy cloud dulled the already dull light.

The simple solution to this problem is to avoid photographing in midday summer light.

In this instance, I am seeking a post-processing solution to mitigate the problem and help produce a better image.

Below is a sequence of images. The first is the scaled, but otherwise unmodfied NEF Raw file. Next is my first attempt at adjusting color, contrast and exposure in an effort to improve the overall appearance of the photo. I wasn’t satisfied with this effort, so for my next attempt I converted the image to black & white and then selectively adjusted contrast and exposure.

In the final image, I manually reintroduced color to the photo, carefully controlling saturdation and luminance for specific parts of the spectrum using the Lightroom slider controls. Although imperfect, this allowed me to control the amount and intensity of color in defined areas of the image. If it looks a bit artificial that’s because it is! This is the product my controlling AI technology to colorize the image using information stored in the original file. It is not organic or natural.

Unmodified NEF RAW file.
Adjusted NEF RAW file using slider controls to modify color balance, color temperature, contrast and exposure, with a mask on the sky to make specific adjustments.
File converted to monochrome and with significant adjustment to contrast and exposure.
This is the product my controlling AI technology to colorize the above monochrome image using information stored in the original file.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Lucky Friday the 13th

[If you don’t see pictures when this is cross-posted to email or Facebook formatting, click the link to go directly to Tracking the Light]

After dinner on Friday the 13th, Kris and I stopped down to Palmer, Mass., to see if anything was moving.

In time-honored practice we parked near the signals at CP83. I got out of the car and gave a listen. It was hard to hear over the cacophony of music and voices emanating from the Steaming Tender. I gazed east on the old Boston & Albany and saw that the yard was mostly empty. Then, I walked to New England Central’s former Central Vermont yard on the opposite side of the parking lot. While there, I caught a hint of a long-familiar sound. Freight cars drifting downgrade . . .Eastbound!

Turning on the hoof, I ran back to the signals, and gave it a second listen. . . . . definitely an eastbound on the B&A! I stepped back to frame up the photograph and saw the switch was lined for the controlled siding.

As the CSX freight came into view and took the siding, I could hear another train. Eighty-five cars passed me, and when the last had cleared the signals, I saw New England Central’s freight waiting to cross the diamond southbound.

We had timed our arrival perfectly! Lucky for us, but it helps to be tuned to the sounds of railroading.

Although the paint on the engines was different and the trees had grown, it was for that few minutes like old times in my old haunt.

Photos exposed using a Nikon Z7-II, NEF Raw files converted to DNG format using DxO PureRaw and adjusted for exposure, contrast and color using Lightroom.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Moodna Revisited

In June 1997, my father and I made photographs of Chesapeake & Ohio 4-8-4 No. 614 leading an excursion across the former Erie Railroad Moodna Viaduct at Salisbury Mills, New York.

A few days ago, Kris and I revisited this famous bridge located on the old Erie Graham Line cutoff, now part of the route of NJ Transit/Metro North Port Jervis service commuter trains.

Parking is available at the Schunnemuck Mountain Trail Area off Otter Kill Road. (A nice trail, bummer about the otter).

We arrived just a few minutes before Train 76 from Port Jervis crossed the vast span.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

8618 Before and After Processing

On our recent excursion to Paradise and back, I made a few photos of Strasburg Railroad’s SW8 8618 using my FujiFilm XT1 with 16-55mm Fujinon zoom lens.

Below are two versions of the same file. The top is a scaled but otherwise unaltered Fuji RAF RAW. The bottom is the image after transformation into a DNG file with lens defect correction using DxO PureRaw followed by selective cosmetic adjustments using Adobe Lightroom to maximize shadow and highlight detail, plus level, color and exposure corrections.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Heritage Amtrak P42 leads Train 42 at Gap, Pa.

There are many ‘Gaps’ in Pennsylvania but only Gap, Pa.

I’ll let historians argue about the details, but what’s important to me is that Gap offers an excellent place to photograph Amtrak.

Last week, fellow photographer Dan Cupper, advised me that Amtrak P42 108 (painted in an unusual 50thAnniversary heritage livery) was expected to work Train 42, the eastward Pennsylvanian.

My first plan was to catch both westward and eastward Pennsylvanians  at Christiana, where I can picture the trains passing the classic Pennsylvania Railroad station building.

This plan was partially foiled when I arrived to find that my planned photo of Train 42 wasn’t possible because of some vehicles parked near the right of way. Complicating matters was that Train 43 was close, but running a few minutes late. (See TTL post from March 14). My quandary was that if I waited too long for 43, then I might not have time to relocate to catch 42 at another location.

Thankfully, 43 rolled through Christiana in time, and I relocated posthaste to Gap. I made it with minutes to spare, and mounted my Nikon Z7-II on a tripod and frame up a view with my 70-200mm lens.

I was about to check the tracker when I saw 42 in the distance. 

Soon I was on my to get a coffee and head home.

Tracking the Light discusses rail photographic process daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Westward Pennsylvanian at Christiana

Amtrak’s daily westward Pennsylvanian, Train 43, was running slightly behind the advertised. This was a bonus train, as I was more interested in catching its eastward counterpart, Train 42, which featured P42 108 specially dressed for Amtrak’s 50th Anniversary.

I was relieved when Train 43 came into view, and I exposed a series of photos as it passed the old PRR station at Christiana, Pa. Old 43’s tail lights were barely past me, when I headed for the car to drive against 42, which was already out of Lancaster and racing in my direction.

Stay tuned!

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Success at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania

My first Railroad Photography 101 class held at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania proved to be a success.

We had limited the number of participants to a small, but manageable number.

I started with a 25 minute overview of photography, offering photo tips and discussion of locomotive portraits and other subject matter, before delving into details on lighting, composition and technique. Then the participants were given an hour to wander around the museum to make photographs of their own. I had pre-arranged for some of the safety barriers to be temporarily removed to allow for unobstructed views of key locomotives.

At the end, I told a few anecdotal stories and answered questions.

My hope is that everyone learned something helpful and useful to advance their own photography.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Yesterday Evening at Bird-in-Hand.

The days are getting longer!

Yesterday evening, after Kris and I finished our workdays, we drove trackside to Bird-in-Hand, Pa., where I caught Amtrak Keystone 649 running a little behind the advertised on its way to Lancaster and Harrisburg.

It was nice to again be able to get sun-on-the-tracks photos in the evenings after work.

I made these images using my Nikon Z7-II with 70-200mm Nikkor Z-series Zoom.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Amtrak 448 at CP83 by Night.

On our most recent visit to Palmer, Mass., in addition to architectural photos of the old Union Station building, I also made some views of Amtrak 448, the eastward Boston-section of the Lake Shore Limited rolling by the building.

I’ve made similar views over the years by day and by night. In recent years the brush along the tracks has partially obscured the view of passing trains. I opted to include the brush in the photo, rather than make a tight view that may have cropped the station, which was the primary subject.

Below are two versions from the same NEF RAW file. One is a JPG converted straight from the RAW without denoise or demosiac adjustment. The second was converted using DxO Pure Raw 4, which includes both denoise, demosiac features that removes/mitigates pixelization and diestracting artifacts as result of using the sensor at high-ISO (in this case 12,800), and also corrects for lens defects that are specific to my 24-70mm Nikkor Z-series zoom

Over the last few weeks I’ve been experimenting with a demo version of the DxO Pure Raw 4 software. This was recommended to me by Tracking the Light reader David MacKenzie. This sophisticated software requires several minutes of processing time for exach file, but cleans up many of the objectionable qualities inherant to high-ISO files, and allows for significantly superior end results.

Over the next few weeks, I plan to display a variety of results using DxO Pure Raw 4, and other processing software.

JPG converted straight from the RAW without denoise or demosiac adjustment. Compare with the convert version. ISO 12,800 f4.0 at1/10 second. Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens set to70mm, and mounted on 3Pod tripod.
Image converted using DxO Pure Raw 4, JPG output using Adobe Lightroom. ISO 12,800 f4.0 at1/10 second. Nikon Z7-II with 24-70mm lens set to70mm, and mounted on 3Pod tripod.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Tips and Technique

Frankenstein with the Nikon Z6

Leave a comment

Monday September 28, 2020, I made the hike up to Frankenstein to photograph the westward Mountaineer crossing the famous trestle in peak autumn color.

This was also one of my first tests with the new camera photographing a moving train.

Among the features of the Z6 is the ‘heads-up’ display in view finder that allows for me to observe a histogram while I’m making photographs.

After exposure, I imported the Nikon NEF (camera RAW) file into Adobe Lightroom for adjustment.

The sensor in the camera captures an enormous amount of data. To make the best use of this requires a bit of interpretation.

Specifically, I used a digitally applied graduated neutral density filter in the sky to better display highlight detail. I also lightened shadow areas, while making subtle color temperature changes.

While I have made these types of adjustments with my other digital cameras, I was impressed by the level of detail and the subtlety of the colors displayed in the Nikon file.

This camera-lens combination allows for exceptional sharp images. I’ve enlarged a small portion of the file without adjustment for comparison.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

Announcements

My New Camera: Nikon Z6

Leave a comment

Last week I received my latest in a long line of cameras that began with an Exakta back in 1972.

Over the last six months, I’ve been considering an upgrade to my digital cameras.

Sensor technology has progressed and my ability to work with digital photography successfully has matured. 

I considered a variety of cameras in my price range including Canon, FujiFilm, and Panasonic Lumix.

I was looking for a camera that will augment my existing cameras while providing demonstrably better or different image quality.

Two events pushed me toward my purchase: The first was the loss of service of my 18-135mm zoom for my Fuji XT1. The second was the loss of service of my Panasonic LX7. 

After careful and lengthy consideration, I ended up purchasing a Nikon Z6 mirrorless digital camera on the recommendation of photographer Pat Yough.

I plan to continue to use my Canon and FujiFilm digital cameras as well as my film cameras. Plus, I’m in the market for another Lumix!

The Nikon’s excellent full-frame sensor and the ability to use my older Nikon lenses on the new camera, plus the price point were among my considerations. I bought the camera with a 24-70 zoom.

Below are a few of the photos from my first day out with the Z6 on a wander around western Maine with my girlfriend and photography partner Kris Sabbatino. All were made with the 24-70mm and processed using Adobe Lightroom.

Grafton Notch, near Neary, Maine.
Grafton Notch, near Neary, Maine.
St. Lawrence & Atlantic at Bethel, Maine.
St. Lawrence & Atlantic at Gilead, Maine.

I may take me a while before I obtain the full visual benefit of this new tool, as it has a lot of buttons, functions, menus and features to explore and learn.

I am not new to Nikon, as I bought my Nikon in the form of an F3T in 1990, but this is my first Nikon Digital camera.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

photography, Tips and Technique

400mm on the Hill

Leave a comment

At Conway Scenic Railroad, we call the stretch of line on the Conway Branch running up to our yard at North Conway, ‘the Hill’. This uses a prolonged man-made fill to lift the railroad to its necessary elevation to serve the town. It is the steepest grade on the railroad.

Yesterday, July 30, 2020, I opted to work with my Canon EOS 7D with 100-400 lens to catch former Maine Central 252 on its northward run with the second Conway Valley train. This engine will soon be reassigned.

Canon RAW file scaled from internet.

I hadn’t used this camera in almost a year. When I went to download the files to my laptop, I realized—to my disgust—that I’d left all the cables and card readers specific to the 7D, elsewhere!

The Canon 7D uses the larger ‘CF Card’ (compact flash card) rather than the now standard smaller size ‘SD Card’. I went to Staples hoping to buy another card reader. But when I asked if the carried a ‘CF Card reader’ all I got was a blank stare and ‘A what?’ After five minutes of explaining and describing the device I concluded I was wasting my time and theirs.

While I’ve ordered a card reader from B&H Photo in New York, that won’t arrive until next week. In the meantime Kris Sabbatino came to my rescue. Among her collection of card readers and accessories, she found an old USB2 ‘All-in-1 Card Reader’ and this did the trick!

Hooray!

Tracking the Light Posts EVERY DAY!

photography, Tips and Technique

Memory Full!

2 Comments

When I’m working with film I keep a sharp eye on how many photos I expose, and work judiciously as I approach the 36th frame.

But with digital, too often the potentially vast numbers of photos that I can save to a card leads to my complacency. So, despite having had hundreds of exposures at my disposal, at an inopportune moment after releasing the shutter the dreaded ‘Memory Full!’ message appears at the back of the camera along with a snide sounding ‘beeep!’

I had this misfortune a couple of weeks back when in pursuit of the southward Vermont Rail System freight near Wells River, Vermont.

Luckily, I’d just captured the train in motion.

However, since I’d planned out a series of locations, and I needed to proceed post haste to my next spot. I didn’t have the time to root around and locate another SD Card for my FujiFilm XT1 (poor planning on my part), so I went immediately to ‘Plan B’. (the back up plan).

That involved working with my Lumix LX7 and a Nikon F3 (loaded with black & white film) cameras, both of which are excellent tools.

The film remains in the camera, so I’ve opted to present the Lumix Photos here.

Tracking the Light Posts Everyday.

Tips and Technique

Card Read Error!

3 Comments

These are not the words I want to see at the back of my camera screen.

Let’s back up:

Yesterday, after traveling to the top of New Hampshire’s Cannon Mountain via the Cannon Mountain Aerial Tramway with my friends, I made a series of cosmic photos of the surrounding scenery.

However, during my photography all of a sudden as I was reviewing photos the words ‘Card Read Error!’ came up on my camera screen.

This is bad news: it means that the recording media has been damaged or corrupted. 

When this happens to you, don’t panic, but follow these instructions:

1) DO NOT attempt to expose more photos using the damaged card. Doing so can greatly complicate your future ability to retrieve the images that you’ve already exposed.

2) Turn your camera off.

3) Take the card out of the camera.

4) Replace the card with a fresh spare. (I always carry two or three spares with me).

5) Test the camera using the spare card. If it seems to work as normal, you can probably resume photography. If it doesn’t, there may be a more complicated problem.

6) Before downloading, do not ‘format’, ‘erase’ or take any action that will add/subtract information / data to or from the card.

7) Later, when you are home, attempt to download your card using an external device. In my case I have a card reader that inserts into my MacBook using a USB port.

8) After you successfully download the card, put it aside and mark it ‘defective’. Once recording media goes bad it is unwise to continue to use it. Buy a new card.

In my situation, I waited until evening, I first downloaded the new card that I’d inserted into my after the first card went bad. Only after all the photos from the new card were successfully downloaded and backed up on an external hard drive, did I began downloading the images from the damaged card.

I was lucky and all my images were downloaded with relative ease. I marked the suspect card ‘BAD’ and put it away. I will not use the card again. If I could not download the card using my normal software, I’d have to go through a more complicated procedure to attempt to retrieve missing photos.

Incidentally, camera-recording cards are only designed for short-term storage. I routinely download my cards nightly. While, I hold on to the cards for future re-use, I do not use them for long-term storage.

I suggest that all digital and digitized images be stored in triplicate and in different places. Further, since all hard drives will eventually go bad, it is wise to periodically re-backup data on new media. At least once a year I back up older files on new hard drives and check to make sure that files transfer successfully.

This is among the images that was recorded on the defective card in my FujiFIlm XT1. I was able to retrieve it without too much difficulty, but I was careful not to interfere with the storage media in the field in a panicked attempt to search for photos or continue my photography with the defective media.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

photography

Vestiges of the Central Vermont Railway.

Leave a comment

Last Sunday was dreary and damp. I inspected the old Central Vermont Railway Palmer Subdivision main track at the Massachusetts-Connecticut state line, where I was delighted to find these vestiges from the steam era.

The tie plate below the rail date from the 1940s and still bear evidence of the CV, a company gone since 1995, when New England Central assumed operation of the line.

Exposed digitally with a FujiFilm X-T1 with 27mm pancake lens.

Exposed digitally with a FujiFilm X-T1 with 27mm pancake lens. To make the raised lettering on the tie plate more visible in the photo, I needed to adjust my angle in regards to the reflection of the sky in the water on top of the plate. The water acted both to highlight and obscure the lettering  depending on how the it reflected the light.

I wonder how many times CV’s classic 2-8-0 steam locomotives pounded over these plates in years gone by? Not to mention carrying the passage of CV’s later era locomotives such as the GP9s and Alco RS-11s that I grew up around.

How much longer will these vestiges survive? A welded rail train arrived a couple of days later, so it’s anyone’s guess.

Check Tracking the Light Posts Every Day!

photography, Tips and Technique

CSX Freight Rolls on the Reading; Two cameras, Four photos.

Leave a comment

I made these views of a CSX freight operating on the former Reading Company in Philadelphia. My vantage point was from the sidewalk on the road bridge near the Strawberry Mansion Bridge over the Schuylkill.

The day was bright, but partially overcast, which benefitted my photography since bright sun would have resulted in a difficult and unflattering high-contrast situation.

This northward freight was moving slowly, allowing me to work with two digital cameras and expose a series of images as it went by.

Exposed using a FujiFilm XT1 with 18-135mm zoom lens.

A wider view from the same vantage point exposed with my Lumix LX7.

The lighting post provides a hint as to the location ‘City of Phila.’ Lumix LX7 photo.

Trailing telephoto view with the FujiFilm XT1 with 18-135mm zoom. This offers some interesting roof detail of the General Electric diesels hauling the train.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily.

 

 

 

photography

Sunrise on the New England Central—Working with RAW.

1 Comment

A side-benefit for me of transatlantic jet lag is that I’m wide awake for sunrise.

The other day, I drove to Stafford Springs, Connecticut as the sun was rising.

Typically New England Central 608 passes the village between 7 and 730 am. On this day it appeared about 724 am.

Working with my FujiFilm XT1 with 12mm Zeiss Tuoit lens, I made a series of images of the freight passing.

I carefully exposed my RAW files to retain some sky detail, intending to adjust exposure, contrast and color in post processing.

It would be fallacious to suggest that the RAW file represents reality. It doesn’t.

It is important to understand that the camera RAW file is an equivalent of a ‘negative’ in film photography. The RAW file simply represents the raw data as captured by the camera sensor. This data requires interpretation to produce an image that resembled what the human brain perceives.

I made a series of small adjustments to highlights, shadows, color temperature, and color balance, while working with masks in the sky to control detail and color.

My only regret is that my graduated neutral density filters were still packed away in my luggage, as these would have been useful in this situation by allowing for improved sky detail by effectively selective expanding the dynamic capture of the sensor.

I’ve included both the RAW file (scaled for internet) and my interpreted post-processed JPG. To give hints as to what I’ve done, I’ve also included screen shots of the Lightroom work windows.

This the uninterpreted image. It is a JPG because this necessary for internet presentation. My RAW file was about 33MB which is far too large for presentation here. Significant to my interpretation is that there is greater detail stored in the RAW file than immediately evident in its presentation on the computer screen. Specifically, there is more color and detail in the sky than displayed here.

This is a screen shot of the Lightroom work window of my RAW file. The red blotch in the sky indicates a loss of data in that area owing to over exposure.

This is my finished image following post processing in Lightroom.

Screen shot showing the alterations on the sliders in the Lightroom work window. Notice the relative placement of data in the histogram (graph at upper right).

Tracking the Light posts every day.

photography, Tips and Technique

Dusk in the Gullet; Illustration of Digital Sunset in 5 variations.

1 Comment

What? Not another of those InterCity Railcars?!

Yep.

I made these views from the St. John’s Road Roundabout bridge at Killmainham/Islandbridge in Dublin.

The light was fading, the train was shadowed and the situation routine: Irish Rail’s ICR pass this spot dozens of times daily. In fact, these trains rumble up and down all day long.

Unmodified Lumix camera RAW file (except for scaling). I’ve exposed for the sky.

What initially caught my interest was the sunset glow in the north-west sky.

I made these photos using my Lumix LX7, which exposes a RAW file.

After the fact, I made some heavy handed adjustments to exposure, contrast, colour balance and colour saturation to show what is possible with post processing.

Here’s my first adjusted file; working with the RAW I’ve made a variety of alterations.

In addition to enhancing the sky, I lightened the train and cutting while making a variety of localize adjustments, such as to the flowers at lower left.

I’m using the same essential approach that I used to apply to my black & white photography when making prints in the darkroom, except its now done digitally on the computer.

Unmodified camera RAW (scaled as a JPG for internet presentation).

My first modified RAW image (presented as scaled JPG).

The graffiti at lower right is bit of an annoyance. In my final version, I’ve darkened the area around the graffiti to minimize it.

My second modified RAW where I’ve tried to minimize the graffiti under the bridge.

My first modified RAW image (presented as scaled JPG).

Tracking the Light Posts Daily.

photography

Trenton, New Jersey at Dusk—July 6, 2017; digital photography in low-light.

Leave a comment

The other evening I arrived at Trenton, New Jersey on board Amtrak train 55 the Vermonter.

 

Lumix LX7 photo at Trenton, New Jersey, July 6, 2017.

The blue glow of dusk prevailed. That moment between daylight and evening when the hue of the light adds a extra atmosphere to photographs.

That is of course, unless your camera has its ‘auto white balance’ set, which will neutralize the color and make for blander, duller images.

To avoid this problem, I set my white balance to ‘daylight’, which forces the camera to interpret the bluer light more or less as I see it.

These images were exposed using my Panasonic Lumix LX7 in ‘Vivid’ mode at ISO 200.

SEPTA at Trenton, New Jersey, July 6, 2017. Lumix LX7 photo

 

A SEPTA train enters the station bound for Philadelphia.

Other than scaling the in-camera Jpgs for internet presentation, I’ve not made changes to the appearance of these photos in Post Processing; color balance, color temperature, contrast, exposure and sharpness were not altered during post processing.

Tracking the Light Posts Every Day!

Amtrak’s battle-worn Amfleet, now 4 decades on the roll.

Amtrak 55, the Vermonter has the signal at Trenton. The diagonal arrangement of amber lights indicates ‘approach’.

photography, Tips and Technique

CSX Q422 at Palmer, Massachusetts

Leave a comment

These days most of CSX’s scheduled through car-load freights tend to traverse the east end of the old Boston & Albany during darkness.

True, there’s a couple of intermodal trains, and Amtrak’s Lake Shore Limited during the day, but if you want to see an old-school freight train in daylight you’ll have a long wait.

Early in the morning of June 23, 2017, I went over to CP83 (control point 83 miles from South Station) on spec to see if I could catch some freight on the move.

I have a sixth sense or really good hearing (or both), because I stepped out of the car, and I could hear a distant freight with GE diesels laboring toward Palmer.

I fitted my FujiFilm X-T1 with my fast (f2.0) 90mm lens and walked up to the South Main Street bridge, where I’ve made hundreds of photos over the years.

As the train approached, I realized that it wasn’t an intermodal train, as I expected, but a carload freight. It was CSX’s Q422 (Selkirk, New York to Worcester, Massachusetts).

At 5:29am I made these photos with my camera set to ISO 800, f2.2 1/250 second handheld. The ability to raise the ISO to a faster (more sensitive) setting combined with my fast telephoto lens allows for photos like this one.

ISO 800, f2.2 1/250 second handheld.

ISO 800, f2.2 1/250 second handheld.

In my old Kodachrome 25 days, my exposure with my Nikon F3 and f2.8 135mm lens (offering an equivalent focal length to the 90mm with the small sensor on the X-T1) would have been: f3.5 at ¼ second. The resulting image of this moving train would have been dramatically different.

 

Tracking the Light Posts Daily

 

 

Tips and Technique

MBTA in the Summer; a Lesson in Midday High-Light.

4 Comments

For the discerning photographer, summer midday high-light presents difficulties with contrast and deep shadows.

In my Kodachrome days, I’d put the camera away from 10 am to after 2 pm during June-July. Kodachrome’s palate and contrast didn’t work with midday high-light and the slides would suffer from inky shadows, exceptionally harsh contrast, and bleached highlights.

Using digital photography and post processing, I can overcome some of the difficulties presented by summer high sun by adjusting color temperature and carefully controlling highlight and shadow detail.

Another tool is the external graduated neutral density filter. By attaching one of these filters to the front of the lens, I can darken the sky to better hold highlight detail and color saturation, while lightening the lower portions of the image area to make for a better balanced exposure and increasing the relative amount of data captured.

Final adjustment is still required in post processing to lighten shadows.

MBTA train 1403 from North Station, Boston passes Shirley, Massachusetts. I’ve lightened the shadows and controlled the highlights to make for a better balanced image. The lighting is still straight up, but the effect is less objectionable.

In both this view an the above image, I’ve used a graduated neutral density filter to hold sky detail and color saturation.

In this view high clouds have slight softened the sun at MBTA’s Wachesett Station.

This scene would have been a nightmare with Kodachrome. Bright whites in the foreground, dark green trees at the sides and noon time sun! Exposed digitally using a FujiFilm X-T1.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily!

photography, Tips and Technique

Irish Rail IWT Liner; A lesson in RAW and JPG.

Leave a comment

Thursday morning on my way to breakfast, I made this photo of Irish Rail’s IWT Liner (Dublin to Ballina) passing Islandbridge Junction.

I timed my visit well and so only waited a few minutes for the freight to pass.

I’ve often photographed the IWT at this location, so this was really just an exercise.

Soft morning clouds made for some pleasant lighting, but also a post-processing quandary.

My FujiFilm XT1 allows me to simultaneously expose a Camera RAW file and a camera interpreted JPG. Among the features of the Fuji cameras is the ability to select a film-like colour profile for the Jpg.

In this instance I’ve opted for the Velvia profile, which closely emulates the colour and contrast of this popular slide film.

Another colour adjustment is the white balance control. In this situation I selected ‘auto white balance’, which means the camera interprets the color temperature.

When I processed the photos, I wanted to see if I could improve upon the camera JPG by making subtle changes to the Camera RAW file (which has ten times more information imbedded in it than the Jpg, but serves in the same role as a ‘negative’ and is intended for adjustment rather than uninterpreted presentation).

Below are three images; the a JPG from the unmodified Camera RAW, Camera created JPG, and my interpretation of the Camera RAW file.

This is an uninterpreted JPG made directly from the camera RAW file. (The RAW file is way too large for presentation on Tracking the Light.) I have not made any modifications to color profile, color balance, sharpness or exposure. This file is not really intended for presentation.
This is an uninterpreted JPG made directly from the camera RAW file. (The RAW file is way too large for presentation on Tracking the Light.) I have not made any modifications to color profile, color balance, sharpness or exposure. This file is not really intended for presentation.

My in-camera JPG using the FujiFilm digitally applied Velvia colour profile with 'auto white balance' setting. I made no modifications to this file, except to scale it for presentation and add my watermark on the left.
My in-camera JPG using the FujiFilm digitally applied Velvia colour profile with ‘auto white balance’ setting. I made no modifications to this file, except to scale it for presentation and add my watermark on the left.

This is my modified JPG. Starting with the Camera RAW, I imported this into Lightroom and implemented the following adjustments: I masked the sky using a digitally applied graduated filter custom adjust to increase highlight saturation, decrease highlight exposure, and make for cooler colour balance. On a global level, I made minor adjustments to contrast but lightening the shadow areas, reducing highlight exposure and altering the contrast curve. I also made select exposure adjustments to the pilot area on the locomotive. To match the Camera JPG's perceived sharpness, I applied some nominal image sharpening. (This uses edge effects to make the photo appear sharper on the computer screen.)
This is my modified JPG. Starting with the Camera RAW, I imported this into Lightroom and implemented the following adjustments: I masked the sky using a digitally applied graduated filter and custom adjusted to increase highlight saturation, decrease highlight exposure, and make for cooler colour balance. On a global level, I made minor adjustments to white balance (warmed it up) and to contrast by lightening the shadow areas, reducing highlight exposure and altering the contrast curve. I also made select exposure adjustments to the pilot area on the locomotive. To match the Camera JPG’s perceived sharpness, I applied some nominal image sharpening. (This uses edge effects to make the photo appear sharper on the computer screen.) Got all that?

Incidentally, by using Lightroom, I can make adjustments to the RAW files without permanently changing the original data. This is very important since it would be a mistake to modify the original file. That would be like adding colour dyes or bleach to your original slide to ‘improve’ the result.

Tracking the Light is Daily

photography, Tips and Technique

Tracking the Light on-going Photo Challenge: Ireland’s Oldest Railway

1 Comment

The Dublin and Kingstown Railway dates to 1834, which makes it among the earliest steam railways built outside of England.

Today the route composes a part of Irish Rail’s electrified Dublin Area Rapid Transit system. Outer suburban and Intercity trains (to Rosslare), plus occasional Railway Preservation Society Ireland steam trains also use the line.

Much of the old D&K is scenically situated along the Irish Sea, yet the electrification masts and wires, combined with sea walls, fences, graffiti and suburban growth can make it difficult to obtain a satisfactory vista with the line.

In late August, I rode the DART from Tara Street Station to Blackrock, where I exposed these views using my FujiFilm XT1.

My train accelerates away from the platform at Blackrock. The modern footbridge makes for a dominant visual element, but also offers a photo platform.
My train accelerates away from the platform at Blackrock. The modern footbridge makes for a dominant visual element, but also offers a photo platform.

A Dublin bound German-built DART train approaches Blackrock. I aimed to feature the terrace houses above the line while minimizing the visually obnoxious elements of catenary and graffiti covered seawalls.
A Dublin bound German-built DART train approaches Blackrock. I aimed to feature the terrace houses above the line while minimizing the visually obnoxious elements of catenary and graffiti covered seawalls.

This view from the modern footbridge shows the old Blackrock Station. Here soft lighting is a real benefit.
This view from the modern footbridge shows the old Blackrock Station. Here soft lighting is a real benefit.

I applaud Irish Rail for installing attractive maps near the station. More of this please.
I applaud Irish Rail for installing attractive maps near the station. More of this please.

 

Looking toward Blackrock station and Dublin.
Looking toward Blackrock station and Dublin.

A 29000-series diesel multiple-unit approaches Blackrock. I made this view from the public footbridge south of the station. Here the terrace houses make for added interest and a nice compositional element. The Irish Sea is on my left, but there's a host of ugliness between the railway and the water.
A 29000-series diesel multiple-unit approaches Blackrock. I made this view from the public footbridge south of the station. Here the terrace houses make for added interest and a nice compositional element. The Irish Sea is on my left, but there’s a host of ugliness between the railway and the water.

Here, soft afternoon lighting helped minimize obtrusive elements, but there’s little in the photographs that convey the historic significance of the line.

The challenge continues . . .

Tracking the Light offers a daily views on railway photography.

 

 

photography, Tips and Technique

CSX at Warren, Massachusetts—27 August 2016.

Leave a comment

A lesson in ‘turbo-flutter.’

It was a sunny Saturday morning and the old Boston & Albany mainline was quieter than a rural Polish branch line.

Finally about 10:30 am Mike Gardner and I heard distant stirrings of an eastward freight.

We made our way to Warren, Massachusetts.

The long days of summer have resulted in the B&A route becoming unfortunately brushed in. Much of the line is largely obscured by bushes, trees and undergrowth, which make railway photography difficult.

The old Boston & Albany station at Warren remains one of my favorite surviving structures on the line; it harks back to a time when the railroad was the principle corridor for commerce in the region. Recently it has been restored.

Here we made our photographs.

A few strategic shafts of sunlight illuminate the line. I set my FujiFilm XT1’s shutter release dial to ‘CH’ (continuous high—the setting I casually refer to as ‘turbo flutter’) and waited as the train approached.

When it neared the shafts of sunlight, I held the shutter down and exposed a rapid burst of digital images, knowing that at least of one of them would place the front of the locomotive in full sun.

This satisfied my desired composition to juxtapose CSX’s modern General Electric diesel with the 1890s-era railway station building.

To demonstrate the effect of ‘turbo flutter’ as a compositional exposure tool, I’ve displayed the below sequence of images. In practice my camera exposed about three times as many photos. (Frame numbers are sequential)

frame 3427
frame 3427

frame 3429
frame 3429

frame 3434
frame 3434

frame 3439
frame 3439

frame 3441
frame 3441

Since the real cost of making a burst of exposures is very small, in this situation, I’ll happily make as many images as I need to in order to produce the photo I want. Later, if I choose, I can throw away the unsatisfactory images to save space on my hard drives.

Tracking the Light is Daily.

photography, Tips and Technique

New England Central at Stafford Springs—August 23, 2016.

1 Comment

The familiar sound of 645 thunder down in the valley spurred me into action.

A southward New England Central freight was climbing Stateline Hill in Monson, Massachusetts. This is an old routine (and yes, I’ve written about this before.)

When I hear a train coming through Monson, I have a few minutes to get organized. In this instance, a brilliant clear blue dome with nice morning light was the deciding consideration.

En route, I heard the southward train get its ‘paper’ (radio–issued track authority) to proceed toward Willimantic, Connecticut. In this instance, I was alerted to the location of the train; south of milepost 55 (near the Massachusetts-Connecticut state line).

I headed for my preferred spot in downtown Stafford Springs, Connecticut south of milepost 49.

FujiFilm XT1 digital photo.
FujiFilm XT1 digital photo.

One advantage of Stafford Springs is that the railroad makes an east-west twist through the village on its otherwise north-south run. This favors the morning light for a southward train.

The other advantage is Stafford’s quaint and distinctive New England setting.

Here's the trailing view that shows the village.
Here’s the trailing view that shows the village.

Photos exposed digitally using my FujiFilm XT1

Tracking the Light posts everyday!

photography, Tips and Technique

Palmer, Massachusetts—The Visual Quandary of the North Side of the Tracks.

4 Comments

In the longer months, there’s nice morning sun on the north side of the tracks at Palmer, Massachusetts and this seems to offer a potentially good vantage point.

There are several interesting structures here: including the former Union Station (now the Steaming Tender restaurant) and the old Flynt building (painted grey and lavender with fluorescent pink trim).

Yet I’ve found that placing a train in this setting rarely yields a satisfactory composition.

Here’s the on-going compromise; using a wide-angle perspective if I place the train far away, it tends to get lost in the scene. And, yet when it’s too close it obscures the old station building. The Flynt building either dominates on the right, or ends up cropped altogether. A telephoto view here presents its own share of complications.

The other day, I turned on to South Main Street in time to see the CSX local freight (symbol B740) west of the New England Central diamond (crossing). This gave me just enough time to park the car, walk briskly across the street, set my exposure and use my FujiFilm XT1 to make this sequence of photos.

CSX local freight B740 has a pair of vintage GP40-2 diesels. To the left of the train is the old Palmer Union Station.
CSX local freight B740 has a pair of vintage GP40-2 diesels. To the left of the train is the old Palmer Union Station.

This closer view obscures the station.
This closer view obscures the station.

The trailing view lack a sense of place. I know this CP83 in Palmer, but really it could be anywhere. It does offer a good view of the antique diesels and the signals, so that's something.
The trailing view lacks a satisfactory sense of place. It is  CP83 in Palmer, but it could be anywhere. Yet, it does offer a good view of the antique diesels and the signals, so that’s something.

Not bad for grab shots, but they still suffer from my visual quandary as described.

Puzzling through these sorts of vexations is part of my process for making better photos. Sometimes there’s no simple answer, but then again, occasionally I find a solution.

In the meantime I present my photos as work in progress.

Brian Solomon’s Tracking the Light is a Daily Blog.

photography

Ghost of the New England States; Budd-built Babbling Brook Blitzes Warren.

1 Comment

 

Yesterday’s (August 25, 2016) Boston section of Amtrak’s Lake Shore Limited carried an American classic: the streamlined Budd-built observation car Babbling Brook, a former New York Central car of the type that operated on the New England States (Boston-Chicago).

My dad and I made photos of Amtrak’s eastward Lake Shore Limited (train 448) by the recently restored Warren, Massachusetts railroad station.

New York Central Babbling Brook passes the old Warren, Massachusetts station on August 25, 2016. The New York Central System leased the Boston & Albany in 1900. Central’s Budd-built New England States Limited was B&A’s premier post-war passenger train and passed Warren daily. There were fewer line-side trees back then. This image was adjusted in post-processing using Light Room. I’ve tried to emulate the contrast and color palate of a late 1940s image.
New York Central Babbling Brook passes the old Warren, Massachusetts station on August 25, 2016. The New York Central System leased the Boston & Albany in 1900. Central’s Budd-built New England States was B&A’s premier post-war passenger train and passed Warren daily. There were fewer line-side trees back then. This image was adjusted in post-processing using Light Room. I’ve tried to emulate the contrast and color palate of a late 1940s image.

Telephoto view at Warren, Massachusetts.
Telephoto view at Warren, Massachusetts.

I made these views using my FujiFilm XT1. Pop exposed a Fujichrome color slide with his Leica M.

Brian Solomon’s

Tracking the Light posts every day.

 

 

photography, Tips and Technique

Brian’s photos of Pan Am Railway’s Office Cars; Resurrected from Beyond.

4 Comments

Yesterday’s Tracking the Light featured the gripping headline:

“OH NO! I JUST WIPED MY CARD . . .”

And there I’ve told the story of how I accidentally erased my day’s finest efforts (and brought them back again.)

It’s bad enough to accidentally destroy your own work, but it’s especially galling to ruin the photos from such a great day. Bright sun, clear blue skies and a polished executive train moving a moderate speeds.

Simply we’d nailed the Pan Am train at multiple locations in great light, and there were several sets (groups of photos) that I was really happy about.

Followed by the sickening feeling of loss.

The day's finest photos: GONE!
The day’s finest photos: GONE!

The film equivalent of this sort of disaster is the accidental opening the camera-back before rewinding, where-in you lose a half dozen photos or so, but if you close it up quickly you can usually save most of the roll.

The worse film-related catastrophe was when your box of film came back from the lab with a little green slip; ‘Owing to a unique laboratory occurrence, we are sorry to report . . .’

By contrast, my digital disaster was an easy fix (Click the link to read Monday’s post for details: http://wp.me/p2BVuC-4ih).

As I mentioned yesterday, when this sort of thing happens: avoid making it worse by continuing to use the card.

Although I’d ‘erased’ (wiped, zapped, cleaned) the camera’s memory card. In truth, all I’d done was erase the catalog. All of my photos remained on the card. Yet, resurrecting them was a slow painstaking process.

Here are some of my favorite photos that’d I never thought I’d have opportunity to post on Tracking the Light

Working west at Buckland. Exposed on a SanDisk Extreme PRO 32 GB memory car using my FujiFilm XT1. Erased accidentally and retrieved using RescuePRO Deluxe. For details see Monday's Tracking the Light.
Working west at Buckland. Exposed on a SanDisk Extreme PRO 32 GB memory car using my FujiFilm XT1. Erased accidentally and retrieved using RescuePRO Deluxe. For details see Monday’s Tracking the Light.

My friend Tim D. was behind the wheel, and driving well-known back roads along the Deerfield River scored us this view near Charlemont, Massachusetts.
My friend Tim D. was behind the wheel, and driving well-known back roads along the Deerfield River scored us this view near Charlemont, Massachusetts.

This was a grab-shot near Zoar. I have to admit, it was this view I was most disgusted having lost.
This was a grab-shot near Zoar. I have to admit, it was this view that I was most disgusted having lost.

Pan Am's office cars disappear into Hoosac Mountain.
Pan Am’s office cars disappear into Hoosac Mountain.

A friendly wave near Eaglebridge, New York.
A friendly wave near Eaglebridge, New York.

Lots of folks were out for this view at Fisherman's Lane in Schagticoke, New York.
Lots of folks were out for this view at Fisherman’s Lane in Schagticoke, New York.

Brian Solomon’s Tracking the Light Posts Daily.

photography

HARD LESSON. “Oh No! I just Wiped my Card . . .”

4 Comments

 

The day's finest photos: GONE!
The day’s finest photos: GONE!

I had that sinking feeling—like I just crashed into the county sheriff—Knowing I’d done a bad thing and that it was irreversible.

Or was it?

Here’s my lesson for you:

Saturday August 20, 2016, had been an exceptional day. Tim Doherty and I had followed the Pan Am Railway office car train with simonized F-units and a former Wabash dome along the old Boston & Maine.

From East Deerfield west we’d enjoyed a clear blue dome and made dozens of great shots.

Afterwards we stopped for lunch, and got news of a westward empty coal train.

There I was at Buskirk, New York. I knew the coal empties were getting close. I was reviewing the digital photos on the back of my Fuji XT1, watching for a headlight, and trying to dial the phone, when all of a sudden I noticed the back of the camera read, ‘no image’.

It was like a door slammed.

Off in the distance a coyote howled and the sky went dim.

“What have I done!”

Rather than completely panic I did two smart things:

  • I immediately shut the camera off.
  • I took the card out of the camera.

I always carry a spare card in my wallet; so I replaced my now unhappily blank card (formerly holding the day’s take) with my spare.

In this way I could carry on making photos without risking further loss. (That empty coal train was just minutes away).

Tim offered me some advice on retrieving my lost photos.

When I got home before I did anything else, I backed up what I could to hard drive on the computer; then I began the slow process of trying to rescue my lost files.

Luckily I’d been using a SanDisk ExtremePRO card. This had come with a link to SanDisk’s RescuePRO Deluxe software. I followed the instructions and over the next 9 hours my laptop was gradually able to retrieve the erased files.

Saturday’s photos were renumbered and mixed in with images from last April of trams in Bordeaux, France, but in the end all of my Pan Am OCS photos were safely recovered.

So more than 28 hours after my near-fatal mistake, I was finally able to view my photos of the Pan Am OCS in brilliant living color. Happy days!

Here’s the link: PHOTOS OF PAN AM RAILWAY’S OFFICE CARS; RESURRECTED FROM BEYOND.

Tracking the Light posts daily!

 

photography

Santa Ana, California—Ten Photos in 45 Minutes—August 2016.

1 Comment

During one of my recent Metrolink blitzes, I rode from Los Angeles Union Station to Santa Ana where I changed for an Inland Empire-Orange County Line train running from Oceanside to San Bernardino.

I timed this brief visit to coincide with a flurry of Amtrak and Metrolink trains. I had just 45 minutes to make images of this classic Santa Fe station having never previously explored here.

I found Santa Ana to be an excellent mid-morning location.

The footbridge is photographer friendly and the old Santa Fe building makes for a suitably California setting. The height of the bridge allows for both distant telephoto views as well as wide-angle down-on photos.

I exposed these views digitally using my Lumix LX7 and FujiFilm XT1.

I arrived on Metrolink train 600 from Los Angeles Union Station. I had enough time to walk to the headend and expose this view with my Lumix LX7 before the train departed.
I arrived on Metrolink train 600 from Los Angeles Union Station. I had enough time to walk to the headend and expose this view with my Lumix LX7 before the train departed.

Metrolink 687 arrives behind a borrow BNSF AC4400CW. This framed view was exposed using my Lumix LX7.
Metrolink 687 arrives behind a borrow BNSF AC4400CW. This framed view was exposed using my Lumix LX7.

A Metrolink F59PHI works at the back of Los Angeles bound train number 687. Here my Fujinon 18-135mm lens gave me a nice view of the train and station from the footbridge.
A Metrolink F59PHI works at the back of Los Angeles bound train number 687. Here my Fujinon 18-135mm lens gave me a nice view of the train and station from the footbridge.

Metrolink 633 is among Metrolink's services that doesn't serve Los Angeles Union Station. This is a short-turn that runs from Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo to Fullerton.
Metrolink 633 is among Metrolink’s services that doesn’t serve Los Angeles Union Station. This is a short-turn that runs from Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo to Fullerton.

By using my 18-135 zoom on my Fuji XT1 I was able to exposed a series of trailing photos of Metrolink 633 as it accelerated away from Santa Ana.
By using my 18-135 zoom on my Fuji XT1 I was able to exposed a series of trailing photos of Metrolink 633 as it accelerated away from Santa Ana.

This is a telephoto view of train 633 from the same vantage point as the photo above.
This is a telephoto view of train 633 from the same vantage point as the photo above.

Metrolink's timetable shows both of its services to Santa Ana as well as Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner.
Metrolink’s timetable shows both of its services to Santa Ana as well as Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner.

A detailed view of the Santa Ana station exposed using my FujiFilm XT1.
A detailed view of the Santa Ana station exposed using my FujiFilm XT1.

Amtrak 566 Pacific Surfliner slows for its station stop.
Amtrak 566 Pacific Surfliner slows for its station stop.

Metrolink 802 will take me to San Bernardino. I arrived under partly cloudy skies and departed under a California blue dome. Happy days!
Metrolink 802 will take me to San Bernardino. I arrived under partly cloudy skies and departed under a California blue dome. Happy days!

Tracking the Light Posts Everyday.