Tag Archives: #NI Railways

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Great Victoria Street Station

Kris and I walked around the corner from the Europa Hotel in Belfast to make these views looking down from Durham Street on to the NI Railways platforms at Great Victoria Street Station.

This shows the station in transition. The new Belfast Transportation Hub is under construction in the background. See:

https://www.translink.co.uk/Better%20Connected/Belfast%20Transport%20Hub

Exposed with a 24-70mm Nikkor zoom lens set at 70mm.
Exposed with a 24-70mm Nikkor zoom lens.
For this photo I used an adpater to attach my vintage manual focus, Nikkor f2.5 105mm prime lens to my Nikon Z6 mirrorless digital camera. This classic lens offers a lightweight telephoot travel option. It can be used on both my film and digital Nikons.
Although focusing manually takes practice, the lens is extremely sharp and works well on the Z6 body.

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Tips and Technique

Great Northern Railway Station—Lisburn, Spring 2001

NI Railways’ former Great Northern Railway (of Ireland) station at Lisburn is a classic that retains its traditional appearance including platform canopies and footbridge.

I made this view on a visit in Spring 2001. Working with my Rollei Model T, I exposed a geometerically balanced composition, where I’ve used the canopy supports as a visual partition that divides the photo evenly at the center.

Perfectly centered compositions are frowned upon in some circles, but I’ve occasionally executed successful and visually dynamic photos using this technique. In this instance I don’t think my photo could have been improved by off-center placement of the column.

Kodak 120 Tri-X procecessed in Ilfotec HC.

Since background elements vary considerably on the right and left sides, the centered composition helps weigh the intrigue of one side versus the other.

Do you think this image would be improved if I had included a train?

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photography, Tips and Technique

NIR-Derry 5 April 2002

NI Railways had a minimalist presence in Derry, Northern Ireland when I visited there on 5 April 2002.

The railway station consisted of a 1960s-era bus shelter style building and a single platform serving two tracks, situated flush with the River Foyle.

I made these photos while boarding an NIR 80-class railcar bound for Belfast.

My camera was a rugged Contax G2 Rangefinder fitted with 45mm Zeiss Planar lens and loaded with Kodak Tri-X black & white film. I used a red filter to alter the black & white tonality and boost contrast.

For me the film’s contrast and stark spring lighting was well-suited to the minimalist railway infrastructure.

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