Tag Archives: #Rollei

Announcements, photography, Rail transit marathon, Tips and Technique

Feather River Canyon

The other day I began scanning a batch of black & white negatives that I exposed on an extended visit to California in autumn 2003.

Among these was a 120-size roll of Kodak Tri-X from a trip to the Sierra with John Gruber. On the morning of November 11, 2003, we chased a westward BNSF freight operating via trackage rights on Union Pacific’s former Western Pacific line.

We had found this freight near Reno Junction in the morning and followed it on California Highway 70.

At the famed ‘Keddie Wye,’ I made a portrait of John with his famous Nikon F, as we waited for the train to roll west.

Today, the photo of John means a lot more to me than the pictures of the freight.

BNSF westward freight on the former Western Pacific at Spring Garden, California on November 11, 2003. Exposed on Kodak Tri-X using a Rolleiflex Model T with Zeiss Tessar.
John Gruber at the ‘Keddie Wye.’ Exposed on Kodak Tri-X using a Rolleiflex Model T with Zeiss Tessar.
Exposed on Kodak Tri-X using a Rolleiflex Model T with Zeiss Tessar.

Tracking the Light explores railroad photography!

Announcements, photography, Tips and Technique

This is a Test: Tracking the Light’s Sunday Train

Over the last few days, I had been experiencing some technical difficulties posting Tracking the Light. I received numerous alerts from readers, and wasn’t even able to view the site myself at one point. Thanks to readers who sent me suggestions on how to fix the problem and some nuts and bolts help from my father Richard J. Solomon, the site should be up an running again. Thanks to everyone who wrote to me! I consider this a test. Fingers crossed.

In the process of getting things moving, I’ve selected a new ‘Theme’. This alters the way Tracking the Light appears. This is by intent. Let’s see how it goes.

Since this is a Sunday, I thought I’d post a vintage Sunday photo.

On Sunday, December 29, 1985, I spent the day photographing trains on Conrail’s former Boston & Albany main line.

At West Brookfield, Massachusetts, I made this view of the Sunday-schedule Charter Oak rolling west behind Amtrak F40PH 216.

This train tended to have a longer consist on Sundays. This Sunday, I’m working hard to complete my latest book, which takes a look at Amtrak through its locomotives and rolling stock. It covers everything from GG1 electrics to the latest diesels from Siemens-Mobility.

Amtrak’s Charter Oak (Boston-Worcester-Springfield-Hartford-New York-Washington) at West Brookfield, Mass., Exposed using a Rollieflex Model T.

Tracking the Light aims to Post Everyday!

photography

Semmering Monochromes

This represents another experimental series of scans with my V600 and recently downloaded Epson Scan 2 (6.4.99.0) software.

I’d purchased my Epsom V600 about 2011 to replace an earlier Epson V500 scanner that had suffered a failure. Until recently I was using the original Epson software to drive the V600. The other night I decided to upgrade the software and install it on a more modern & much faster Apple MacBook Pro.

Although Epson’s Scan 2 software appears to have been on the market for a while, I’d just discovered it the other day. More to the point, I’ve found that it vastly improved my scans. This scanner-driver software combination offers greater clarity, exceptional sharpness, and runs faster and more consistently which allows the same scanner to perform noticeably better than with the earlier Epson driver.

I’d exposed this medium-formet Kodak Tri-X 400 ISO black & white film using my Rollei Model T, while exploring Austria’s Semmering Pass with photographer Denis McCabe in August 2003. On a warm afternoon we waited out a thundershower at the station shelter in Breitenstein.

 I’d processed the film after my return to Dublin using Ilfotec HC liquid developer which offered broad tonal range and very fine grain.

Tracking the Light Posts Daily