Tag Archives: #tram

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Pilsner Urquell Beer Tram

On a September 2008 evening in Plzen, Czech Republic (Czechia) , I made this pan photo of a tram advertising the city’s most famous beer, Pilsner Urquell.

I was working with a Canon EOS 3 fitted with a 100mm f2.0 lens and loaded with Fujichrome. I scanned the photo the other day using a Nikon LS5000 slide scanner and processed the TIF file in Lightroom.

I like this image because it conveys motion, shows passengers inside the tram, and combines three of my favorite things in one image.

I like Pilsner Urquell, but my preferred Czech pilsner is Gambrinus, (brewed at Pilsner Urquell’s Plzen brewery).

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Viennese Night Photos-Revisited

I was searching through my hard drives for some photos when I came across a large batch of unidentified images from a trip to Austria in October 2016.

This was a very productive adventure, but I never properly sorted my photos.

I made these on a rainy night using my Fuji X-T1 with 28mm pancake lens with the camera set to 1600 ISO—which was just about as fast as I’d push the camera.

I imported the original RAF Raw file into PureRaw to denoise the photo and correct for lens imperfections. I was extremely impressed with the results, which are so much better than I could have anticipated at the time I exposed the photos. For presentation here, I made a variety of color and contrast corrections to the final image using Adobe Lightroom.

For me these images nicely translate the nocturnal urban environment of the cosmopolitan Austrian capital.

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On This Day 2016-Bordeaux

Nine years ago, my father and I visited Bordeaux, France where we traveled on the city’s trams.

I made this photo using my Lumix LX7, exposing the original image using the camera’s RAW mode.

Last night I revisited this nine-year old image and converted the Lumix RAW file to DNG format using DxO PureRaw, then make a series of adjustments using Adobe Lightroom to improve contrast and exposure.

These changes resulted in a much better image.

Original Lumix RAW file, scaled for internet without interpretation, lens- correction or alteration to color, contrast, or exposure.
First round of changes: High contrast image following PureRaw conversion to PNG format with lens correction and adjustments to contrast and exposure using Lightroom.
Second round of changes and refinement to the RAW file following PureRaw conversion to PNG format with lens correction and adjustments to contrast and exposure using Lightroom.

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Eight Years Ago at New Place

I made this image of a tram approaching its stop on April 19, 2017, in the evening light at Place de Nueve, Geneva, Switzerland .

At the time I was working with a Fujifilm XT1 with an 18-135mm Fujinon ‘Kit lens’. This was a versatile arrangement that provided great color right out of the camera. However in some situations, I found that the lens wasn’t as sharp as I expected.

Last night, I reprocessed the RAF RAW file using DxO PureRaw which corrected several of the inherant problems with the 18-135mm lens. Then, I imported the resulting DNG file into Lightroom for final adjustment. Overall, I’m please with the improved results!

FujiFilm XT1 with 18-135mm Fujinon zoom lens set to 31mm, f5.6 at 1.500th of a sec.; ISO 640,

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Helsinki on a Rainy Evening

On this day in 2015, I’d just arrived in Helsinki, Finland. I’d flown SAS from Dublin via Copenhagen. It was raining lightly as I walked around in the blue glow of dusk.

I made this photo on a brightly lit street in the central part of the city, not far from the famous Helsinki Central Station.

The next morning, I traveled on VR Group Pendolino tilting train to Oulu to meet my friend Markku for a week of rail-photography.

Exposed using my Fujifilm XT1 with a 27mm Fujinon pancake lens at 1600 at f2.8 1/30 seconds. July 21, 2015.
This is a greatly enlarged view of the same photo, which demonstrates the incredibly sharp 27mm lens, even when used at high ISO.

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Most Trams

On 27 January 2009, I visited the industrial city of Most, Czech Republic with photographers Tim Doherty and Denis McCabe.

We briefly photographed the city’s trams where I made these images on Fujichrome using my Canon EOS-3.

Most was a stark contrast from Prague. Where the Bohemian capital is famous for its beautiful and intricate classic architecture, cobble-stone streets and culture, Most was mostly concrete and heavy industry.

Both places making for interesting settings to photograph railway vehicles!

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Cobblestones and Trams—Eight Years Ago!

It was on this day eight years ago—September 8, 2015—that my Irish friends and I traveled up the Rhein by train to Mainz, Germany.

In the evening light, I made a few views of the slim-gauge trams navigating narrow streets in the historic city center. And believe me, there was time for a bier in there too.

FujiFilm XT-1 with 27mm f2.8 pancake lens set at f2.8, 1/60th sec, ISO 200.
FujiFilm XT-1 with 27mm f2.8 pancake lens set at f2.8, 1/60th sec, ISO 200.

Here’s a useful photo tip; to allow the LED signs to appear clearly in photos, set the shutter speed to 1/60th or less, and time your shutter release so that the sign is showing just one sequence at time (in a situation where the sign may be scrolling). Note that in the above photo that the sign is mid-scroll, but on the top photos the sign is easy to read.

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Sunrise in Milan—3 April 2017

I made the most of my brief visit to Milan six years ago.

In this Lumix LX7 view, I pictured one of the city’s famous Peter Witt trams with the rising sun.

I spent several hours exploring Milan by streetcar before taking the train to Genoa.

Lumix LX7 set at ISO 80, f2.8 1/640 sec. RAW file adjusted in Lightroom. 3 April 2017.

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LUAS crossing O’Connell Bridge

During our October visit to Dublin, I made this trailing panned photo of LUAS Citadis tram 5040 crossing the famed O’Connell Bridge.

I was working with my Lumix LX7 set at ISO 80, shutter speed 1/100th of a second, and f6.3. The key was maintaining a steady pan motion as the tail-end of the tram passed me.

O’Connell bridge is noteworthy for being wider than it is long.

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Looking Back Six Years

On April 27, 2016, I was visiting Bordeaux, France with my father Richard Jay Solomon. I made this view using my Lumix LX7 of a Bordeaux Tram crossing the river Garonne.

The Bordeaux tram system makes extensive use of a ground based electrical power distribution system to avoid the necessity for overhead wires. To minimize the danger of electrocution this system is designed so the positive feed is only activated when the tram is over the individual hot feeds.

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Lisbon-1 April 2019

On this day three years ago, photographer Denis McCabe and I wandered the narrow streets of Lisbon, Portugal.

I used my Fuji XT1 to make this portrait oriented view of a classic tram navigating a steep narrow street.

Iridient software does a more effective job of interpreting the data from the Fuji camera RAW files than Lightroom.

Last night I imported the Fuji camera RAW file into Iridient for conversion to DNG format and then imported the DNG file into Adobe Lightroom for minor adjustments tothe color, constrast and exposure in order to make the most of the camera sensor.

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Kingsbridge (Sean Heuston Bridge) at Dusk.

In several recent Tracking the Light posts, I displayed photos of Dublin’s LUAS trams crossing the 1820’s era cast iron River Liffey span.

In this March 11, 2014 Lumix LX3 photo, the bridge, rather than the tram crossing it, was the emphasis my photography.

My old LX3 was a wonderful and convenient tool for making urban images. Although more difficult to use, looking back I think it produced better compositions than its LX7 successor. That said, I’m on my 3rd Lumix LX7!

This view is a scaled, but otherwise unaltered version of the LX3 Jpg file made 8 years ago today.

exposed for 1.3 seconds at f2.5.

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Dublin’s LUAS at Heuston-10 March, 2014 & 10 March, 2015

When in Dublin, I’d walk by Irish Rail’s Heuston Station almost daily.

In the evening on 10 March 2014, and again one year later, I captured views of the passing LUAS trams at Heuston.

Where the setting and scenes seem routine, I always try to make a new angle on the subject.

10 March , 2014, tram 3025 glides away from its Heuston Station stop, the 1840s headhouse and offices of the station loom to the left. LX3 photo.
Tram 3021 hums over Sean Heuston Bridge on its way to Heuston Station. Exposed using a Fuji XT1 with zoom lens. 10 March 2015.

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Sky in the Shadow of Guinness

On March 2, 2015, I walked across the Sean Heuston Bridge (formerly Kingsbridge) toward Heuston Station.

I’ve crossed this 19th century cast iron span over the Liffey perhaps a 1000 times (maybe more) during the many years I spent photographing Dublin.

LUAS tram 3019 decorated to advertise Sky Fibre (cable television) was working westbound toward its station stop at Heuston when I made a snapshot with my old Lumix LX7. The Guinness Brewery at St. James Gate looms to the left.

This is the camera JPG, scaled for internet presentation without modifcation to color balance, color temperature, contrast or sharpness.

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Trams in Graz

In January 2012, I was visiting Graz, Austria with Stephen Hirsch and Denis McCabe.

I made this photo of trams meeting on a pedestrianized street in the ciry center using my Canon EOS 7D.

Below are two versions of the same image.

Camera jpg

The top image is the in-camera JPG, scaled for internet.

The bottom is my interpretation of the camera RAW file with adjustments to exposure, contrast, color temperature and color saturation implemented with Adobe Lightroom to improve the scene.

Interpreted RAW image adjusted in Lightroom.

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Prague on this Day 2016

On October 13, 2016, I exposed these digital photos in the Czech Capital using my FujiFilm XT1.

Prague is among the most visually intense cities in central Europe and I filled several cards during my short cloudy visit five years ago.

In addition, I exposed several rolls of black & white film, including my first Fomapan, a Czech-made commercial brand. My Fomapan photos have made various appearances on Tracking the Light. I carry two rolls in my camera bag, waiting for the appropriate moments to expose them.

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Sodium Vapor Light-Six Years Ago

On the evening of August 2, 2015, I made these photos of Dublin’s LUAS trams gliding along Benburb Street near Heuston Station, just a short walk from my old apartment at Islandbridge.

These are unaltered JPGs scaled from larger JPGs made by my old Lumix LX7 digital camera. I set the white balance to ‘auto’ and let the camera make the color temperture adjustment internally.

One of the nice things about digital photos is that every file has a date stamp, so when I want to find a photo from exactly six years ago, the process of locating it is relatively straightforward.

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Bordeaux—Five Years Ago.

It was a clear pleasant afternoon in Bordeaux, France on April 29, 2016, when I made this photo of a wireless Alstom tram using my first Lumix LX7 digital camera.

I was visiting this elegant French city on business with my father.

Bordeaux opted for a ground-based power supply for its modern tram system in historic areas of its city center.

Below are two variations of the same photo. The top is the camera produced JPG (scaled for internet without adjustment), the bottom is my interpretation of the camera RAW file with adjustments made using Adobe Lightroom.

Lumix LX7 camera generated JPG with the VIVID color profile, scaled fro internet presentation.
Lumix LX7 RAW file interpreted using Adobe Lightroom; shadows lightened, level improved, and color balance adjusted. Note the hue of the tram.

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April 22, 2016.

Five years ago I spent the day exploring the modern tram system centered on Valenciennes, France.

This is a model system that was built and equipped by Alstom.

FujiFIlm XT1 photo.

This was my second visit to this moderately sized French town and its immediate suburbs.

Lumix LX7 photo.

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Emirates Ad Tram at Suir Road

In May, 2012, I made this Fujichrome slide of a Dublin LUAS Red Line tram covered in an Emirates advertising livery.

The in-bound tram had paused for its Suir Road station stop. This was located about a 10-12 minute walk from my old Dublin apartment.

Fujichrome Provia 100F exposed in Dublin in May 2012.

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Brussels PCC Tram-1996

I exposed this color slide on a visit to Brussels with my father in May 1996.

I carried two cameras on that trip. My primary body was a Nikon F3T that I bought new from Nikon in 1990. My secondary camera was second hand Nikkormat FTN with an outer covering of red leather. I called it ‘my red Nikkormat’.

Back then, I’d usually load Kodachrome 25 in the F3T, and Fujichrome 100 in the Nikormat. I exposed film in both cameras manually using a handheld Sekonic Studio Deluxe light meter to calculate exposure.

I carried two cameras on that trip. My primary body was a Nikon F3T that I bought new from Nikon in 1990. My secondary camera was second hand Nikkormat FTN with an outer covering of red leather. I called it 'my red Nikkormat'.
K25 color slide exposed using a Nikon F3T with f1.8 105mm lens. Slide scanned digitally and adjusted in Lightroom. May 1996.

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Tram and Goggles at Plzen

On a whirlwind trip around the Czech Republic in September 2008, I made hundreds of photos in dozens of places in just a few days. A dozen years later I’m still sorting and scanning them.

Catching railway vehicles on different levels makes for photos with added interest. 

Which is the subject here? The tram in the foreground, the train in the distance, or perhaps the station itself?

It was the afternoon of September 5, 2008, when photographer Denis McCabe and I were photographing at Plzen hlavni nadrazi (Plzen main station) that exposed this Fujichrome slide using a Canon EOS-3.

Ceske Drahy (Czech Railways) class 754 diesels have the nickname ‘Goggles’.

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Kodak Kodak Kodak (on the side of a Tram)

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In May, 2000, I made this photograph of a Tatra tram (advertising Kodak film) on the streets of Prague using a Nikon F3T that was fitted with a Nikkor 24mm lens and loaded with . . .

Fuji Sensia II!

Just for the record, on a visit to Fuji, Japan, I photographed a 1067mm gauge freight train on Kodachrome.

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Poznan Four WHeeler

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I’ve always found railway maintenance equipment interesting: often functional antiques, no longer suitable for revenue work get cascaded into maintenance duties.

As a kid, I was fascinated by the Boston’s bright orange Type 3 streetcars that had been converted into snow plows. For me these were the relics of an earlier era.

So, I was delighted when on a visit to Poznan, Poland in 2000, I found a vintage four-wheel tram in maintenance service,. I made a few photos using my Nikon F3 loaded with Fujichrome Sensia II (100 ISO).

This fortuitous encounter was the only time I caught a four-wheel tram in Poznan.

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Leipzig tram and Hbf.

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An afternoon rain in June 2001 had made for a bright gloss at the Leipzig, Germany Hauptbahnhof.

Working with my N90S, I’d exposed this Fujichrome view of a tram in front of the impressive façade of what was once Europe’s largest railway station.

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Rotterdam Tram at the Cube Houses.

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In August 2014, I made a day trip to the famous Dutch port city of Rotterdam, where I made this view of an Alstom Citadis tram passing the famous Cube Houses-one of the city’s architectural icons.

Although many of photos I made in Rotterdam were exposed digitally, for this view I used my Canon EOS3 with 40mm lens to expose Fuji Provia100F color slide film.

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BRNO, Czech Republic.

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In April 2005, I visited the Czech city of Brno with Denis McCabe and the late Norman McAdams.

Working with a Nikon N90S with f2.8 180mm Nikkor lens, I exposed this Fujichrome Sensia II (ISO 100) slide of a tram as it approached the stop near the main railway station.

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Rental Tram Hoboken? It’s not what you think!

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In February 1999, I made a day trip from Brussels to Antwerp, Belgium.

While in Antwerp, I took the number 2 tram to its terminus at Hoboken.

You mean there’s another Hoboken Terminal? In a manner of speaking, yes. But no copper clad Bush train sheds at this one.

When I saw this PCC departing for central Antwerp, I was amused by the National Car Rental advertisement at the back of the car. That same day I expose a view of a similar tram advertising ‘Diesel’ apparel.

Exposed on Fujichrome Sensia II (100 ISO) with an Nikon N90S probably fitted with a 80-200 Nikon zoom.

Exposed on Fujichrome Sensia II (100 ISO) with an Nikon N90S probably fitted with a 80-200 Nikon zoom.

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Six Years Ago: Ponte Dom Luis 1

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The Ponte Dom Luis 1 is one of two magnificent Eiffel bridges spanning the Douro in Porto, Portugal.

On this day (April 5th), 2014, I worked with my Canon EOS 7D to make this photograph of a Eurotram crossing the bridge.

Porto is a remarkable and extraordinarily picturesque city.

Fellow photographer Denis McCabe and I were exploring Porto during a week-long photographic journey around Portugal. While the weather was good in the south of the country, it was foggy, raining and overcast in the north.

Portugal is among the countries prominently features in my book; Brian Solomon’s Railway Guide to Europe by Kalmbach Books see:

https://kalmbachhobbystore.com/search?q=brian+solomon+Railway+guide+to+Europe

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Zagreb August 2003.

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Yesterday, when I read about the Magnitude 5.4 earthquake that shook Croatia, I thought back to the pleasant few days I spent on my first trip to the Croatian capital Zagreb in August 2003.

During that trip, I exposed this Fujichrome slide of a tram in Whirlpool a advertising livery near the Zagreb main railway station.

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Amtsterdam May 26, 1996.

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My father and I traveled from Brussels to Amsterdam by train on May 26, 1996. Shortly after arriving at Amsterdam Centraal, I exposed this color slide of a tram paused in front of the station.

On the front of the tramcar is a bit of graffiti which annoyed me at the time. This bit of marker seemed to spoil the scene.

Later in the day, we traveled by tram to the end one of the lines, just to see what was there. It was like Legoland.

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Bytom Four-wheeler.

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On a trip to Poland in August 2006, I made a few photos of the four-wheel trams at Bytom.

At the time these were some of the last traditional four-wheel trams in regular revenue service and represented a carry-over from an earlier era.

For me, it was an opportunity to photograph one of Europe’s most obscure transit lines. Thanks to Michael Walsh of the Irish Railway Record Society for recommending this location.

I made this view using a Nikon F3 loaded with Fujichrome Sensia II (100 ISO).

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Tram at the Basel Hbf

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Working from a ground level angle, I exposed this view of a tram paused at the Basel, Switzerland main station (seen behind the tram platforms).

Basel, like all of Switzerland, benefits from world-class public transportation including heavy rail and light rail networks. I first visited Basel in 1999.

This photo was exposed during a brief visit on April 21, 2016. Although I made several digital photos, I exposed this frame on Fuji Provia 100F slide film using my Canon EOS-3 with 40mm pancake lens.

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