Went out train spotting this morning...... this scene is before sun up, foggy from rain the night before..... it's one of my favorite spots to shoot because of the 'S' curve tracks, but one of the hardest because I hardly ever can find a train running in the right direction or when I'm there. From where I have to park my car, it's almost a quarter mile trek up this overpass. As I'm walking and carrying my tripod and kit, I hear a train horn in the distance, so I begin hoofing it up the bridge. Out of breath and with adrenaline flowing I barely was able to squeeze off a few shots, because as soon as the train comes into view on the 'S' curve, it's show time.

Nikon D2x, Nikkor 80-400, ISO 800


Since the sun was now up, and just for grins, I chased this guy down, grabbed my D2xs with the 50mm f/1.2 mounted, prefocused the shot, coming through the middle of town...


PS I've got a new computer rig, and I've profiled my display, but I'm not so sure I've got it 'right'. I'm thinking the first image may be a tad red, is anyone else seeing that as well? Thanks!

Jack

PPS
Here's another frame where I've color corrected a bit more to my tastes, and processed it to better reflect how I wanted it to look. I cloned out what I considered distracting features...


Edited by Jack OBrien on Jul 18, 2008 at 08:11 AM GMT

On my uncalibrated monitor, the shot looks fine to me. BUT, what is the deal with the left track on shot #2. The rails look nice and silver/not rusted like it is used enough but all that grass/weeds farther back obscures the rails. Is that spur even used?
Oh, good catch on the S curve. Looks like a fun area for shooting trains.

Great shots Jack... first one might not have the "pop" the second one does but I don't think it's erring to the red side of things, more likely just the scene itself coupled with the mist and lighting. Love the colors in the second one for sure. Both great shots.

Great job as usual. I like the second one's colours better. But I'm not on a calibrated display.

The first one does look a bit red to me on my calibrated monitor, maybe just a bit warm, nothing too bad.

yeah first one is a tad red. but somehow it make the image look more vintage. i like it, it almost look like a miniature. As if you used a tilt and shift lens. Probably due to the haze

I like the first one because of the strange mood... and the second one really pops out... that 50 1.2 really delivers. The details are incredible. You can see a difference even at this size.

Guy

Wow, the exif on the 50mm f1.2 says its max is 1.0!

Joe

Exposure Time = 1/160"
F Number = F2.8
Exposure Program = Manual
ISO Speed Ratings = 100
Exif Version = Version 2.21
Date Time Original = 2008-07-16 07:39:48
Date Time Digitized = 2008-07-16 07:39:48
Shutter Speed Value = 7.32 TV
Aperture Value = 2.97 AV
Exposure Bias Value = ±0EV
Max Aperture Value = F1
Metering Mode = Pattern
Light Source = unknown
Flash = Off
Focal Length = 50mm

Also uncalibrated but the first one looks fine, it does have a golden hour look to the light. The second to me looks like the yellow on the nose is yellow-green. But I don't see that many CSX units out here. The whites on containers, equipment and the Coca-Cola truck, etc., all seem right.

The first does look to have a slight magenta cast on my calibrated monitor, but as usual, great shots! I should get around to posting some of my UK trains at some point

jamach wrote:
Wow, the exif on the 50mm f1.2 says its max is 1.0!


The max aperture is not recorded for non-CPU lenses, so it is set to whatever the EXIF reader wants. If you open the image in Lightroom, for example, it will say f/0.

who me wrote:
On my uncalibrated monitor, the shot looks fine to me. BUT, what is the deal with the left track on shot #2. The rails look nice and silver/not rusted like it is used enough but all that grass/weeds farther back obscures the rails. Is that spur even used?
Oh, good catch on the S curve. Looks like a fun area for shooting trains.

Hello who me It had rained during the night, so the rails were wet. That spur is rarely used, since the tank car repair company that used it has left the area.

Here's a shot when the left tracks were in use...


Appreciate your comments...

Edited by Jack OBrien on Jul 18, 2008 at 08:20 AM GMT

dj dunzie wrote:
Great shots Jack... first one might not have the "pop" the second one does but I don't think it's erring to the red side of things, more likely just the scene itself coupled with the mist and lighting. Love the colors in the second one for sure. Both great shots.

Thank you dj The first scene is my favorite, but I have yet to 'nail' everything just the way I want it. I would like either much more fog, or none at all Speaking of color, here's one at the same location as the second shot...

Avi B wrote:
Great job as usual. I like the second one's colours better. But I'm not on a calibrated display.


Thanks Avi

firewireguy wrote:
The first one does look a bit red to me on my calibrated monitor, maybe just a bit warm, nothing too bad.

Thank you, that's pretty much what I'm seeing....

R. Francois wrote:
yeah first one is a tad red. but somehow it make the image look more vintage. i like it, it almost look like a miniature. As if you used a tilt and shift lens. Probably due to the haze

yeah, a vintage guy with a vintage camera shooting a ......

Thanks Raymond, appreciate the comments !

gugs wrote:
I like the first one because of the strange mood... and the second one really pops out... that 50 1.2 really delivers. The details are incredible. You can see a difference even at this size.

Guy

Thanks Guy. Ahh, that's a good description, 'strange mood'..... for some reason this image was strange to process, I don't don't if it was the fog or what....

I love the 50 1.2, it's an incredible lens in my book. I get to do funky stuff at f/1.2, and then really sharp stuff doing 'normal' shooting. Gotta love it

Craig Gillette wrote:
Also uncalibrated but the first one looks fine, it does have a golden hour look to the light. The second to me looks like the yellow on the nose is yellow-green. But I don't see that many CSX units out here. The whites on containers, equipment and the Coca-Cola truck, etc., all seem right.

Thanks Craig Good eye on the second photo, R/G channel was blown a bit, I didn't recover it too well

DaveEP wrote:
The first does look to have a slight magenta cast on my calibrated monitor, but as usual, great shots! I should get around to posting some of my UK trains at some point

Thanks Dave and yeah, you should get around to posting your UK trains.....

Dang, nice stuff Jack, I like that 4th shot the best.