Night Photography

[Peter Mugridge]

That is another excellent picture; I don't think the lighting is too harsh at all because the colour hasn't washed out in any way.

I do agree modern lighting is generally too harsh; as I said earlier in the thread I liked the warm greenish tint you would get with longer exposures at the main termini like Waterloo until NR replaced the strip lighting with clusters of searchlights.

 

[ChrisCooper]

Another night shot of mine I like. 153 I've just got off at Loughborough (I was the only passenger from Long Eaton, then someone got on at the Parkway), and as you can see it was quite foggy (was between Christmas and New Year 2009). The red glow over the top is the Brush sign.

 

[wensley]

My favourite night-time effort of the moon. F stop I can't remember but ISO was 400 and shutter speed 250

 

[mumrar]

Here are a few of my favourites.

Red Forth Bridge at nightwww.trainpics.net/p47148041.html
Oliver Cromwell on a cold Loughborough shed
www.trainpics.net/p58266419.html
55022 sits in it's own two-stroke fog at Waverley
www.trainpics.net/p47148161.html
A difficult to achieve shot of a 142 at Lincoln
www.trainpics.net/p47148168.html

 

[K9-70]

2608 stabled at Drogheda Railcar Depot 19:48pm
2617 & 2608 Drogheda 19:45pm
Details for both photos;

Nikon D100
50mm f1.8 Nikkor D
f1.8 @ 1/25th Sec,
22-03-2006
Camera hand held

K9-70

 

[At_traction]

2608 stabled at Drogheda Railcar Depot 19:48pm
2617 & 2608 Drogheda 19:45pm
Details for both photos;

Not in any way criticising the photography, just one more thing that the second image reminded me of: the difficulty in colour night photography in floodlight conditions and how to configure the white balance.

In this case, the incandescent or tungsten light of the platform floodlights colours the surroundings and the train to a yellowish tone, whereas the fluorescent lighting within the train is balanced as white ("normal" to the eye). The question here is to what tone to "zero" the colour correction to; to fluoresecent with the effect of yellow outside tungsten lighting or to incandescent with the effect of green in-train lighting? Just one more of things that separate night photography from daylight shooting.

At least with digital one doesn't have to deal with special films or filters, although in such complicated mixed-lighting situations even photoshopping is a bit more work-intensive...

A good thread and great examples from all.

 

[Track Basher]

It is shocking how much Drogheda has changed. It was not like that 20 years ago when I last visited.

The 37 at Bo'ness was my first photo charter event and yes I can see the comments about harsh lighting. In order to get any sort of photo you have to have at least some lighting and this had none. Only two lights were used and they were some distance from the loco. Even with this lighting the exposure still had to be F8 - 30 secs so it was not that harsh. There is no way you could hand hold this.

I actually don't mind this in this picture, I also have no problem with station lighting except some do cause very heavy colour tints which are very difficult to get rid of. I much prefer a light tint of white lighting.

The picture of 153 raises another interesting problem, that of the modern spotlight. These are a problem for night photography the latest versions being fitted are very bright white light and cause the effect seen in the picture. The rest of the picture is prefectly exposed. This picture is also off the angle spotlight but it has still blown out the exposure in this area. I have not found a solution to this.

Fog is also an ineresting area, seen in the deltic picture. You can get some amazing effects with long exposures.

 

[ChrisCooper]

I expect the light effect on the 153 picture was somewhat contributed to by the fog at the time. I've taken other similar pictures without such a problem, unless actually in direct line of the light.

 

[Crossforth]

Hey guys, I managed to get some night shots the other day at long last in a railway station.

Of all places, it is in Wakefield Kirkgate

Anyway, here are the results.
http://yorkshirerail.fotopic.net/p69236305.html
A UID 142 leaves Wakefield Kirkgate (I forgot to get the ID)

http://yorkshirerail.fotopic.net/p69236296.html
158844 pulls into Wakefield Kirkgate

 

[142094]

www.trainpics.net/p47148168.html

Have to say I'm very impressed with that picture, bet it took you a while to master the technique.

 

[mumrar]

Have to say I'm very impressed with that picture, bet it took you a while to master the technique.

It's 50% technique and 50% luck, you need to preempt when the driver will move off. The train needs to be stationary for about 50-60% of the length of the exposure you're taking basically.

 

[142094]

Probably easier than I thought, especially if you can time it just before the guard closes the doors. Might try it the next time I'm out and about. However I do hate carrying a tripod around.