Teenage Steam Photography

Trainspotting with a camera, as a colleague of mine said recently. The aim of the railway photographer has to be something more than that though.

 

I wouldn't class myself as a trainspotter, my aim is to try and take a photo and make the most out of the location...and if i'm pleased with the results my aim has been fulfilled.

Lewis

 

You have the ability to take good photographs, as you have shown in the past. If that had been one of mine I would have binned it.

 

To me (and I accept it is very much a matter of personal taste), both are perfectly fine "record shots". I see a photogrpah as capturing a moment of time that is, by definition , now gone. I do like Lewis's shot - whether by desiogn or the4 speed with which it had to be taken, the train is almost incidential - you could call it some thing "Rural England across time" - other than the fact the 8F only has the one coach, it could be any time since 1948 and captures that rural scene that seems to just happen to include a passing steam locomotive.

Edit: Having had another look, it could almost be "travellers pass on a rural byway" - I can see why Lewis is quite pleased with - somehow, there is more there than a straight 3/4 view of a passing train.
Steven

 

being a bit harsh neil???

Photography is all about personal opinons, some people will love it some people will hate, others will simply go meh. For me a photograph is a record of a moment in time taken through the eye of that person taking a pic. Yes sometimes they cannot all be masterpieces but thats life, and on top of that it is a well known fact that the sun is scared of steam engines,

Lewis i quite like the black n white image, specailly as it caught you off gaurd, i like your pics man, so keep at it, your only gonna improve futher and put us all to shame which you already often do lol

 

Speaking only for my own photograph

"...trainspotter with a camera",
"...record shot",
"...rather uninspiring",
"...spotter shot".
​

yep, I'm happy to live with all of those.

I make (and made) no great claims for my photo's composition, lighting, or anything else. It's sharp, in focus and exposure is alright.

From what he has posted in the past on here, and from his Flikr account, Lewis clearly takes some very good photographs. Whilst I might not personally rank yesterdays as the best of his I've seen, I certainly would never dream of telling anybody that I think their photographs are only fit for the bin - how rude can one get??!!!

I seem to recall I have never referred to either of mine that I have posted here as anything more than quick snaps. My own more serious photographic interests tend to lie elsewhere:



...although I'm sure other more esteemed correspondents on this forum will also condemn these as having no merit, question why I even bothered to load up, and no doubt proclaim their own photographic efforts as being far superior in every way. <shug>

Hey ho, each to their own, but given the obvious elitist attitude that seems to pervade this area, I can see it better to keep my own efforts to myself in future.

 

Thank you for all of your kind comments, and I shall definitely continue with my work...I am very pleased as the loco did sneak up on us and I happened to be in a different spot to where I'd planned, I think the photo is something different and has an air of rural moodiness which I think looks good. It's great to here that some of my work is appreciated by others, as some of the previous rude comments were uncalled for and a bit harsh in my opinion, never would I call a fellow photographer's work uninspiring or bin-worthy...

I'm still young and still learning...

Thanks,
Lewis

 

I don't think so. I see people congratulating each other for the most average photograph possible as if it were going to change the nature of railway photography.

I didn't like that shot, I'm entitled to my opinion and to say so as much as anyone who did like it is to voice their view.

 

Again, some people's opinions of good photos may differ from yours, still doesn't make the photo rubbish...

Not all of us expect our photos to change railway photography either.

And yes you are entitled to your opinion, but the use of 'uninspiring' and implying a photo is rubbish ('binned it') is too far and uncalled for...

Lewis

 

ANYWAY...back onto topic lol

I was at the SVR yesterday upon the footplate of 45407 courtesy of Ian Riley and had a very very enjoyable day. I also managed to gain a few shots of 44871 later in the day...


44871 by Teenage Steam Photography, on Flickr

Thanks,
Lewis

 

Interesting thread, the topic of what a good photo will be a never ending one. Out of those six listed above I only really like 3, and I should imaging most of those kind of shots are on photoshoots, not on the mainline.

BTW where was the mining shot taken.

 

Some very nice ones from I Cooper there also - the traction engine ones I particularly like.

I would never claim my photograhic efforts to be anything more than "record shots" - I just don't have the self-disapline to risk the one master shot and tend to fire off several 9oh, the curse of digital photography!), which have a habit of managing to mis what would have been the perfect composition even when a really good one is available!

Steven

 

I personally feel if one has nothing good to say, then it is better to say nothing at all.

If somebody has specifically requested critism or comment on their photography, then any comments should be as constructive as possible, explaining what one doesn't like, and perhaps how it could be improved.

Totally dismissive and destructive condemnation, to me, serves little purpose other than to show the person making such remarks in a rather poor light.

At the risk of deviating a little too far from the purpose of this thread (ie. Lewis' photography). The details are shown below. None of those photographs were taken on pre-organised photo charters.


1) I happened to know the road loco was out on the road that day, and would be passing over the canal bridge. The weather in the morning was dismal, so I didn't bother taking photography equipment. As the engine approached that area the weather improved and the thunderstorm moved away (hence dark clouds behind), all I had with me was the digi-snap shot camera.

The engine passed over the bridge only once, and I had no opportunity to arrange anything with the driver in advance. There probably won't be another engine passing over again in that direction for another 12 months.


2) I'd taken the roller out to celebrate its 95th birthday. On the way home I stopped outside the cottage to take a piccy as the sun was out and it seemed a pleasent scene. The chap who lived there was delighted to find the engine parked outside his cottage - he'd turned 100 a couple of months earlier! Ok, perhaps this scene is a little "chocolate boxy", but it's a fairly timeless shot. The roller hasn't been back there since.
(Fuji Velvia 100)



3) The closest thing to a 'photo shoot'. Taken in the evening at Kemble steam rally a couple of years ago. For a few years a couple of people would take lights etc. along, and with the permission of the event organisers there would be an impromptu night shoot for anybody who wished to turn up, utilising whatever could be persuaded to pose!

This is obviously a contrived photo: I doubt a Sentinel DG with empty rum barrels has ever needed to reverse up to a DC-3 before, and the lighting is about as artificial as you can get. Even so, essentially this same photograph but with an Aveling roller in war department livery posed instead of the Sentinel was still deemed worthy enough for a national magazine editor to pay me hansomly to fill their centre spread. Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder, and it doesn't pay to argue with the person holding the cheque book!
(Fuji 64T)


4) A normal out-of-season winter Sunday afternoon at Hay Bridge on the SVR. It was sunny after lunch so I took a trundle down. I didn't know what was running, what direction it was pointing etc. This was the only photograph I took that day, and the only train I saw before heading back home again.
(Kodak TMY-2)


5) Much the same as photo 4, only the weather turned murky as I drove south! Once again, not a particularly stunning photo, but at least a little different from the standard 3/4 front view taken standing lineside. It's also about the only half reasonable view I can find at Highley since the railway has gone 'fence mad'.
(Kodak TMY-2)


6) Abandoned mine trucks on the 40yd level, Snailbeach lead mine Shropshire. To access this requires decended around 300ft or so into the hillside via a combination of abseiling, crawling and climbing - together with all the photo gear on your back! This photo was taken using 'open flash' techniques and has been built up from about 15 individual flash exposures, each illuminating a different area in all but total darkness (there's one candle lit behind the camera so I don't knock it over when I walk back to close the shutter, that provides just enough illumination to see to walk around to build up the piccy).

Very much a personal taste type of 'record shot' picture, even so, it was awarded 2nd prize in a national cave photography salon, and I have been asked twice for it to be published in books, on one occasion forming the front cover on a text book about metalliferous mining in Shropshire (which the publisher then distorted like hell so it would fit the portrait cover!!!), a copy also hangs in a public house local to the mine. So whilst no doubt hated by all who frequent this forum, as the trucks clearly aren't in BR livery, there are others who clearly like it quite a lot.
(Fuji Provia 400)



I enjoy photography, and I enjoy combining photography with my other interests. I make no great claims for my photographs, and I certainly don't aim for them to be revolutionary works of "art".

After spending three hours sitting in the bottom of a tender cleaning scale and grot, it was a pleasent diversion to see the 8F make its way north through Baschurch at lunch time today. Once again I took a photograph of the scene, but alas, nothing revolutionary, just a spotter-shot. hoto:

...So quite obviously not suitable for publication on this forum. <sigh>

 

sorry i forgot that you were a world leading and ground breaking railway photographer neil, and fair play yes you are intitled to your own opinon but a bit of constructive crit isn't too hard is it, but as been said if you have nothing good to say dont say anything at all...

on a happier now i do like the black n white shot at the svr mate, maybe a bit of lightening around the smokeboix to bring it out a lil bit more, keep up the good work mate

Matt

 

Lewis, ignore this man he clearly has a chip an his shoulder. Nice photos!

Regards

 

Thanks mate

Lewis

 

Wow! The end result was well worth the effort.

 

1) Composition is poor. It's not an interesting photograph to look at. Choose a place with a wider view rather than such a narrow one. Put some emphasis on the engine and coach being on their own - perhaps a wide angle lens to create a sense of loneliness/isolation.

2) Exposure looks to be about 1/2 to 1 stop under. Compensate next time by setting exposure to 1/2 to 1 stop over.

3) Subject: unless you think along my suggestion for improving the composition I'm not sure how an engine + POB can be made to look interesting.

Result: bin or just not bother publishing.

 

1) Composition is poor. It's not an interesting photograph to look at. Choose a place with a wider view rather than such a narrow one. Put some emphasis on the engine and coach being on their own - perhaps a wide angle lens to create a sense of loneliness/isolation.

2) Exposure looks to be about 1/2 to 1 stop under. Compensate next time by setting exposure to 1/2 to 1 stop over.

3) Subject: unless you think along my suggestion for improving the composition I'm not sure how an engine + POB can be made to look interesting.

Result: bin or just not bother publishing.

 

I would highlight two elements of my post which you've quoted:

1) My opinion was that if it is not possible to say something good, then it is better to say nothing at all.
​

unless...

2) The poster has specifically requested criticism...
​

So far as I can see, Lewis did not seek critical comment from others.


Subsequent comments show that Lewis was happy with the results of his day's exploits, and ended up with a photograph he likes looking at. Isn't that good enough? Do you seek more from your photography?

For somebody to offer unrequested and unwelcome criticism seems, to me, to represent a rather arrogant attitude, irrespective of whether or not the comments are valid. Clearly my opinions and views on what constitutes good manners are not shared by all.