The Royal Scot

[John 2]

Recent problems with the behaviour of some of its drivers has resulted in one of the companies that operate these heritage steam locos in my part of the world, being banned from the mainline network. Other companies have to some extent, filled the gap with the result that some engines that don't normally work this part of the country have been making an appearance. The Royal Scot was up in the North West yesterday and it was a good excuse for picking up my camera. Two version from two different frames. The mono will not be to everyone's taste. As always, C&C welcome.

Fuji X plus 18-55mm @18mm
1.


2.

[Donald]

The mono will not be to everyone's taste.

It is to mine. Wonderful.

[Shadowman]

Nicely done, both versions.

[RList]

It is to mine. Wonderful.

...and mine. Excellent

[Dave Humphries]

Both are very good John, two to be proud of.

I prefer the B&W for the 'timelessness' created by not having the chap with his modern camera in the shot.
Also, the subject is more imposing.

The only thing I'd consider if this were mine, would be to remove the remaining modern telltales; the footpath and road centre delineating white lines. If you do have a go; don't miss the ones under the right hand buffer that form the 'stop line', being ultra sensitive to modernism; that flat roofed thing in the garden might also be usefully removed.

I'm already grateful there's no satellite dish or TV aerial in shot

I can even live with the white vignette and black frame

Cheers, Dave

[JBW]

four for four, I would hang either or both on my wall.

[dubdec99]

It is to mine. Wonderful.

And mine !!

[Manfred M]

+1 to Dave's comments. He has captured my thoughts on this.

Regardless, beautifully taken and processed images. Both the colour and monochrome versions work well.

[wilgk]

Oh gosh, the second one, just takes me right there!
That is truly lovely.

[Dave A]

Two really great shots. I love both renditions.

Dave

[Wavelength]

A pair of superb images

[Rita]

You nailed these ones John. Both are really well done.

[Mike Buckley]

Both images do an excellent job of telling very different stories.

[John 2]

Thanks all for the feedback. I'm particularly pleased that the mono was liked. I'm currently producing a panel of shots in the same style as possible wall hanging fodder for a staircase wall - provided they receive the necessary permissions of course.

Dave, just for you:

[Mike Buckley]

Nice cloning job, John. You made it look easy but my guess is that it was quite time-consuming.

[daviddowns2000]

Two lovely images, well-done, beautifully presented! This is my first post, so I'll brashly just jump right in with a few more comments: The composition of the mono is more powerful to me, would like to see it in the same exquisite color. Thus, I might crop the first one tighter, eliminating the man, the white triangle, and the top of the roof to achieve a similar result. I have mixed feelings about the yellow post on the left. I like the post as a composition element but might try desaturating it to white and compare, going by the rubric to avoid anything highly eye-catching at the edge of a frame. in any case, I would be proud to hang either one on my wall.

[Dave Humphries]

Very good job on the cloning John

Thanks, Dave

PS
Anyone wanting to see (and hear) this fine engine in motion could do worse than view the video here
46100 'Royal Scot' Storms Up Shap - The Cumbrian Coast Express - 2016 (Marsh Steam Videos),
which I think was shot the day after John's shot.

[ST1]

Nicely captured and processed John


Best Regards
Peter

[IzzieK]

I lik both versions, John...and the edit too. This is one incident where #1 -- you are not alone in getting your camera out. #2 -- the clear blur works perfectly well. Good job!

[John 2]

Thanks all for the additional comments.

Dave D, that's definitely an alternative crop and it works but I wanted to keep a bit of human interest. As it is, I have already cloned out the man's wife and another Photographer. The owner of the house was generous enough to invite both of us into his yard but I thought that I had the better viewpoint (all to myself as well in the end). On reflection though, I could have toned down the edge highlights more (post and lean-to).

Dave H, you're welcome. No it was the same Cumbrian Coast Express outing. The video is a good watch but it also shows a couple of dilemmas if your prime interest is the photography. During the Northbound leg to Carlisle early in the video, it's on the main line and the shots are cluttered with all of the overhead electrical installations. Its return leg was on the coastal line through Whitehaven and Barrow-in-Furness which is not electrified and better for stills images for all the reasons that made you suggest cloning out the more modern elements in the sepia. It doesn't normally follow this route but the line through the Yorkshire Dales is restricted due to repairs. It meant that there was a rare opportunity to catch it on the bridge at Arnside. Or so I thought but so did a couple of hundred others and to avoid the inevitable jostling for position and downright bad manners (see the idiot that crawled half way along the bridge wall and is in every ones shot), I drove a couple of miles further down the line and grabbed these two shots.