Project 52 - Q3 - David (Rufus)

[Shadowman]

Hi David,

The fringing is partially lens dependent with a bit of assistance or disturbance from the lighting conditions and ISO setting used, were you using any filters during the capture?

[Rufus]

...were you using any filters during the capture?

There was no filter on at the time, John, other than the clear Canon Lens Protect filter.

[xpatUSA]

Week 31 #75 - Houghton Lodge (1/250 sec at f/8 and ISO 250; focal length set at 85mm):

Sorry for an off-topic question:

How is that pronounced? Hawt'n, Howt'n or Hufft'n? (I seriously don't know, having never been there).

[Rufus]

...How is that pronounced? Hawt'n, Howt'n or Hufft'n? (I seriously don't know, having never been there).

As you say, Ted, there are various possibilities but it is actually pronounced Howt'n.

[Manfred M]

The "fringing" is just the sunlight passing through the leaves. It's a bit like rim lighting in portraiture where one gets the same effect as the rim light wraps around the subject. Avoiding it is what you have suggested; don't have the sun behind the subject.

[xpatUSA]

As you say, Ted, there are various possibilities but it is actually pronounced Howt'n.

Ta, David!

[Rufus]

Week 33 - These were captured at the Watercress Line, operated by a railway preservation society. As you will see, they operate steam and diesel locomotives, and a diesel multiple unit (3rd image). The last had a design life of only 15 years because of plans for line closures and electrification; but it is now 50 years old.

The first and third images are from a trackside vantage point, the second from higher up. A tripod was used for both images. I chose 1/125 sec, but a slower speed would have been possible with the tripod and provided more of a sense of motion; and I could then have used a smaller aperture, too.

Although the compositions are not great, my impression is that the images are suitably focused and sharp. I selected the auto focus zone covering the lower centre area and used burst mode and live view.

This location and others along the line will be worth revisiting; and now know that some prior research should establish in which direction the locomotives will be facing.

#77 (1/125 sec - f/5.6 - ISO 200 - 105mm)


#78 (1/125 sec - f/6.7 - ISO 200 - 70mm)


#79 (1/125 sec - f/6.7 - ISO 200 - 105mm)

[Shadowman]

Nice series, yes first would've been better with a bit more sharpness.

[Geoff F]

An interesting idea to have carriages in the foreground. Most train photos tend to do it the other way around.

The first two are sharp enough. It is only the third image where there is any hint of softness and even then the rails and trackside foliage are focused, so probably a little bit of motion blur.

[Wavelength]

All these three images are interesting; middle one s a bit busy though....

[Rufus]

Thank you for commenting John, Geoff and Nandakumar. Now that a little time has elapsed I have looked at these images again.

Compositionally, the middle one is rather busy and the black and yellow stripes on the diesel locomotive are rather attention seeking (which, is after all, their purpose but not so good for the image!). As Geoff says, most train photos tend to have the engine at the front. I am sure that is for a very good reason as in my first image the partial carriage dominates the image.

As for sharpness of the images, which I am particularly trying to improve my techique on, I think the far end of the engine and the foreground ballast on the track should be sharper in the first one, even though the ballast is a relatively unimportant component of the image. I don't know whether I had too large an aperture or focused on the wrong area area, or maybe both. My impression is that I got these right enough in the busy middle image and achieved good, vibrant but realistic colours.

I think my focal points in the third image were too far to the left/along the first carriage, whereas I should have focused on the very front of the train.

[Rufus]

Week 34 - Is a single image taken at Hinton Ampner.

Plenty of sunlight allowed 1/350th sec at f/8 so there should be no camera shake shooting handheld at the 24mm end of the lens.

For some reason it seemed more awkward this time to correct the verticals to avoid the "falling over" look. I don't think I have quite managed it yet on this one. I played around with removing all sorts of lightning conductors, floodlights, people etc.

Bright summer sun was not the best light for this image, but I tried to improve it by using select and mask on the structural elements and carrying out some adjustments to that, but again with only limited success.

#80 (1/350 sec at f/8 and ISO 100; lens set at 24mm):

[Shadowman]

You've got the tilt and askew angle to contend with, can't really make too much of an adjustment on the angle though. Nicely exposed and composed.

[Manfred M]

For some reason it seemed more awkward this time to correct the verticals to avoid the "falling over" look. I don't think I have quite managed it yet on this one.

It looks like distortion from the 24mm lens is the problem. While one can correct the verticals, it's not always possible to eliminate the distortion from the wide angle lens.

This shot was taken with a 24mm shift / tilt lens that was level, but not square to the building and the image does look a touch strange. The "old timers" that know view cameras tell me that to get a shot like this to work out, one has to be able to adjust both the angles of the lens plane and the film plane. I shift tilt lens only does the lens plan adjustment and the resulting image can look a bit strange.

When you adjust the verticals in post, you are essentially emulating what a shift / tilt lens does when the lens is shifted.

[Wavelength]

Nice image, light is a bit too much(morning or evening light would have been better; but we can't always reach at places always at the most desirable time
In Manfred's image, the dome appears start sinking into th building a bit?

[Manfred M]

In Manfred's image, the dome appears start sinking into th building a bit?

Manfred's image is an attempt to show the issues associated with using a wide angle lens to shoot a building and the inherent distortion this technique creates when the shot is not taken square on to the subject. There will be some vertical distortion as well as the objects that are farther from the lens in the vertical plane will look distorted.

Even a shift / tilt lens that is designed to overcome some of the basic issues is not 100% effective in portraying the building properly.

[Rufus]

Week 35
The British Railways Standard Class 9F 2-10-0 was intended for use on fast, heavy freight trains over long distances. It was one of the most powerful locomotive types ever constructed in Britain and successfully performed its intended duties. This example entered service 60 years ago on 22 September 1959.

It should be able to cope with pottering along pulling a few passenger coaches .

#81 Steam Locomotive Number 92212 (1/250 sec - f/8 - ISO 800 - zoom set to 50mm):

[Shadowman]

Week 35, nicely captured.

[Cantab]

I've enjoyed today's locomotive photo. I'm curious about the focussing technique you used on this presumably moving locomotive. My sense is that the front wheels of the engine are in tack sharp focus but things are not quite as sharp by the time one reaches the engineer. But if you'd narrowed the aperture to get more DOF, you've had a higher ISO, so as always a compromise.

[Manfred M]

This example entered service 60 years ago on 22 September 1959.

Wow - a steam powered locomotive entering service in 1959!

Interesting information; I thought that diesel locomotives were being rolled out to replace the steam locomotives by then as well as massive electrification of the lines. I have a few very vague memories of seeing some steam locomotives around that time (we lived not far from the main railway lines in town and would walk by the train station on the way to the park when I was around 4 years in 1958).

You nailed the focus on this one with good drop off along the length of the train. It must have been moving fairly slowly as there is no sign of movement of the train's wheels. The water from the condensate lines are also suggesting little to no forward motion as the water dropping looks almost vertical.