Train Tracks - series in B&W

Train Tracks - series in B&W · 09:56 PM

Hi all,
I got up close to these freight cars today after work. The light seemed perfect for black & white so i rendered the whole series in BW. These are all shot with my M 50mm f/1.7 and a circular polarizer to darken the sky.
This track is in Oakley, CA.

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cupic · 02-20-2009, 10:06 PM

Great series I enjoyed them

cheers

Jewelltrail · 02-21-2009, 12:03 AM

These are great--I really anjoyed them too.

**Rense** · 02-21-2009, 12:25 AM

Nice series, I think the B&W conversion works well! The last one does it for me, it has a great perspective. It somehow reminds me of the monument in the former camp Westerbork in the north of the Netherlands, from where the Jews were transported to Germany in WW II. So it has a sad feeling for me too....

Andi Lo · 02-21-2009, 04:16 AM

Agreeing Rense, I think the last one is my favourite =) Great series and nice choice to go B&W

mikeSF · 02-21-2009, 07:28 AM

thanks for the nice comments and encouragement. I am pleased with how these turned out. I also love the DOF ability of the large aperture 50mm lenses.

mikeSF · 02-21-2009, 08:04 AM

Originally posted by Rense

Nice series, I think the B&W conversion works well! The last one does it for me, it has a great perspective. It somehow reminds me of the monument in the former camp Westerbork in the north of the Netherlands, from where the Jews were transported to Germany in WW II. So it has a sad feeling for me too....

Originally posted by Andi Lo

Agreeing Rense, I think the last one is my favourite =) Great series and nice choice to go B&W

just a note - when i deleted the attached files and replaced them with Gallery Links, i re-ordered the pics to put the "last one" first. Their favorite is now #1.

slowpez · 02-21-2009, 09:02 AM

I also like what is now the first one but the second one is a nice one too.

gawan · 02-21-2009, 10:09 AM

Great series, just the kind of subject that looks great in B&W!

Damn Brit · 02-21-2009, 12:40 PM

Nice series Mike, my favourite is the second one, all the elements come together to make the shot.
If I had been taking that first shot, I would probably have been further away and lower down, more on a level with the rail. It would have given more of that vanishing point effect even with the train there.

jbevans · 02-21-2009, 01:10 PM

A nice series. Love the b&w and the 50 is great for selective focus. Very good.
John

Nowhere Matt · 02-21-2009, 02:55 PM

You have inspired me as well. Very well done.
I really planned on going out this morning and getting some trains but the temperature made me rethink that and I instead took some photos of a basketball in my driveway for ten minutes. Not nearly as impressive as the train shots I have in my head now but there is always tomorrow.

497,608 for those who are counting and for those who are just curious if this really works.
Might have to test this in the other forum I frequent.

mikeSF · 02-21-2009, 03:33 PM

Originally posted by Damn Brit

Nice series Mike, my favourite is the second one, all the elements come together to make the shot.
If I had been taking that first shot, I would probably have been further away and lower down, more on a level with the rail. It would have given more of that vanishing point effect even with the train there.

Gary,
thanks so much for the suggestion. I actually had my head on the rail itself and the camera was just a few inches above it - probably because the 50mm is a bit long, it doesn't quite appear that way. Had i brought the 16-45mm however, i could have caught that effect.

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02-20-2009, 10:06 PM	#2
cupic Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Australia-NSW Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,824	Great series I enjoyed them cheers

02-21-2009, 12:03 AM	#3
Jewelltrail Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Rhode Island Photos: Albums Posts: 4,180	These are great--I really anjoyed them too.

02-21-2009, 12:25 AM	#4
Rense Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Zetten - The Netherlands Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,050	Nice series, I think the B&W conversion works well! The last one does it for me, it has a great perspective. It somehow reminds me of the monument in the former camp Westerbork in the north of the Netherlands, from where the Jews were transported to Germany in WW II. So it has a sad feeling for me too....

02-21-2009, 04:16 AM	#5
Andi Lo Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Posts: 2,924	Agreeing Rense, I think the last one is my favourite =) Great series and nice choice to go B&W

02-21-2009, 07:28 AM	#6
mikeSF Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Bay Area, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,620 Original Poster	thanks for the nice comments and encouragement. I am pleased with how these turned out. I also love the DOF ability of the large aperture 50mm lenses.

02-21-2009, 08:04 AM	#7
mikeSF Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Bay Area, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,620 Original Poster	Originally posted by Rense Nice series, I think the B&W conversion works well! The last one does it for me, it has a great perspective. It somehow reminds me of the monument in the former camp Westerbork in the north of the Netherlands, from where the Jews were transported to Germany in WW II. So it has a sad feeling for me too.... Originally posted by Andi Lo Agreeing Rense, I think the last one is my favourite =) Great series and nice choice to go B&W just a note - when i deleted the attached files and replaced them with Gallery Links, i re-ordered the pics to put the "last one" first. Their favorite is now #1.

02-21-2009, 09:02 AM	#8
slowpez Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: South Carolina, USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 18,462	I also like what is now the first one but the second one is a nice one too.

02-21-2009, 10:09 AM	#9
gawan Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Helsinki Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,400	Great series, just the kind of subject that looks great in B&W!

02-21-2009, 12:40 PM	#10
Damn Brit Guest	Nice series Mike, my favourite is the second one, all the elements come together to make the shot. If I had been taking that first shot, I would probably have been further away and lower down, more on a level with the rail. It would have given more of that vanishing point effect even with the train there.

02-21-2009, 01:10 PM	#11
jbevans Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Oregon coast Photos: Gallery Posts: 30	A nice series. Love the b&w and the 50 is great for selective focus. Very good. John

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02-21-2009, 02:55 PM	#12
Nowhere Matt Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Nowhere Land Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,362	You have inspired me as well. Very well done. I really planned on going out this morning and getting some trains but the temperature made me rethink that and I instead took some photos of a basketball in my driveway for ten minutes. Not nearly as impressive as the train shots I have in my head now but there is always tomorrow. 497,608 for those who are counting and for those who are just curious if this really works. Might have to test this in the other forum I frequent.

02-21-2009, 03:33 PM	#13
mikeSF Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: East Bay Area, CA Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,620 Original Poster	Originally posted by Damn Brit Nice series Mike, my favourite is the second one, all the elements come together to make the shot. If I had been taking that first shot, I would probably have been further away and lower down, more on a level with the rail. It would have given more of that vanishing point effect even with the train there. Gary, thanks so much for the suggestion. I actually had my head on the rail itself and the camera was just a few inches above it - probably because the 50mm is a bit long, it doesn't quite appear that way. Had i brought the 16-45mm however, i could have caught that effect.