[GreatFrog]

645Z, 28-45mm F4 lens
1/400 sec, F5.0, ISO 100

[itshimitis]

The Winter of 2004/5 was the final time steam worked over the Jing Peng pass on the world's last steam-operated main line railway, the JiTong line in Inner Mongolia. Never again would we see large loads being hauled by steam hundreds of miles just as a 'job of work'... The end of an era in human history.

This is leaving Tunnel 4. A very hard picture to get right. Apart from having to climb a snowy mountain side in -30 (Celsius) temperatures, the trains ran to no timetable because they were freight trains running as required. The scene is lit properly from the side for about 30 mins a day in the Winter, so you had to be lucky to get a train in the right window. Even when you did, the prevailing wind was from the west, which would almost always ruin it by blowing the steam down over the train. Each attempt meant giving up several other easier pictures because of the climb up the mountain (if you chased it from the road and aimed for simpler locations, you could get a few pictures of a single train and do so avoiding the wind/sun angle problem). So it was a gamble - try for one awesome picture but probably fail, or try for numerous easier pictures that were likely to succeed. This was my very last day on the line before steam finished forever. I had attempted the shot often before and never succeeded. On this day, when we climbed the mountain, we were in cloud (but large sections of the line we could have been on were in sun)... So the gamble seemed even more reckless...

On this final attempt, it came together. Can you imagine the sight of a small group of men, wearing numerous layers, jumping up and down in excitement, knowing we had finally nailed this shot on the last morning we would ever be able to try?

Then I must mention that our friend, Ian, was at that very moment lying in a hotel bed because he had dislocated his knee, so he missed the shot. In fact, we would all have missed it had he not injured himself - we had been due to leave the area already, but had had to stay on slightly longer until he was fit to be moved. So we have Ian's knee to thank for this picture, even though he could not get it himself. That must have hurt more than the knee... Though he would never admit it.

[/url][/IMG]

Pentax 67ii with 105mm lens, Velvia 100F.

Fantastic and great use of Velvia...

[ivanvernon]

The Winter of 2004/5 was the final time steam worked over the Jing Peng pass on the world's last steam-operated main line railway, the JiTong line in Inner Mongolia. Never again would we see large loads being hauled by steam hundreds of miles just as a 'job of work'... The end of an era in human history.

This is leaving Tunnel 4. A very hard picture to get right. Apart from having to climb a snowy mountain side in -30 (Celsius) temperatures, the trains ran to no timetable because they were freight trains running as required. The scene is lit properly from the side for about 30 mins a day in the Winter, so you had to be lucky to get a train in the right window. Even when you did, the prevailing wind was from the west, which would almost always ruin it by blowing the steam down over the train. Each attempt meant giving up several other easier pictures because of the climb up the mountain (if you chased it from the road and aimed for simpler locations, you could get a few pictures of a single train and do so avoiding the wind/sun angle problem). So it was a gamble - try for one awesome picture but probably fail, or try for numerous easier pictures that were likely to succeed. This was my very last day on the line before steam finished forever. I had attempted the shot often before and never succeeded. On this day, when we climbed the mountain, we were in cloud (but large sections of the line we could have been on were in sun)... So the gamble seemed even more reckless...

On this final attempt, it came together. Can you imagine the sight of a small group of men, wearing numerous layers, jumping up and down in excitement, knowing we had finally nailed this shot on the last morning we would ever be able to try?

Then I must mention that our friend, Ian, was at that very moment lying in a hotel bed because he had dislocated his knee, so he missed the shot. In fact, we would all have missed it had he not injured himself - we had been due to leave the area already, but had had to stay on slightly longer until he was fit to be moved. So we have Ian's knee to thank for this picture, even though he could not get it himself. That must have hurt more than the knee... Though he would never admit it.

[/url][/IMG]

Pentax 67ii with 105mm lens, Velvia 100F.

Great shot. I wish I could have photographed the steam engines on the Beijing-Guangjou route back in the early 1980s when I used to travel there quite regularly. Hard to photograph very well from inside the train, unfortunately.

[itshimitis]

Some from the lake district

Z and FA 150 f/2.8

[mikeSF]

From this morning in San Rafael, CA

Solitude

645Z & DFA 55 w/9-stop ND

[kaseki]

From this morning in San Rafael, CA

Solitude
645Z & DFA 55 w/9-stop ND

Nice photo. In the exposure time, sensitivity, aperture, and ND trade space, did you pick ND in order to limit depth of field, or for some other purpose? Thanks.

[mikeSF]

Nice photo. In the exposure time, sensitivity, aperture, and ND trade space, did you pick ND in order to limit depth of field, or for some other purpose? Thanks.

to smooth out the ripples in the water.

[jadeyphoto]

wow, lovely

From this morning in San Rafael, CA

Solitude
645Z & DFA 55 w/9-stop ND

[GreatFrog]

Taken in Delware beach.

[SCGushue]

While photographing forest mushrooms is not my kind of photography the weather on much of the east coast has been miserable for most of the Spring and Summer months. This past week I have had no less than 10 inches of rain as per my rain gauge. It has made mountain biking this year a little challenging as I don't like to ride and destroy the single tracks in the area. So... bored I have once again taken to the deciduous woodlands on my property as there are dozens of different mushrooms sprouting out post the heavy rains. Most are difficult to find as they tend to blend in with the leaf litter and some are just so bland as to not be of interest in documenting. But over the past couple of days I have documented a few and thought it might be worth sharing on the forum. It is tough getting down and dirty in the tick infested forest around here to get at the shroom level but it keeps the shutter clicking.

Stephen

[tuco]

The Winter of 2004/5 was the final time steam worked over the Jing Peng pass on the world's last steam-operated main line railway, the JiTong line in Inner Mongolia. Never again would we see large loads being hauled by steam hundreds of miles just as a 'job of work'... The end of an era in human history.

Pentax 67ii with 105mm lens, Velvia 100F.

Cool picture and fascinating story, Ed.

[kaseki]

First views from initial testing of my 645Z, still essentially in its default state. Lens was FA 300mm f/5.6 near minimum focal distance. Handheld. DoF slight. Default jpegs with no post processing. It works!

Water lily blossom in very bright sun
Froggie photo bomb ditto
Paph. lost-name AOC inflorescence in shade

[GreatFrog]

While photographing forest mushrooms is not my kind of photography the weather on much of the east coast has been miserable for most of the Spring and Summer months. This past week I have had no less than 10 inches of rain as per my rain gauge. It has made mountain biking this year a little challenging as I don't like to ride and destroy the single tracks in the area. So... bored I have once again taken to the deciduous woodlands on my property as there are dozens of different mushrooms sprouting out post the heavy rains. Most are difficult to find as they tend to blend in with the leaf litter and some are just so bland as to not be of interest in documenting. But over the past couple of days I have documented a few and thought it might be worth sharing on the forum. It is tough getting down and dirty in the tick infested forest around here to get at the shroom level but it keeps the shutter clicking.

Stephen

your shots are lots of FUN gus.

I love them actually especially the fourth one.

[JHfwp]

First views from initial testing of my 645Z, still essentially in its default state. Lens was FA 300mm f/5.6 near minimum focal distance. Handheld. DoF slight. Default jpegs with no post processing. It works!

Water lily blossom in very bright sun
Froggie photo bomb ditto
Paph. lost-name AOC inflorescence in shade

That second photo gets better the longer one looks at it.

[kaseki]

That second photo gets better the longer one looks at it.

Inadvertent rule of thirds. The glare on the monitor was intense. Thanks