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Train Streaking



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Passing through Del Mar, California

Passing through Del Mar, California
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Awards

Contest Finalist in Our World At Night Photo Contest
People's Choice in Painting With Light Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Painting With Light Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Diagonal Shapes Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Long Exposure Games Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Composing with Diagonals Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Shutter Games Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in My Evening Walk Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Coastal Landscapes Photo Contest
Featured
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Peer Award
Superb Composition
Top Choice
andreasulini Dodoka Gayle_Solis antrisolja Down2Earthtravelinspirer RMCROC florinhorhat +76
Absolute Masterpiece
James-Evans TheBronxer v_moreen cartermilic StuckInMotionPhotography photoflea DesireeShutts +76
Outstanding Creativity
barryryan andywhite_4513 Mausstudio Reallycrazykiwi Gilleroo1 stephenfrancisco gerrydoherty +64
Superior Skill
tinagreaves Grace31 gymmybob IanB jgocart Kksgram stevealbano +24
Magnificent Capture
cecilialemos danilobattisti Bobby-Jo steveangelakis Albert-Serra-Photography jennb2606 stevekappel +7
All Star
Neil-Walsh katyakarklisiyska janland nasimahmed mattiabonavida Shutter_Cat jakeschladweiler +6
Exceptional Contrast
brentdiones iamamitaggarwal mikemalak Deeve AurnobVIOLET er000 k009034
Jaw Dropping
lesyaaleksandrovna Mohit_Bagaria_Monu nicscott Kanishawalker
Genius
ChrisKIELY samerawf MystiqueImages
One Of A Kind
Skate2
Virtuoso
xburdgyx

Top Ranks

The Wonders of the World Photo ContestTop 10 rank
The Wonders of the World Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
The Colors Photo ContestTop 10 rank
The Colors Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Our World At Night Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Painting With Light Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Painting With Light Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Painting With Light Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Diagonal Shapes Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Diagonal Shapes Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Water Photo Contest 2017Top 10 rank
Water Photo Contest 2017Top 10 rank week 1
Long Exposure Games Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Long Exposure Games Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Time And Light Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Time And Light Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 2
Time And Light Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
Composing with Colors Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Composing with Colors Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 3
Composing with Colors Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Composing with Colors Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Composing with Diagonals Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Composing with Diagonals Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Composing with Diagonals Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 1
Moving Subjects Photo ContestTop 30 rank
Worldscapes Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Worldscapes Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 2
Clever Angles Photo ContestTop 30 rank
Worldscapes Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Clever Angles Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 2
Show Movement Photo ContestTop 30 rank
Show Movement Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
Unstoppable Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Unstoppable Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
Rule Of Thirds Essentials Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Rule Of Thirds Essentials Photo ContestTop 20 rank week 1
Light Sensitivity Photo ContestTop 20 rank
Light Sensitivity Photo ContestTop 30 rank week 1
Shutter Games Photo ContestTop 30 rank
Rule Of Seconds Photo ContestTop 20 rank
My Evening Walk Photo ContestTop 20 rank
My Evening Walk Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
My Evening Walk Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
Pushing Limits Photo ContestTop 30 rank
Inspiring Shots Photo ContestTop 10 rank
Inspiring Shots Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 2
Inspiring Shots Photo ContestTop 10 rank week 1
San Diego Surf Film Festival Photo ContestTop 20 rank

Categories


17 Comments | Report
AlanJakarta
 
AlanJakarta May 09, 2014
Beautiful time exposure with lovely colors. Congratulations.
Timbo
 
Timbo May 09, 2014
You nailed this shot.... Well done...... Awarded
catini
 
catini May 09, 2014
Great composition and exposure, congrats on your feature!
iceman2
 
iceman2 May 09, 2014
Beautiful time exposure.Congrats!
koronz
 
koronz May 09, 2014
Amazing !
abijur PRO+
 
abijur May 09, 2014
Love this.
akhtarkhan
 
akhtarkhan May 09, 2014
Wonderful leading traffic lights trails in straight lines in diagonal view in the frame. Fantastic low lighting and long exposure effect in the clouds. Great capture. Congrats on the feature
LionesLens
 
LionesLens May 09, 2014
Beautiful image! Congratulations on your award!
Eman_Ross
 
Eman_Ross May 10, 2014
great exposure
lauraphotography
 
lauraphotography May 10, 2014
beautiful
drakkardarkblade
 
drakkardarkblade May 13, 2014
fantastic, please check out my works
redwriter Platinum
 
redwriter May 18, 2014
Great shot. Congrats. - Jake
thommorris
 
thommorris March 02, 2015
Right around 11th Street I'm guessing. Nice. Amtrak never looked so good!
recardoludick
 
recardoludick August 03, 2016
Awesome!
Skcheffey
 
Skcheffey August 28, 2017
Gorgeous!
amanavinash
 
amanavinash September 01, 2017
Join the conversation. Add a comment or even better, a critique. Let's get better together!
amanavinash
 
amanavinash September 01, 2017
Write a comment
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Behind The Lens

Location

This photo was taken in Del Mar, California, which is just a little bit north up the coast from San Diego, California

Time

This was taken in the late evening hours, approximately 45 mins or so after sunset.

Lighting

This time of day is popularly considered the "blue hour" which is about an hour's worth of time after the sun has set, and you can see why they call it that. You get very rich and beautiful blue colors from the sky (and in this case, also the water). The sun had set off the the right, and you can see the waning blue sky light peeking through the clouds on the right. On the left you can see the city lights spilling into the sky above the horizon.

Equipment

For this shot I used a Canon 5D Mark III camera body, and the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM Lens (set at 16mm F/8 ISO 200 and an exposure time of 30 seconds for the main shot?), and a standard tripod with ball head attached. No flash was used on this shot. I actually never use flash in my photos. Using just the available light makes for much richer and more beautiful photos, in my opinion.

Inspiration

This is such a beautiful place with the coastline, and the angle the train takes, passing through. I do a lot of night photography and knew this would be a great chance to get some light streaking shots, but with a train instead of the usual autos. Frankly, I'm surprised I hadn't really seen anyone try this before (though I'm sure someone has). I love finding places that many others might have been to take photos, and then try to come away with at least one shot that most wouldn't have taken. It makes for a good challenge and keeps me always wanting to go out and take more photos.

Editing

Yes, there was a fair amount of post processing in this! First, you should know that this was taken using 5 bracketed photos. In short, you take one shot exposed properly for the scene (in this case, while the train was going by), and then two shots under-exposed to different levels, and two shots over-exposed (with no train going through). In the properly exposed shot, you get most of what you need, but it causes some of the lighter portions of the photo to be overexposed (blown out), and the darker portions to be so dark that you lose all detail. You blend in from the underexposed and overexposed photos in places where the lights are blown out too much and to bring out the dark areas. Sometimes these bracketed photos can be run through various different HDR software programs, to help speed up the process and create a number of interesting effects. However, much of the time I prefer to blend the images myself. The trick to using HDR software on images like this, is to not over do it. an HDR program should enhance an already beautiful photo and, in my opinion, not be leaned on for wild crazy effects which, most times make the photo very unrealistic and unflattering.

In my camera bag

I normally carry a camera backpack/bag with my Canon 5D Mark III, Canon EF 16-35mm f2.8L II IS USM lens, Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens, 150-500mm F5-6.3 APO DG OS HSM lens, Canon - EF 50mm f/1.8 II lens, various variable ND filters, remote shutter releases, 2 32gb 500x CF cards, 2 16gb 500x CF cards, 2 64gb Ultra High Speed SD cards in case I need backup of photos, 6 batteries for the 5D Mark III, a typical tripod with ball head mount, A Joby Gorillapod Focus, and business cards! Seriously, NEVER go out without business cards. You cannot predict when your next customer will approach you and want a card, and if you don't have it then you won't likely ever see them again.

Feedback

Never be satisfied with a "cool" looking shot. Ask yourself "Is this a shot I would take notice of, and be impressed by?". If the answer is at least a "maybe", then take the shot...get the best one you can in the right lighting and the best framing, and then begin looking for something better. I regularly spend hours upon hours in location before finding the exact right lighting conditions combined with the right framing of the subject...and you just know know until you "see it"....so be patient and always have your eyes open for "that moment" where you just know this is the shot you want.

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