60103
Feb, 2016Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This shot was taken at the National Railway Museum in York, UK. 60103 'Flying Scotsman' had just undergone a multi million pound overhaul and was returning to main line running. The NRM organised two days of photo opportunities, limited to only 50 photographer at each two hour session. For the first hour of each session those attending were kept at a distance from the loco behind a barrier to enable everyone to get unobstructed views, before being allowed to get up close.Time
It was an early start to get to the museum for the 8am opening. It was a cold but relatively clear February morning and the image was capturing using only natural light.Lighting
The lighting was a typical February day in the UK. Relatively early morning light from an overcast sky. We weren't allowed flash (which I wouldn't have used in any case - it would probably have lead to harsh reflections from the shiny finish of the loco). I used a tripod and used manual settings.Equipment
Taken with an Olympus EM5 using a Panasonic Leica 25mm f1.4 lensInspiration
I have a life long interest in steam railways and 'Flying Scotsman' is one of the most iconic locomotives ever built so I couldn't miss the opportunity of getting some close up shots following her refurbishment.Editing
I decided to go mono because I wanted to concentrate on the engine and eliminate any distracting objects in the background. These included the main London to Edinburgh East Coast railway line behind 60103 with overhead power lines, and various items of rolling stock in the adjacent sidings. Black and white removed the bright saturated colours and careful use of the spot healing brush/clone tool enabled me to reduce unwanted detail.In my camera bag
Usually I have my Olympus EM1 m4/3 body and a couple of lenses chosen with what I expect to photograph in mind. These range from 7mm (14mm equivalent for 35mm) to 300mm. Mainly I try to keep the amount of equipment I carry limited. It doesn't always work and you have to be prepared to be creative with the gear you have with you at the time.Feedback
We are fortunate in the UK to have so many preserved steam railways and many steam hauled mainline specials. In normal times there is always somewhere to go and capture a steam engine either static or on the move. Steam engines look best when they are in steam. On the day I took this image the staff at the NRM had lit the fire in 60103 and we steam, if only a little. Moving steam engines produce steam and smoke when working hard, using climbing an incline. Try to find these places as they produce the most dramatic images.
