Glenfinnan Viaduct
Nov, 2019Views
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Top Shot Award 21
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Behind The Lens
Location
This shot was taken beneath Glen Finnan viaduct on an overcast day in September. I must have been standing about 200 hundred yards on a slight hillock.Time
This was taken at 10.50 am on the 10th of September 2019. The Jacobite Express crosses over the viaduct twice a day: once in the morning and once in the afternoon. I thought the morning shot would give me the best opportunity of getting the sun in the clouds at just the right moment.Lighting
Ideally, I wanted to show the steam engine puffing steam against the dark sky. I took several shots starting from the point when the train entered the viaduct to the point when it disappeared from view. At this particular point, the engine driver obliged by blowing the train's whistle and sending a gush of steam up towards the darker clouds hovering over the mountains in the background. If I had been standing anywhere else I probably wouldn't have been able to get the cloud of steam in the correct position.Equipment
This shot was taken with a Nikon 7500 with a 55-300m lens. I don't recall using a tripod as I wanted the freedom to move the camera quickly should the need arise.Inspiration
I have a love of steam trains that goes back to my boarding school days in Africa. I have always wanted to take a shot of a steam train on the Glen Finnan viaduct. In fact, my wife and I spent three nights staying on an old railway coach at Glen Finnan station a short walk away from where the shot was taken. I was therefore in a good position to take a variety of shots of the Jacobite Express as it passed over the viaduct in either direction. I love this part of Scotland as the weather is often very misty and atmospheric. Great for steam trains!Editing
I darkened the sky slightly in Lightroom and upped the contrast a smidge. But, other than that, not much at all.In my camera bag
I normally carry a tripod and a camera bag with the main camera a wide-angle lens, a fixed 35mm lens, a 55-300mm zoom lens and a Sigma 150-600mm lens for wildlife. In addition, I carry a spare camera (a Nikon 7000), a shutter release cable, spare batteries and spare memory cards and a waterproof cover to protect the camera from the Scottish weather.Feedback
This part of Scotland is fantastic for landscape photographers at all levels of experience. The light is so interesting, always changing, always revealing something new. There are mountains, heather, misty valleys and plenty of wildlife. I think its advisable to stay as close to your chosen location as possible as often the early mornings present the best opportunities for getting the most out of the light. Be prepared for anything and make sure you have spare batteries!
