Jim Horn, QPSA  


Strasburg RR 90 by Jim Horn, QPSA

March 2023 - Strasburg RR 90

March 2023 - Jim Horn, QPSA

Original

About the Image(s)


Sony α7Riv, Sony FE 2.8/24-70 GM II, f/13, 1/90 sec, 70mm, ISO 100, handheld.
This was taken before sunset in the heart of Lancaster County’s Amish Country, about 30 minutes from where I live. This is the newest of several steam engines and is the largest. In Photoshop I used Camera Raw Filter to adjust the shadows, highlights, blacks, whites, and a little vibrance. I then used Topaz DeNoise AI and Topaz Sharpen AI. I wanted to catch the black smoke of the burning coal and the release of white steam as it chugged up a long hill. The heavy smoke hung low allowing me to take a tight shot without having to crop with high plumes of billowing smoke. I like the contrast of an old steam engine chugging across an Amish countryside.
Sony α7Riv, Sony FE 2.8/24-70 GM II, f/13, 1/90 sec, 70mm, ISO 100, handheld.


This round’s discussion is now closed!
13 comments posted




Oliver Morton   Oliver Morton
Jim, very nice! Your cropping is perfect, and the smoke from the steam engine really makes the image intriguing. Your depth of field is excellent for this image. I think it was important to keep the entire train in focus.

My only suggestion would be to slightly lower the saturation of the sky... just a bit. I like the saturation that you added to the train's boxcars. It makes them really stand out.

  Posted: 03/01/2023 12:00:48
Jim Horn   Jim Horn
Pete, thank you for your suggestion. The sky is better. Jim   Posted: 03/02/2023 15:17:38
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Sophia Schade   Sophia Schade
Jim, I enjoy seeing the country from a train! I need to put this on my bucket list. My suggestion is for you to fix all the spots in the sky. Also, you might want to darken the right side of the photo.   Posted: 03/01/2023 17:37:44
Jim Horn   Jim Horn
Sophie, I took out the spots. Good catch. I used the selection tool to mask the planted field and the tree at the far-right edge to darken the bright yellows. Let me know what you think. Jim   Posted: 03/02/2023 15:25:26
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Mark Burgess   Mark Burgess
Really enjoy seeing old time technology still in great working order. Thanks for bringing it! I have no comments other than a preference to apply the vibrance only to the train so it remains the hero of the image.   Posted: 03/01/2023 20:35:49
Jim Horn   Jim Horn
You might like what I did for my reply to Sophie. Jim   Posted: 03/02/2023 15:26:45
Mark Burgess   Mark Burgess
Hi Jim. Yes good call by Sophie (even more so about the sensor spots. How did we miss those!?)   Posted: 03/02/2023 16:09:11



Richard Siersma   Richard Siersma
Jim, I have to agree with the comments that have already been made; I do like the last image above.   Posted: 03/02/2023 20:49:54



Barbara E Miller   Barbara E Miller
Jim, a train pic such as this has long been a favourite of mine and I have wanted all my photographic life to catch a train emitting smoke --but never have. This is a great pic, the curve of the green crops adds even more to a super train image. The small changes that have been recommended have enhanced the image somewhat but even w/o them it is a strong image.   Posted: 03/04/2023 10:16:27
Jim Horn   Jim Horn
Barbara, thank you for your review. There are different steam engines running here and trains make several runs each day. Let me know if you are ever coming out this way. Jim   Posted: 03/04/2023 11:51:35



David Price   David Price
I too like images of steam locomotives. Your image is taken in a good position and I like the lines in the field running parallel to the line but curving at the end. Taking out the fallen tree improves the image. However your processing is not to my taste, for me it is oversaturated particularly with the blue sky and red carriages (although Oliver likes this). I much prefer the original. I would like to see more detail in the wheels of the locomotive. On the raw file you should be able to bring this out. Is there a reason why you shot a moving subject at such a low shutter speed (1/90 sec)? Pictorially does flipping the image improve it?   Posted: 03/13/2023 05:15:29
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Jim Horn   Jim Horn
David, I like the train coming in from right to left. For those who read left to right, it tricks the mind into thinking there is movement. As to the wheels, I replied below. Jim   Posted: 03/13/2023 12:03:29



Jim Horn   Jim Horn
David, I think you might like this one better - taken a few seconds later. Jim   Posted: 03/13/2023 09:15:27
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