NikonGear'23

Images => Nature, Flora, Fauna & Landscapes => Topic started by: elsa hoffmann on December 11, 2016, 12:19:54

Title: landscape West coast
Post by: elsa hoffmann on December 11, 2016, 12:19:54
It's not often I do landscapes - and this time of the year - there isn't much left on the West Coast now that the Flower season is over - but if there is a will - there is a way.

The train is tricky - it's 4km long so only in my dreams can one shoot the whole thing. It carries iron ore and is called the Sishen-Saldanaha line. It is known as the longest working train in the world (not the longest) So this is just a middle piece shot from a bridge (just posted for interest's sake
Title: Re: landscape West coast
Post by: HCS on December 11, 2016, 19:31:22
While the first 2 are really nice, i like the third one best of the bunch.

It sure shows the length of the train without showing the entire train. It also gives a very good feeling of repetition in the repeating train cars.

It reminds me somehow of a line in the Dire Straits song 'Telegraph road': "Then came the mines, then came the ore".
Title: Re: landscape West coast
Post by: Akira on December 11, 2016, 19:44:09
The first one is simply amazing.  But a 4km-long train?  That's simply unbelievable!  At first, I didn't understand what you were talking about!  Thanks for sharing the images and story!
Title: Re: landscape West coast
Post by: Bjørn Rørslett on December 11, 2016, 19:47:49
Andrea and I observed trains more than 5 km long crossing the SW US deserts. Using interlinked locomotives, up to 6 in front and 4 in the rear. The rumbling noise they made was spectacular.
Title: Re: landscape West coast
Post by: elsa hoffmann on December 11, 2016, 20:03:31
thank you all for commenting.
The Sishen-Saldana line is (I understand) privately owned and was built for carrying iron ore from Sishen and surrounding areas. Incidentally, my family farm was the main farm where the mine was built a decade or 2 ago. Anglo American held the prospecting rights on the farm since something like 1911. Eventually they purchased the farm and bought the mineral rights and the mine was built, along with the railway line and the rest is history. The area produces a very high grade or iron ore, but the bottom fell a bit out of the bucket since China had a hick up importing the huge amount of the iron ore. I don't recall all the details. Obviously I feel a bit "attached" to the whole thing so for me it is interesting.

it is understandably difficult to show the length of the train - I have no clue what the best way would be to capture it properly. It has 8 locomotives. I also like the sound of the train :)

Title: Re: landscape West coast
Post by: Akira on December 11, 2016, 23:48:32
it is understandably difficult to show the length of the train - I have no clue what the best way would be to capture it properly. It has 8 locomotives. I also like the sound of the train :)

Thanks for the details, Elsa.  Maybe it's time to investigate the drone?
Title: Re: landscape West coast
Post by: elsa hoffmann on December 12, 2016, 06:11:49
Akira  - that ain't happening. I assume the flying rules and restrictions over the globe is also fairly tight - or getting tight, as here in SA.
Thats thing is a costly thing. But I have to admit I have seen some really good stuff.
Title: Re: landscape West coast
Post by: Erik Lund on December 12, 2016, 09:51:56
Very nice images! the first ones have a dreamy rendering.

Re train: I would if at all possible find the tightest curve and shoot it with a wide angle up close to the wagons from inside of the bend
Title: Re: landscape West coast
Post by: elsa hoffmann on December 12, 2016, 10:01:55
Thanks Erik for commenting. Thats a good suggestion - thank you!
Title: Re: landscape West coast
Post by: elsid on December 12, 2016, 13:10:51
Nice pictures Elsa. I agree with Erik about the first 2.
Title: Re: landscape West coast
Post by: elsa hoffmann on December 12, 2016, 13:42:15
Thank you Elsid. I wonder what a fisheye would do in a bend :)
Title: Re: landscape West coast
Post by: Erik Lund on December 12, 2016, 14:36:24
Yes! Even better ;) really up close,,, here I was too far away but yes here Forth Bridge 2,467 meters of train/bridge, You probably need to go to Flicker and look at the original size image to see the train ;)

(https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7409/26427981353_9dd6519be5_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/Ggmj7V)_EGL3221 (https://flic.kr/p/Ggmj7V) by Erik Gunst Lund (https://www.flickr.com/photos/erik_lund/), on Flickr
Title: Re: landscape West coast
Post by: elsa hoffmann on December 12, 2016, 14:58:53
oh ye that looks cool!! Isn't your horizon  a tad skew hahaha
Title: Re: landscape West coast
Post by: armando_m on December 12, 2016, 15:22:05
Nice images Elsa, fantastic colors on 1 & 2

And regarding the train we do not need to tell you that  a wider lens would give a sense of a longer train , my guess is that you shot at the widest setting available at the moment
Title: Re: landscape West coast
Post by: elsa hoffmann on December 12, 2016, 15:26:07
Thanks Armando

I unfortunately (?) had the 200-500 on the body and just did a quick stop on a bridge where I photographed from. from this vantage point I couldnt see more of the train anyway - but next time I will try and plan for a better point to shoot from. Hard if the thing is so long and gets so drawn out (unless like Erik says you shoot in a bend)
Title: Re: landscape West coast
Post by: Erik Lund on December 12, 2016, 15:43:25
,,,And regarding the train we do not need to tell you that  a wider lens would give a sense of a longer train , my guess is that you shot at the widest setting available at the moment


The key is to get close to it,,, like really close 1 or 2 meters,,,
Title: Re: landscape West coast
Post by: elsa hoffmann on December 12, 2016, 15:54:55
I hear you. And yes I agree. I am hoping to work out where the best would be to shoot from - it travels So many miles - will have to check the map to see the lay of the land
Title: Re: landscape West coast
Post by: HiltonP on December 19, 2016, 21:06:50
The Sishen-Saldana line is (I understand) privately owned and was built for carrying iron ore from Sishen and surrounding areas. Incidentally, my family farm was the main farm where the mine was built a decade or 2 ago. Anglo American held the prospecting rights on the farm since something like 1911. Eventually they purchased the farm and bought the mineral rights and the mine was built, along with the railway line and the rest is history. The area produces a very high grade or iron ore, but the bottom fell a bit out of the bucket since China had a hick up importing the huge amount of the iron ore.

If I'm allowed?......
https://www.facebook.com/263317617136658/videos/926557710812642/
Title: Re: landscape West coast
Post by: elsa hoffmann on December 20, 2016, 05:14:43
Of course you are allowed  :P
long train that...
Title: Re: landscape West coast
Post by: Bernard Delley on December 21, 2016, 10:43:00
5 years ago at somewhere near West Coast, saw a fantastically long train. Made it to a bridge first... Train as far as the eye goes !
Title: Re: landscape West coast
Post by: elsa hoffmann on December 21, 2016, 10:50:36
Bernard - thats the same one :) !
Nice shot - thanks for posting!
Title: Re: landscape West coast
Post by: Bill De Jager on December 22, 2016, 03:29:15
Cool shots, Elsa and Erik!  Thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: landscape West coast
Post by: elsa hoffmann on December 22, 2016, 05:05:46
Thank you Bill
Title: Re: landscape West coast
Post by: Peter Connan on December 23, 2016, 13:57:23
Really nice shots Elsa. I like the train because you can see into the waggons, which doesn't happen often.
And from that viewpoint, a short lens wouldn't have worked.

This line used to go over a corner of my uncle's farm.
Title: Re: landscape West coast
Post by: elsa hoffmann on December 25, 2016, 04:50:55
Really nice shots Elsa. I like the train because you can see into the waggons, which doesn't happen often.
And from that viewpoint, a short lens wouldn't have worked.

This line used to go over a corner of my uncle's farm.
Thanks Peter - what happened to your uncles farm? Did it move?   ;D ;D
The train is defnitely on the agenda to be photographed again
Title: Re: landscape West coast
Post by: Peter Connan on December 25, 2016, 05:07:57
My uncle passed away.

His children were still too young at the time, and he had a couple of strange clauses in his will. Firstly they could only inherit by age 25, and secondly his daughter could not get the farm.

And since she was the one who wanted to farm and his son didn't, it was allowed to slip and finally sold.
Title: Re: landscape West coast
Post by: elsa hoffmann on December 25, 2016, 05:48:34
Sad how things play out sometimes

Happy Christmas to all.
Title: Re: landscape West coast
Post by: Peter Connan on December 26, 2016, 04:34:12
Yip.

Belated Merry Christmass to you, and a happy new year as well. I'm off to the bush!
Title: Re: landscape West coast
Post by: elsa hoffmann on December 26, 2016, 13:39:03
ooh lekker - enjoy the bush and happy shooting