![\"steam](\"https:\/\/other.kelsey.host\/amateurphotographer\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/MWT_3521.jpg\")
<\/a>\t\t\tNikon Z7 II, NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f\/4 S, 1\/160sec at f\/4, ISO 12800<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n
The first time I witnessed it myself was by coincidence as I drove past by my local preserved railway at the same time the train trundled passed. The sight of vibrant lights through the steam and the way the embankment was illuminated by the passing train was mesmerizing.<\/p>\n
I have made countless visits to railways during the hours of darkness since to improve my technique and learn what\u2019s required to photograph the spectacle.<\/p>\n
Research required<\/h3>\n
First things first you\u2019ll want to carry out your research. A good place to start is to work out the preserved railway that\u2019s closest to you that\u2019s running a steam lights event. Next, you\u2019ll want to find out the departure time so you know where to be at what time.<\/p>\n
Try to avoid the station where passengers are due to board as it can be incredibly busy, hard to access and difficult to get a clear view for a clean shot. You\u2019re better off trying to find a bridge or footpath that\u2019s close to the line, but also at a safe distance to shoot from.<\/p>\n\t\t
<\/a>\t\t\tNikon Z7 II, NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f\/2.8 VR S, 1\/160sec at f\/4, ISO 12800<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n\n\n\n\n
You may find a step ladder useful to gain extra elevation and a torch to see where you\u2019re walking in the dark is essential. It\u2019s important to remember to turn the torch and your camera\u2019s AF assist beam off in advance of any approaching train so as not to blind the driver\u2019s vision.<\/p>\n
Many preserved railways tend to run a couple of steam light services each evening with an hour or two between them. The good thing about this is that if your first few shots aren\u2019t a success you get a second opportunity to refine your exposure settings, change your composition or try a new location.<\/p>\n
Camera settings<\/h3>\n
When the train is stationary in a station, you\u2019ll have time to setup on a tripod and use a longer exposure than if you\u2019re at the lineside. If you\u2019d like to capture the train on the move with impressive steam effects similar to the opening image, you\u2019ll find shooting handheld (or with your camera supported on a monopod) with a fast shutter speed is the best approach.<\/p>\n
Start by checking you\u2019re shooting in Raw. This will offer better latitude when it comes to refining exposure and applying noise reduction later during post processing. As a starting point I set the camera to around ISO 12,800 in manual mode with a shutter speed of around 1\/160sec.<\/p>\n\t\t
<\/a>\t\t\tNikon Z7 II, NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f\/2.8 VR S, 1\/160sec at f\/4, ISO 12800<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n
Although the train will be moving, it\u2019s unlikely to be travelling much faster than 10-15mph so this shutter speed should be adequate to freeze the train with no motion blur. An aperture of f\/4 is then dialled in, which helps create a depth of field that\u2019s not too shallow with reasonable edge-to-edge sharpness.<\/p>\n
Next, I check in-body stabilisation (or lens stabilisation) is switched on and set the camera to its burst mode so I can fire off as many shots as possible as the train approaches and passes. With regard to focusing, I\u2019ve found Single AF mode to be most effective.<\/p>\n
The bright illuminations can cause some cameras to hunt for focus when set to continuous AF. As the train approaches, I let it creep into the frame before I start shooting and am fluid when it comes to shooting orientation.<\/p>\n
If there is lots of steam, I often switch to shooting in the portrait orientation. Some of the most striking images are those of steam drifting over the length of the train after it passes so be sure to take shots as it disappears into the distance.<\/p>\n\t\t
<\/a>\t\t\tNikon Z7 II, NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f\/2.8 VR S, 1\/160sec at f\/4, ISO 12800<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n
Don’t give up<\/h3>\n
If you don\u2019t at first succeed, try and try again. The more you attempt to photograph this challenging subject the better images you\u2019ll get. It took three or four visits to my local railway to find the best location and get the shots I was after.<\/p>\n
Despite being free to photograph I always make a point of dropping past the station on my way home to give a donation. A few pounds is a small price to pay for the privilege of photographing such an amazing sight and it\u2019ll hopefully allow events like these to continue for years to come.<\/p>\n
Where to find the best steam train light events in the UK<\/h3>\n
Different preserved railways call their winter light events by different names. The Bluebell Railway<\/a> in Sussex for example call their event Steam Lights while the Watercress Line<\/a> in Hampshire and the North Yorkshire Moors Railway<\/a> call their events Light Illuminations and Light Spectacular respectively.<\/p>\n There are many other preserved railways dotted around the country that run their own festive steam train light services including the Swanage Railway<\/a> in Dorset, The Poppy Line<\/a> in North Norfolk, the Severn Valley Railway<\/a> that runs through Shropshire and Worcestershire and the Dartmouth Steam Railway<\/a> in Devon.<\/p>\n\t\t Nikon Z7 II, NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f\/2.8 VR S, 1\/160sec at f\/4, ISO 12800<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n The dates between which the railways run their steam lights trains varies widely so it\u2019s worth checking their websites to avoid disappointment before you visit.<\/p>\n Some preserved railways like the North Yorkshire Moors<\/a> run their services for a period of a couple of weeks in October, whereas others like the Bluebell Railway<\/a> run their services extensively into January.<\/p>\n Before visiting a new railway for the first time I\u2019d recommend carrying out some image research on the internet to find out good locations from which you might be able to shoot from. Once found, you can refer to a map to find out how best to access the location.<\/p>\n It\u2019s worth remembering that trees, bridges, cuttings, embankments and water with reflections can make images all the more dramatic.<\/p>\n A good quality torch will ensure you make it safely to your location and can prevent a trip or fall that results in injury. It can also make it easier to setup your camera in the dark.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re going to be trudging across fields and footpaths you don\u2019t want to be waiting around to photograph the train with wet feet. Pack your wellies or walking boots before you set off.<\/p>\n A monopod can help take the weight off, particularly when working with longer, heavier lenses. It also gives you the ability to move more freely than when it\u2019s fixed to a tripod.<\/p>\n I always make sure I have a spare battery at the ready in my warm pocket. Keep an eye on the battery percentage level and swap over to a fresh battery if you\u2019re nearing 15% or less. Batteries will deplete faster when working in cold environments.<\/p>\n Once you know which preserved railway you\u2019re going to visit and at what time the trains are running you\u2019ll need to find a suitable location. I tend to use www.streetmap.co.uk<\/a> with the zoom control set to 1:50,000. This helps me find public footpaths, bridges, cuttings and embankments close to the railway.<\/p>\n I always make a point of arriving and getting into position 30 minutes before the train is due to arrive. You\u2019ll find your eyes adjust to working in darkness quickly, but you don\u2019t want to find yourself having to rush to your location and frantically trying to setup your camera as the train approaches.<\/p>\n\t\t Nikon Z7 II, NIKKOR Z 14-30mm f\/4 S, 1\/10sec at f\/4, ISO 6400<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n If you\u2019d like to capture shots of the train on the move with impressive steam effects but without motion blur, you\u2019ll need to raise the ISO on your camera high. Don\u2019t be afraid to push the sensitivity to ISO 6400 or ISO 12,800. I don\u2019t tend to let my shutter speed drop much below 1\/160sec.<\/p>\n Some cameras are more effective at handling noise at high ISO than others. If your images are prone to noise, or you\u2019d like to reduce the impact of it, you\u2019ll find it beneficial to apply some noise reduction to the raw image. I also find myself tweaking the White Balance and Saturation at the editing stage to accentuate the warmth in an image.<\/p>\n If you capture images you\u2019re particularly pleased with, make sure you share them for others to see. If you\u2019re on Instagram don\u2019t forget to use the tag #appicoftheweek<\/strong> and tag the preserved railway you took the image at. You never know they may contact and want to use some of your images.<\/p>\n The settings I\u2019ve suggested in this article are a good place to start but there\u2019s nothing to say you can\u2019t experiment with different ideas. You might want to setup your camera to shoot a long exposure like the image below, which was taken on a tripod with the settings 60sec at f\/16, ISO 160.<\/p>\n\t\t Fujifilm X100V, 60secs at f\/16, ISO 160<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\n Michael is based in the South East of England and enjoys documentary, landscape and railway photography. He also shoots Weddings and his work can be found at www.michaeltopham.co.uk<\/a> on Instagram @michaeltophamphotography<\/p>\n Further reading<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/a>\t\t\t
\nKit list for steam light displays<\/h2>\n
Headtorch<\/h3>\n
<\/a>\nWellies<\/h3>\n
<\/a>\nMonopod<\/h3>\n
<\/a>\nSpare battery<\/h3>\n
<\/a>\n
\nMichael’s Top Tips for steam train light photography<\/h2>\n
Preparation<\/h3>\n
<\/a>\n\nArrive early<\/h3>\n
<\/a>\t\t\tPush the ISO<\/h3>\n
<\/a>\n\nNoise reduction<\/h3>\n
<\/a>\nShare your shots<\/h3>\n
<\/a>\n\n\nExperiment<\/h3>\n
<\/a>\t\t\t
\nMichael Topham<\/h3>\n
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