What started out as a simple additional image posting for Friday Foto Flogging turned into a large comment and then into a piece large enough for a diary in and of itself as I didn’t want to necessarily just drop it inside a diary as a very large comment. It seems to be a slow Sunday, so far, so I hope it isn’t pushing something too important off the list.
Here goes…
I don’t know how people feel about these types of images I’ve been posting lately so I figured I’d ask your thoughts on these images (high dynamic range and/or tonemapped images), explain why I’ve been posting them more frequently, and a little more info on the picture itself.
For starters, I’ve been very impressed with some of the finer work done by others that is available online, despite the fact that some of it appears to be completely computer generated. Oddly, there’s a certain amount of truth to any pictures like those and the one above as it’s constructed on a computer using program algorithms to blend images of varying exposures together and yet, it’s really no different than some of what Ansel Adams did by dodging and burning a specific frame to obscure or pull out more or less of the exposure range in any given frame to provide more viewable realty than might’ve otherwise been available in a single exposure, as taken.
Secondly, I tend to personally like some of the HDR and tonemapped images I’ve seen to the point that the whole niche of this type of photography is something I want to explore, become better at and see what it holds for me.
Third, my schedule has really not been conducive to getting out alone with my camera and as such, I have to grab images when and where I can. Not having a lot of new material to work with, I’ve started going through my archives and, in the case of the image above, started recycling either older images I posted or older images I didn’t post. It’s like doing new with old.
As for the theme – What Moves You:
I suppose one could look at this shot and think of it a million different ways. It’s a rail line, of course but is it active or abandoned? If active, what type of use does it get? Passenger? Freight? Military? Leisure? Tourism? Fortunately, I can tell you it’s a little bit of both freight and leisure/tourism.
This line is part of the Cape May Seashore Line and this picture was taken just north of the Tuckahoe, NJ station. (Image of station at link)
From their site, it’s stated:
The Seashore Lines’ new service complements national growth patterns for freight rail service through the safe, effective, efficient and reliable movement of goods between New Jersey shore industries and the global market. The Seashore Lines’ freight rail service promotes multi-modalism by providing a viable alternative mode of transportation for both existing industries and future commercial opportunities at the New Jersey Shore.
With three transload terminal locations over 27 miles of railroad, the Seashore Lines stands ready to serve all industries seeking the competitive edge to sell their goods at the New Jersey shore. The Seashore Lines is also working with its modal partners in trucking to assist them in expanding their reach and reducing their costs, while they support their customers in moving freight throughout the region and across the country.
Cape May Seashore Lines is your gateway to markets throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico. The Seashore Lines welcomes the opportunity to discuss further your freight rail transportation matters. Industrial sites are available and service is tailored to meet your needs. Cape May Seashore Lines provides a timely interchange with CSX Transportation and Norfolk Southern Corporation.
It sounds pretty impressive. Seeing it in person, one wouldn’t expect all that. It’s really a tiny station where one line comes in from the North (Satellite image via Bing, head a little North to see the bridge pictured above), branches into a few short sidings at the local train museum, and then leaves the area South with two lines.
If you follow those lines South, you’ll see they go two ways – to the left and to the right. Where it goes to the left (Vineland area, I suppose) you can look yourself as I really am not familiar with that side of the tracks but to the right, I’m more familiar with.
(Fyi – you can research the Cape May Seashore Lines for more info and the age of the rail line, the various services it’s performed, etc. This is just my own little shpiel.)
If you follow the line to the right (East) instead, you’ll end up going one of two places. If you take it literally as far East as you can, you’ll eventually come across the beginning of the “end of the line” which in this case means where Route 9, South of Marmora (S. Jersey) cut the line off and the right of way continues on the other side of the street. At this location, it’s mainly just the existing right of way through the woods with various pieces of tie scattered left and right until you cross under the Garden State Parkway and what remains of the line previously serving tourism into Ocean City, NJ continues across the salt marsh into the city.
Here’s that line, shot from the middle of the salt marsh looking West back towards the Garden State Parkway:
(Here’s that same line and same area from where that picture above was taken from the sky. You’ll notice just to the right is a defunct rail bridge which I would consider the end of the line, so to speak, but it actually does continue into Ocean City and then heads some ways North up the island. Play with the map and take a look.)
This line served tourism from Philadelphia and farther West (I believe) all the way down to Ocean City, New Jersey. There’s also another abandoned rail line that goes to Wildwood which I assume is accessible via the other branch off I mentioned above.
Side note: Kind of interesting to see, as far as I’m concerned. Top image is an active line and the second image is what is almost the end and long unused segment of that same line.
However, before you reach this really old line, you’ll have one more branch off to the North. This is the coal car feeder line for the Beesley’s Point Generating Station in what Wikipedia says is “Upper Township, Cape May County, New Jersey” but what I call Marmora.
The line I initially pictured is the line that the coal for the power station comes in on and when I was walking that line with my older son and his friend the day I took that photo, there was chunks of coal scattered all over both sides of the line, most likely fallen from coal cars piled high with fresh unburnt coal for the plant.
So what moves me? Well, trains, rail lines, especially abandoned rail lines certainly “move” me in that I love them and have always had a fascination with them ever since I was a child. Floyd, my oldest, isn’t that concerned with the coolness of rail but Elliott, my 4 year old, is absolutely bonkers obsessed with trains and so sharing that interest, even if it’s a child’s vs. man’s perspective on what’s cool about it, certainly “moves” me.
From a different perspective, knowing about this line and the purpose that it serves also moves me. The ingenuity of man to both create and maintain rail transportation, even through difficult terrain, to provide a service (for the power plant, ultimately) which in turn provides electricity to heat our homes and run our businesses also “moves” me in that it is a piece of infrastructure that keep everything running that we take for granted on any given day.
Food for thought, I suppose, or maybe just fodder for some of us photo and train geeks. Or would that be saying the same thing twice?
;p
Very cool.
I`m a train buff also.
I like checking out your hi def stuff.
Both representations here are superb.
on the abandoned section of tracks was really, really neat. Trying to imagine what it must’ve been like 50, 60, 70 years ago to hop a train in Philly, say, and take it to Ocean City. Most of the ride probably being in the woods and then suddenly you emerge onto this great salt marsh, with unobstructed views to the North and South, Ocean City coming up quick on the horizon to the East, and the vast expanse of trees getting farther and farther behind you to the West.
It must’ve been really exciting for the children who had the opportunity to take that ride.
Trains have been and still are, my favorite way to travel. My impression of the people who take trains long distance is that, as much as one can generalize that sort of group, they’re a more eclectic, laid-back bunch. Other than the occasional dirty/scratched window, I’ve never experienced a better way to tour the countryside up close. I highly recommend the Denver and points west routes for spectacular scenery.
Its been many years since, as a child, I set foot in the original Penn Station at Christmas, but I’ll probably never forget the experience. The same for my first night ride around Horseshoe Curve at Altoona, PA. And don’t get me wound up about how great my experiences with Eurail were.
BTW, I really like the new photos;-)
ID, I’ve been traveling long distances exclusively by train for about ten years now.
Will probably do another NYC > Miami trip this holiday season the same way.
True, we shy from generalizing the rail-riding community & its especial diversity, but I will say this: I never traveled with a Buddhist monk before I rode Amtrak.
🙂
Thanks for your reminder of the old Penn Station. I traveled through it quite a bit as a kid in the early-mid ’60s, visiting my mother’s work & family from the suburbs.
I remember the Path trains of the time as well. Quite a different experience, to be sure — the city stations housed a number of homeless.
ID, as someone who regularly rides the NJ Transit line back and forth from Philly to Egg harbor City, although it’s a short and now very familiar line to me, I always enjoy it and much like my younger son, find myself staring out the window, content, watching the world roll by.
Whenever I ride that line, or any line for that matter, I’m always watching for things that perhaps one day I’ll be able to personally visit, whether it be some off-rail touristy sight, or something old and abandoned itself just off the rails that would require a little planning and perhaps illegal hiking to get to, just to see.
Even just walking the rails for miles is an enjoyable activity as it reminds me of a different time, one that even though I may not have grown up in, feels comfortable.
Stand strong: just wanted to let you know that I enjoy the latest pictures.
However, I think the technique is something that can be overdone & look ‘gimmicky’, if you’re not careful. It’s probably most appropriate for certain images, like the one of the tracks above, that are relatively still.
I received an email on my blog where I reposted this today from my friend Steve whom I used to work with years ago and well before I knew he was a photographer.
When I found out he was, it was right around the time I began getting interested in photography and through him, I received lots of advice both on technique, equipment, and how to develop my own approach to photography.
We had an interesting email exchange on the technique and I expect like you, he finds limited use for it as an overall approach to photography, and more of an occasionally used tool to lighten some underexposed spots and provide proper exposure when he’s shooting a scene that holds more dynamic range than he can capture in one shot, such as shots with a bright sun in them.
I explained that as a technique I’m interested in, I’m playing around with all limits of it, trying to find where I feel most comfortable using it. And I agree that in some instances, it can be well over-used and I’m certainly guilty of it.
What can I say? Sometimes I like to push an image to the limit and see how it looks, other times, I like a more subtle approach, as such with the image above.
Right. This is how we learn — continual experimentation, tweaking etc, to see how what we’ve discovered can be useful. It’s a great thing.
I don’t think you can be guilty of over-use while you’re still figuring it out.
My thoughts on over-reliance refer more to the tendencies of some creative people to lean on their successes & appear lazy, rather than to you personally, since I know this is a new technique for you.
I’m never shy of warning against laziness, since I hold the title of Laziest Person In The World Who Also Chops Wood.
a couple of thoughts.
first, you seem almost apologetic about pursuing the hdr/tm niche, and l don’t think you should be at all.
imo, how one approaches any artistic/creative endeavour is extremely personal. and while kudos and accolades are certainly rewarding, as well as encouraging, receiving them should not the the driving force behind the pursuit. l have a pretty well defined personal approach/vision of what l’m trying to do or achieve with my own photography that’s developed over several decades, which, with the exception of the past 4 years was, without exception, film. the fact that it doesn’t necessarily encompass or embrace what you’re doing certainly does not diminish my openness to, or appreciation of, it. and from your comments l know you’re quite aware of the pitfalls.
so, without going into what l think about the various pros and cons of specific forms of digital manipulation, l commend you for what what you’re doing, and l appreciate the opportunity to see the results regardless of my personal photographic bent, and encourage you in the exploration. l’ve never stopped learning, from either the old masters, or from the new generation of photographers, and hope l never do.
second, trains are a very large part of my memories as a very young child. my great grandfather was a steam locomotive engineer…he drove the big freight haulers, the old 4-8-2 monsters before the deisel electrics took over …and l remember when my grandparents would take us over to visit. he was very old at that time, and we were very young, and he loved to regale us with stories.
at that time, there were still steam locomotives in service and one of the things l remember best was taking him in the car to the rail-yard, where he still knew everybody, and he’d get us rides on the switch engines. it was always a very special outing for him and us, though l’m certain such access was probably not looked upon with favor by the mgmt…har! he also knew all the schedules and loved being driven to one special spot outside of town to catch one of the big steamers running full bore with 100 cars on behind it going by. it was usually at night and we’d pull up at the side of the road and get out to watch it fly by…an awe inspiring sight of motion, light, sound, smell, and vibration…… they literally shook the ground when they went by….a special treat for all.
l also remember several cross country train trips…the sounds, the stations, eating in the dining car, porters, redcaps…there’s nothing else in the world like sleeping on a train with the rhythm of the rails.
so thanks for triggering that memory, l hadn’t thought of grampa ray in a long time, and for your listening pleasure, the best railroad song ever written, imnsho:
To build off of my response to Wilderness above, it’s not so much that I’m apologetic, but I find that more veteran photographers whom I come across tend to appreciate a scene as seen instead of shooting a scene and then enhancing it via hdr/tm. As such, I just concern myself that for FFF’s, I don’t want to post too many images that perhaps might so stand out all by themselves bcause of the appearance and technique and, in essence, be the only guy in the room perhaps doing it for the wow effect as opposed to the “tool” effect of balancing the exposure in an image while maintaining as much aesthetically natural look as the actual scene provides.
Basically, all the people who I’ve initially learned from and tried to follow in their footsteps in terms of framing and spotting good shots…I’ve felt myself going a completely different direction from them and as such, I don’t get much interest from them in my shots so much lately as they also tend to see hdr/tm as more of a tool instead of an approach.
To best explain it, I think I’m just exploring a niche that I’ve wanted to explore for some time but didn’t have the right software but more importantly, didn’t really fully grasp the photographic concepts of exposure and dynamic range internally enough to really start to comprehend what it is that hdr/tm fully encompasses and what it can do for an image.
It’s hard to explain. Essentially, all the photographers locally who I know and who helped me along the way, at least as far as I know, don’t do or aren’t doing what it is that I find myself doing lately. Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing I don’t think anyone can truly judge that or say one way or the other with any solid authority.
I think on that issue, you and I essentially are in agreement on the individual development one’s own style; we’re probably each approaching the same root thought from a different perspective.
In short, I totally get what you’re saying and I appreciate your input and thoughts on the matter.
That said, the second part of your comment is truly fascinating. Aside from current passenger and commuter trains, I never had the opportunity to ride shotgun in steamies, so to speak. One of my co-workers lives near the CSX yard in Gray’s Ferry here in Philadelphia. She was telling me that when she was younger and her kids were actually kids, she knew a lot of the employees in the yard since she lives right across the street and they would regularly let the neighborhood kids (with their parents, of course) up into the cab for short rides back and forth in the yard. When I heard that, I contacted the CSX yard to try and get a tour for Elliott, my 4 year old since the closest we’ve been is to the perimeter of the yard and a close bridge that looks out over the yard.
I got a response back that due to heightened security in our post-9/11 world as well as enhanced safety regulations, they could never grant such access. Instead, they sent a little care package with a conductor’s hat, coloring book, pencil tops and stuff for Elliott which he enjoyed nonetheless. It was a very nice gesture from an industry that continues to fascinate both children and adults the world around and it really enforces the fascination and excitement that big giant, loud, heavy, machines generate in people.
Thanks for your story. It was really great to read!
Our local RR has been doing a special Santa Train for several years. The railroaders dress up in Santa, elf, reindeer, etc. costumes and seem to have a great time putting on a show for the kids.
I put my hand in the wrong spot on a switch engine while on a nursery school field trip when I was a toddler and wound up with a pretty painful burn. When I think of that day now, I always have a “Tim The Toolman – more power!” moment and the burn seems worth the price of the experience.
Great post! I just returned from Cape May less than a week ago. I’m tempted to do some exploring next time I’m there based upon your diary. I guess that the line was needed to carry folks to all the shore points before the parkway and cars took over. Very interesting.
To the best of my understanding, the line was still functional even when cars were on the road but for some, taking a train, even if it takes longer or costs more or is more of a hassle in terms of packing stuff up and lugging it to a station is still more enjoyable than just hoping in the car and driving the whole way.