Advice

A week on the Jacobite

18 October 2011 10:59

Digital Photo’s Technical Editor Michael Topham blogs about his working holiday aboard The Jacobite steam train in the Scottish Highlands.

When I was much younger a close friend said something to me that I’ll never forget – “It’s not necessarily what you know in life, it’s who you know that really counts.” Since then I’ve remembered this statement and the images that have been taken for this week’s blog were made possible by keeping in contact with an extremely knowledgeable engineer I was fortunate enough to meet and have since kept in touch with.

Much like Practical Photography’s deputy editor, Ben Hawkins, I have a soft spot for engineering and steam locomotives, which I’m not afraid to admit. I put this interest down to my father who introduced me to them and at the same time passed down his SLR to me at the age of ten. Fifteen years on and I’m still balancing my passion for engineering and anything steam with photography, so when I was given the opportunity to visit Scotland and help run the train that’s called the Jacobite between Fort William and Mallaig (the popular Scottish line where the Harry Potter railway scenes were filmed) I jumped at the chance. Caledonian sleeper booked, overalls washed and, most importantly, camera batteries charged, I travelled north one Friday evening, arriving early Saturday morning ready to start my week’s working holiday.

The purpose of my visit was not only to help where required with preparing the engine, I wanted to document some of the weekly behind-the-scenes activity through my lens. So much goes on behind closed doors when it comes to railway operation, I wanted people to see it all from a slightly different angle. With space limited in my bag, there was barely any room left over for camera gear so I had to be ruthless, taking only the kit I knew I’d definitely use. In went the EOS 5D, 24-105mm f/4 USM, 85mm f/1.8 and 70-200mm f/4 – that should cover most eventualities. Most of the shots I intended to take would be from the footplate, overlooking the lochs and stunning mountain backdrops in what I anticipated to be perfect sunshine. However…

The week’s forecast was dreary, dull and wet – perhaps only to be expected in this area of Scotland in the first week of October. The first few days were spent getting familiar with the daily routine and a 6am start to bring the fire round, followed by some last minute cleaning before we set off for the day ahead. One of the key shots I was after was of man and machine. This shot was captured on the Sunday when the weather was unexpectedly bright; the mood was relaxed and the engine was being warmed through. Processed in Lightroom, converted to mono and post crop vignette applied, this early portrait gave me high hopes for some excellent shots to be had over the week ahead.

Canon EOS 5D, Canon 85mm f/1.8 @ 85mm, 1/4000sec, f/1.8, ISO 100

And so the week went on. There seemed to be no letup in the rain, however the early evenings on most days seemed to bring out the best of the light. During an evening shunting operation (a technical railway term!) I spotted an opportunity to use a series of tracks as lead-in lines to the main subject. The stormy sky, semaphore signal and mountainous backdrop helps give the image a timeless appearance and it could so easily be mistaken for an image taken in the late 50s or early 60s.

Canon EOS 5D, Canon 24-105mm f/4 USM @105mm, 1/320sec, f/6.3, ISO 200

My favourite shot of the week was taken on Wednesday evening; as the engine was pulled forward for disposal of the fire a break in the clouds was spotted and there it was - low evening sun perfectly reflecting the outline of the locomotive, the ideal engine portrait I’d been longing to take. Looking for a unique angle and keen not to lose the lighting opportunity I lay on the ground, peered up and rattled off a set of images. I’d have preferred if the container in the lower left-hand corner wasn’t in the shot but sometimes you just can’t have it all. A test of my cloning skills at a later date perhaps!

Canon EOS 5D, Canon 85mm f/1.8 @85mm, 1/8000sec, f/1.8, ISO 100

Photographing on a steam locomotive is a harsh environment for any camera. It has to deal with the heat of the fire, rain pouring in through the cab, and steam, which can be the worst killer of all. Shortly after taking a portrait of the driver at his controls we plunged into a long tunnel before I had the chance to tuck my D-SLR in its bag. Smoke billowing into the cab did not bode well and on exiting the tunnel I found condensation not only on the front element of the lens, but steam had crept inside the internals, ruining every shot with a distinct haze. An hour later, after putting it in a warm, dry environment, this cured the problem. What a relief… for a minute I thought 45407 had claimed its first D-SLR victim!

Canon EOS 5D, Canon 24-105mm f/4 USM @45mm, 1/125sec, f/4, ISO 1600

Returning to Fort William at 4pm marked the end of another trip and on the odd occasion, glimpses of a snow-capped Ben Nevis were had when the cloud cover decided to lift. Towards the end of the week I had another opportunity to photograph the two engines that work this demanding line together, side by side. Steam hanging and creeping up the front of the engine made for a very atmospheric image once it had been processed in Lightroom and converted to mono.

Canon EOS 5D, Canon 24-105mm f/4 USM @84mm, 1/640sec, f/4, ISO 100

Beefore I knew it my week had come to an end and I was returning south to London on the Caledonian sleeper. Fortunately the week went slowly and though the weather wasn’t at its kindest, the conditions have worked favourably for some slightly more unusual black and white shots that I’m pleased with. Would I do it again next year given the chance? Definitely. It was an excellent experience and a real test of photography ability in demanding conditions. My thanks go to Ian and his engineers for making it the busy and thoroughly enjoyable week it was.