Train

S7, f1.7, 1/1976, ISO 50, JPG

Train Crossing

TG-4, f2.0, 1/15, ISO 3200, RAW, 25mm

Taking the Train

X Play, f2.0, 1/1282, ISO 50, JPG

Train Crossing

GR, f2.8, 1/400, ISO 25600, RAW

Window Seat

OPO, f2.0, 1/60, ISO 100, JPG

Stop Again

TG-4, f8.0. 1/250, ISO 200, RAW, 25mm

Looking out the Train Window

GR, f2.8, 1/60, ISO 6400, RAW

To celebrate World Photography Day 2016, I thought I feature a photo on my blog I didn't post before and will tell something about it.

I took this photo at the beginning of my Around the World trip while on the train from Cologne to Copenhagen.

This photo happened mostly by coincidence and quite a bit of luck and almost no preparation. Not being a big portrait photographer, I like to take more candid portraits instead of posed portraits.

Still, while in the overnight train to Copenhagen and chatting with the other people in my compartment about my travel plans and photography one of the girls told me that she always wanted a photo sitting in front of an open train window.

Since we were in a train and had a window we could open right next to us I was happy to take said photo for her.

I did warn her that it would probably make more sense to wait till the morning given it was dark outside and there might not be much in terms of a background.

She was happy to try it and for her it was more about the wind in her hair and capturing this instead of any views outside.

The Ricoh GR with a fixed 28mm f2.8 lens is not an ideal portrait camera but it had to do for this photo. I set it up to TAv mode at f2.8 and after some test photos decided on 1/60 since it seemed to cope well with the train movement and dim light inside the carriage, while keeping the ISO low enough.

The train was passing by some lit up houses, some railroad crossings but it was going too fast to be able to predict when the next lit up place would pass by the window.

To make sure the wind was coming towards her, I had to face the opposite way of the driving direction, not letting me even anticipate anything lit up passing by the window.

But as luck had it, on the 2nd try we passed by this railroad crossing and without seeing or anticipating it, I took the photo just at the right time. She was very happy with it and try as we might, we didn't get any other photo as good as this.

So I will celebrate this World Photography Day with the knowledge that photography is sometimes all about the luck of being in the right place at the right time and pressing the shutter button to capture a moment that will not happen again like that.

Handover

OPO, f2.0, 1/756, ISO 100, JPG

Back on my way to Hanoi for a few days. It will be nice to get a break and it's always great to be travelling.
Taking the train is one of the best ways to travel around here, by motorbike is best but also takes a bit longer.

Viet Nam Rail

GR, f6.3, 1/500, ISO 400, RAW

In a few days I'll be on this train on my way to Hanoi for a short trip.

Hue to Hanoi

Having to go to Hanoi and get a new passport is actually quite good since it will allow me to meet some friends while there.

Instead of flying, I decided to take the more comfortable option and travel by train. I also put my motorbike on the rain to have it while in Hanoi and do some road rips.

The scenery is always very nice so taking the train is the best option unless you're in a rush where flying is faster and also not really more expensive.

Goodbye London!

It's been a great time here despite the commuting every morning.
Now it's time to move on and experience a different life style halfway around the world.

Waiting for the Journey Ahead

GXR A12-M, f8.0, 1/97, ISO 200, RAW, 21mm (Voigtlander Heliar 15mm f4.5 LTM) 

Day 361 - The Way to Philly

I woke up to a foggy landscape but it made for some interesting views. The train was as suspected still running late but managed to make up a bit of time and thanks to the more developed network here it was only 1h late now instead of 2h.

Day 360 - New Orleans to Philadelphia

It was another early start to catch the 7:00 train to Philadelphia, it was also another long journey since the train will only arrive in Philadelphia tomorrow around noon.

Day 358 - The City of New Orleans

My train left quite early in the morning from Memphis to New Orleans but it was on time and meant it would get into New Orleans by 15:30.

Day 355 - 106 Miles to Chicago

Ok, the title of the post is a quote from Blues Brothers and I am sure it was a bit more than 106 miles to Chicago when I woke up in the train this morning.

Day 352 - Salt Lake City to Denver

I had to get up early to catch the train but since I had a hunch that it would be running late, I could sleep in a bit longer than expected.

Day 351 - Salt Lake City

After a pretty comfortable night in the train I arrived in Salt Lake City, 3 hours delayed but happy because it meant instead of arriving at around 3 in the morning, it was now 6:30 so a much better time.

Day 350 - The California Zephyr to Salt Lake City

Today, marked the start of my final leg of the round the world trip and it's a journey across the US by train.
I will be taking the Amtrak trains from the west coast to the east coast and stopping off in some bigger cities on the way.

Day 308 - The Train back to Jogja

After Mt. Bromo I felt that I have seen enough of Indonesia and it was time to head on but not before seeing a bit of Jakarta. Since the train journey from Malang to Jakarta was too long, I decided to go back to Jogja for a few days to break up the journey and chill out a bit.