10^3 Words

JPEG ISO200, 1/30 @ f/5.6; Canon 10d, Sigma 30/1.4
Digital post: sharpening and levels

This lonely locomotive, “Minor”, stands quayside at the harbor in Reykjavik, Iceland. It’s one of two of its type, representing the historically hardworking railway that operated in Reykjavik during the early 20th Century. This photograph was taken during a walkabout around the city, several hours spent quietly enjoying the lovely sights and sounds of Iceland’s capital. While staying in the city for business, I managed to steal away in the evenings several times for solitary walks along random streets.

The odd thing about my time in this northernmost capital city was the oddness of the late evening, given the midnight arctic sun; this photo was taken around 11:30 pm, local time. As a mid-latitudes dweller, I found it unnerving to be out and about at night with so much illumination. Local Icelanders apparently enjoy the opportunity, as the city was fairly active until quite late – things only became typically quiet near the 2:00 am hour most nights.

I’d like to say that I’m including this photo just to prove that I shoot digital, but in all honesty I liked the photo itself; the detail I saw in the pushrods and running gear made it stand out for me. As I tend to use my 10d more as a snapshooting tool, I don’t really produce a lot of images that really grab me. This one, though, was different. And I have to add that my Sigma 30/1.4 is really the best part of that kit – it’s a fantastic lens.

I would have liked to have another opportunity to shoot the locomotive Minor again, as I think trains are excellent subjects for my kind of photography. Thankfully, there are good sources of inspiration around my home in Los Angeles, too.