I'm pleased to announce that in my first blog post, I can reveal I placed second in the DB Cargo (UK) company photography competition 2022! This is the first photography competition I've entered with a serious goal of winning, and to say I made the top 3 is something I'm very proud of. The photo taken above was a composite image comprised of 3 stacked exposures to capture as much detail as possible throughout the shadows, midtones and highlights - this allowed me to make sure the early morning sun was visible throughout the sky, and that the shadows weren't blown out losing detail. Taken on my DJI Mini 3 Pro, it was one of my first ever drone shots and I'm impressed with how it turned out, especially with the quality that comes with the 48MP resolution on the sensor itself. Processed in Lightroom Classic.
"Seen here in the early morning sun, locomotive 66185 rests in Earles Sidings, after bringing a rake of empty wagons on 6M77 - the 15 hour long service from Cwm Bargoed Colliery in South Wales. The wagons are to head to the nearby Cemex plant to be filled, whilst the locomotive and its driver are due to head back through the Peak District to join another service, and keep the important flow of traffic moving for the aggregate industry. Taken 07:48 on the 22nd of October 2022."
My second entry
67007 - the Queen's Jubilee loco
As the competition allowed for 3 entries, I was also able to submit 2 other photographs alongside the main one above. This photo was taken at Toton TMD with the unveiling of the Platinum Jubilee locomotive in its new livery, which marked 70 years of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the throne.
My third & final entry
66183 under the morning sky
The final photo I entered was a last minute change of plan, having decided to enter this photo here of 66183 again in Earles sidings under the sunrise. The gentle shine of the sun on the rails really stands out amongst the shadows and the soft purple sky helps bring everything together. With such a breathtaking sunrise, I was spoilt for choice on which photo to enter!
Notable photographs
Throughout the month of October I spent many weekends trying to get the perfect photo to enter to the competition. Although these didn't make the final cut, I'm still really pleased with how some of them turned out.
