In a flash



Don't fear failure, 
Fear being in the exact same place 
next year as you are today.
~Elissa Roberts  


     This past weekend I finally knocked off a item on my list that, Has had me to say up against the wall per say. For the most part one of my favorite genres of photography is night photography, I don't know what it is about it maybe it is that most of the world is asleep, or maybe it is the sharp contrast between the colors of darkness and light. Whatever the case maybe it is one of my personal favorites. Add in the fact that I have shot every type of train photography and gotten it on Railpictures except night photography, it was a mission of mine to accomplish before the end of this year. It looked like the end to another year of failed bucket list goals, another year where I did not accomplish what I set out to do, but that would change very quickly this weekend. Now I have seen some excellent night work done with flashes, but without the funds to obtain such equipment ( my van and hour cuts on my job have contributed majorly) nor the ability to even borrow said equipment left me to only doing long exposure and most of them won't make it onto Railpictures. Now with the frustration of losing out again I was faced with making the same plans for next year, that was until me and my buddy Dave decided to go chase after the Kent Christmas Special. Now this is nothing really special to even chase after. as a matter of fact it isn't much of a chase at all. What usually happens is the local sand and gravel company Shelly Materials allows their locomotive, a Ex DM&IR SD18 to make the mile or so journey up the former Erie from the gravel plant up into town to bring Santa into downtown Kent. That is where my story begins. I got to Dave's house and due to some unforeseen circumstance we were delayed about 45 minutes but we made it up in time to watch Flash ( that is the nickname of the locomotive) roll the last quarter of a mile or so into town. Once the crew was by ( it was a ABC Rwy crew this time) we decided to set midway on the line and try a live video. That didn't work out so well as we quickly found out the lighting would  not be the best so we decided to set and watch them come back ( they usually take Flash back to Shelly's) and get some long exposures there with the hopes they would not hide her behind the railings. Once the crew appeared to be on the way back the locomotive stopped and eventually the headlights went out. Curious we decided to see what was going on, we went up to the depot and found this.

My Pleasant find a perfectly still locomotive
 It appeared that the sand company and all the others involved decided it would be a good will idea to shut the locomotive down put some wheel chocks on it and leave it at the station for the night. Now a perfectly still locomotive in great ambient light? This was a opportunity I couldn't pass up as I set up with a tripod and did a long exposure with the rear wall of the station and locomotive in a perfect setting. Once done with the shot above we decided to try some others, but like with most of my night shots only a few came out. For the next one we decided to move across the tracks and shoot the depot with the locomotive beside it and here are the results.

Flash and the Depot
Once we got our shots we went on back to Akron and that is where I came on home and edited both these pictures and submitted it to Railpictures where to my surprise both made it onto the site. Another small victory for me, finally the peace and satisfaction of knowing I will not face another year spent like the ones before. Things are looking brighter for sure no matter how you look at it. Now as I close for this episode I would like to leave you with some food for thought. Sometimes we think things will tun out one way and they usually wind up going the complete opposite way, but once in a while things can take a good turn like this weekend did. I thought I would get my power flashes, and get my pictures on Railpictures but it seemed this year was going to end with it going into the opposite direction but in a quick flash (pun intended) it changed using only the equipment I had on hand, and that my friend left one for the record. As always until next time take care and remember God is in control .

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