Martin Bray, Swansea, UK

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Just about caught the sun before it dropped.

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A beautiful array of semaphores.

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No sun, but captured the event. Do or die at this angle.

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Some photographers have problems with this location due to four lines and the signal gantry.

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Fantastic trips in the 80's to Doncaster Works. There were always at least a couple of nose damaged 37's on each visit.

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I received a message from the owner of 03189 who wanted a copy of this picture.

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Getting a bit fed up with the gronk pictures, so looking for something a little different. Head on or virtually head on sun pictures for the next few months. Ideally I'm looking for the sun to be sitting on the track. Keeping an eye on all the spots where this could very well happen, bearing in mind south wales ain't flat.

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There is a new manager in the Tidal Sidings. I hope he enjoys this framed image that I shall be presenting him with.

I had a phone call last week from the first lady that I ever worked with and she asked me round to take some more pictures and put a website together for her. Here's the first three pictures that I took a look at, without much photoshop work being done on them. She needs to lose a bit of weight though.

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The unsung hero of Tidal, 09017 rescued from Newport Docks awaiting movement to Toton Depot a year or so ago. Probably the most reliable Tidal Gronk, overdue a C xam and shown as out of service on TOP's but has performed faultlessly on front line duties for the past year.

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Awaiting transfer to Toton Depot with a mulitutude of faults including loss of power.

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Posed for the camera near Splott Junction at Rover Way.

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Our pride and joy.

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Monster clag from Pongo on its first revenue earning service shunting a short rake of loaded SPA's in Tidal.

Ta to the boys.

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Looks nicer than what it sounds. One of the cylinder head gaskets has blown.

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A nice finishing touch to yesterdays photography.

Nothing special about the technique, shot straight into the sun at 2/3 stops under expose, making sure that I got the shutter speed I wanted with the ISO figure. There was so much light that 100asa was achievable. To enhance the effect I put a lot of saturation and unsharpen mask in to make the picture look crisp.

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Nice to have some sunshine on the nose of B13 at Pyle.

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Here's a view from the back end of the army tanks at Pwll. Llanelli and Pembrey vegs' snapped the front end pictures.

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Didn't expect this to happen! 60096 brought down a rake of HTA's from Warrington for loading and emptied them in Immingham via E09 and thence ran back with the empties the following day to Warrington. Shame the weather was so bad.

Jenkster wrote:Hello martin, very nice shots. Can i ask what photoshop editing you use and how much it costs?

Cheers Jenks

If you are thinking of running with photoshop, don't go through all the heartache, despair and frustration that I did in learning it. Have someone come in and give you three hours tuition on Photoshop basics including layers and selections. Then go through my editing tutorial for web presentation, then you'll be well set up to present even better pictures than I could do. I have lots of Photoshop books and David Rowley Tutorial CD's to help me.

http://www.davrodigital.co.uk/

Jenkster wrote:Hello martin, very nice shots. Can i ask what photoshop editing you use and how much it costs?

Cheers Jenks

Thanks Jenks. I use Photoshop CS2 and like all my equipment, its old, so I need to squeeze it all that little bit more to produce a reasonably presented image. I bought CS2 for £20 off ebay.

Hello martin, very nice shots. Can i ask what photoshop editing you use and how much it costs?

Cheers Jenks

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Desperate veg post desperate images. Wot no sun on the nose.

Ta Scott for last night update W01, Ta Wetbag for overnight update W05, Ta Lizard for morning update W01 and Ta to Network Rail for running it half hour late so that I could phot it at Coedkernew.

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A cheeky picture and a real pain in the arse to set up my lights for this image.

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08802 arrived by low loader at Tidal Sidings last friday from Toytown to replace 08782 which has been stopped with major electrical problems. However, it is only available for manual use whilst fitters rectify a remote control problem.

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My favourite lady, ooh to have been twenty years younger. Gemma introduced me to Paris at Neath Camera Club and this picture was taken some years later at Crewe Hall.

Neath Camera Club was quite infamous with its unique studio in south wales and many a budding model had her first pictures taken here.

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Something different to do with an olive oil bottle.

37669 wrote:
Dave,

Thanks for your valued comments. I must admit my eyes are being dragged into the ornate wooden post top, so it'll have to go. Gemma's very good with her hands and likes to interestingly compose them. I also notice that the newer version of this image hasn't been uploaded without the wall cracks.

You're welcome Martin. I noticed the wall crack but didn't think I'd mention it Interesting to hear how you first started photographing Gemma. My experience with models is limited, most of the shoots I have been on have been arranged by a club or via a course. 2010 - must try harder!

37669 wrote:taking pictures of choo choos"