The Big Day Out, a photo from Leicestershire, England

Photographer's Note

A train steams into the outskirts of Loughborough on a cold, slightly misty but otherwise clear winters day. Not big dramatic steam but gently under stated British semi rural idyll. The Great Central Railway is Britain's largest mainline steam trust and one of the major tourist attractions of the area I live in.

i think that engines often produce far more dramatic images when leaving the frame when shooting from the height of a bridge - it's certainly where I put more effort. Here it paid off handsomly with the capture of the little girl who's wonderment just says it all - the magic of special childhood moments.

This line is very important historically because it is where the idea of holiday trips is said to have originated in the first 'steam excursion' - a temperance day out from Leicester to Loughborough and a mass picnic in Queen's Park in the town. This took place in the 19th Century. The success of this inspired the organiser on to bigger and brighter things and a real explosion of holiday travel and destinations in the 20th Century.

His name - Thomas Cooke - the first person in the UK to 'create', market, sell and provide transport to 'holiday destinations'. A revolution in middle class and working class experience....the very idea of Holy Days was just that - the week or fortnight in Skegness, Benidorm or Split was non-existent - people were simply not given that kind of time off work.

So little girl look in wonder, the world could have remained so different but for this magic railway line and a man with an idea. Thankyou Mr Cooke for the social revolution you sparked!

emjleclercq, kaud, bantonbuju, mortijo, Fixfocus, everlasting, MissTrish has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

emjleclercq (15778) 2006-03-31 3:32

A relly nice picture and good note but perhaps a bit dark. I really had to look hard to find the little girl at the bottom of the pciture, leaning out of the window. Any way to enhance that part ?

All the best,

Emmanuel

kaud (1840) 2006-03-31 3:47

+ POV
+ Motion
+ Steam
+ Clarity

- Light

jasmis (58653) 2006-03-31 4:55

Classic diagonal composition. This photo has its own nostalgic climate. Well done. Regards.

rbcy1974 (20758) 2006-03-31 6:21

Hello Kevin
I really like all the diagonal intrusions in the frame, it makes the photo very dynamic, I also like the industrial revolution feel of the ambiance
well done
Regards
Daniel

jinju (14265) 2006-03-31 7:43

B/w Kev, b/w. If I ever saw a photo from you that screamed for b/w its this one. This is so 1930s its crazy. But it needs b/w treatment.

terrysio (715) 2006-03-31 8:31

Bonjour Kev,
Ta photo du train à vapeur est génial!
On voit bien la conception classique des train en vapeur et en plus ton cliché montre le train en pleine action. Bravo pour ta photo!

mortijo (12828) 2006-03-31 8:38

Splendid! This is so idyllic, romantic and...at the same time so real...I can see it on a tin with cookies. Black and white would be good too, but you'd loose the colors of an English winterday.
Regards,
John.

Furachan (0) 2006-03-31 9:00

This is a thing of beauty, Kev, a very cassy shot, from one of those fine British films, you know... I love the steam, the diaginal framing and the reflections of greenery in the train window as well as the waving child. A cornucopia. unerring taste here, my friend.
Superb!
BW,
Francis

Andrzej_HHH (2480) 2006-03-31 12:57

Beautiful photo of this old train, perfect frame. My congratulations!!

Fixfocus (9385) 2006-03-31 16:00

Hi Kev,
The little girl and the man on the engine liftin´this on a very high level.Good diagonal axis,the soft and subtle colors add a nice nostalgic mood.
Have a nice weekend,
Hermann

designsoul (17843) 2006-03-31 17:50

This shot reminds me of Brahms: it is full of passion and STEAM, but it doesn't wear its feelings on its sleeve... if you know what I mean, Kev. It is also so earthy and classy, with brown soft colours (for me Brahms is also in that range). So, that is my musical critique for today... a nice but extremely restrained, delicate shot whose power is just like that: beauty without overt forcefulness.
Good evening from Ottawa
sasa

everlasting (19680) 2006-04-01 2:35

Is she listening intently to your story, Kev, I could all day.........
Classically composed with its diagonal lines, but its the colours here that just grab me, it says autumnm, wellington boots, wet leaves, chesnuts. I really like this.

MissTrish (213) 2006-04-01 10:43

Hi Kev,
This is a lovely picture and as usual your notes are excellent. I've been to Loughborough but I havn't stood on the bridge to admire the trains.

Didn't notice the little girl immediately, it's a good thing she wearing light clothing as it looks a little dark, typical English grey weather. Other than that, your picture conjures up warm nostagic feelings.

Nice one!

Trish

RGatward (20108) 2006-04-02 17:17

A better PoV than the station, must be that bridge between the A6 and teh station bridge. Never actually tried that. Good shot of the train here. I find Loughborough about the most frustrating places to take pictures of trains, really hard to find a good vantage point.

verde (957) 2006-04-02 17:40

the two people hanging out the window really make this shot for me. The conductor and the little girl.

This shot looked really simplistic from the thumbnail, and I wondered what it was about. Then after looking I really like it. It has a great sense of wonder and anticipation. The little girl really gets the spirit of travel that I love. Just hanging out a window in wonder of the world traveling by.

The composition is really intriguing because the conductor and the girl are in the same line and are doing pretty much the same thing. A really nice element!

Thanks great shot
b

recepyuksel (18640) 2006-04-03 3:14

You did a great composition at this POV
superb diagonals here
congrats
best wishes

AnimeshRay (9089) 2006-04-19 21:49

Love this...classic composition, with beautifully saturated color...this is what I always thought England would be like.

medeiros (86) 2010-01-27 17:12

Very nice shot!

Exelent moment whem the child is looking for on the window!

FISCHER (441) 2010-11-04 13:49

Hello Kew
my english is too bad to tell you what I feel about this great picture! POV, light and smoke, and the child at the window, all makink a very good shot. you are lucky to get such a lot of very attractive old steam train in UK indeed and I remenber one between Brixham and Torquay in the 90TH crossing into the beautiful Dartmoors's landscape.
Amitiès
Olivier