Magna - A Challenging Photography Environment

Last week I found the time to visit Magna in Rotherham, a museum of science set in a former Steelworks (Templeborough Rolling Mills). Not only is this a fascinating place, but it is also great for photography, albeit challenging due to the very low light conditions inside. All the more so when you don't take any camera support, as I didn't!

Here is a series of images shot on the day, some with the K-3 / DA*50-135 and some with the K-5iis / Sigma 17-70 F2.8-4 HSM OS.

As always I am open to any comments and criticism.

1. Wires - K-3 / DA*50-135





2. Grabbing The Balls - K-5iis / Sigma 17-70





3. Fire Tornado - K-5iis / Sigma 17-70





4. Fire Close-up - K-3 / DA*50-135 - Not even the highest shutter speed available of 1/8000 of a second could come close to freezing the motion of the flames!





5. Inside the Steelworks - K-5iis / Sigma 17-70





6. Electrodes Dead - K-3 / DA*50-135





Thanks for looking.

Regards
David

I think the most over-abused word of recent years can be validly used to describe these places - Awesome, as in striking awe into you and not "Oh it's so cute".
Kelham Island in Sheffield is similarly jaw dropping................. These are wonderful photos

Great shots Dave - love the first one

Love the photographs David, especially 1&2..

It's a brilliant place that I've been to about three times now, although only once with a camera. I'd echo other comments here that it's a fab place to visit (with or without kids). I don't think images alone can capture the sheer scale and atmosphere of the place, it feels cavernous, cold and dark and very oppressive and I can only imagine what it must have been like to work there...

Great stuff

Good atmospheric results! Lucky the electrodes were dead

Do you mind saying what kind of ISOs you were using here?

Thanks for the comments guys, much appreciated.

Hi Nigel, they are a mixture of 400 ISO and 1600 ISO. I used what I thought I could get away with, keeping it as low as possible, bearing in mind these are up to 2.5 seconds exposure with no camera support! I was balancing the camera on whatever was available, e.g. the metal rails on the walkways, although this was not 100% successful as the walkways are suspended, so they bounce up and down as people walk by.

I recall the 'balls' shot is 1600 ISO at 1/50th of a second, just enough to stop any massive movement being apparent in the balls.

Also, I just realised I forgot to post one of my favourite shots from the day, so here it is:

7. Pipes - K-5iis / Sigma 17-70




Cheers
David

Ok, thanks David ...I actually assumed you might have gone much higher on the ISO, but like me you're probably fairly old-school and conservative with this, and clearly invested effort in stability in the interests of high IQ.

Cracking shots there David

Is that a sneaky appearance by your better half modelling in shot 2?

The lighting may have been challenging but appear to have added to the shots overall once you overcame the problems

We visited a science museum in Lulea - the 'Teknikens Hus' museum but in the main the lighting was very bright and even, I suppose flat could be a fair description - my cameras stayed in the bag partly for this reason and partly due to my time being spent falling off balance boards, mucking about using the log grab on the crane, using mitts to emulate aircraft wings in air flow etc - of course just not good light for photo's not a 42 year old half wit acting like his 11 year old son

The first and the last are absolutely brilliant.

Nice set David, not been there for a while. First 2 are my favourites.

Regards

George

Great atmospheric work, David. I envisage a possible sales pitch to the Rotherham Tourist Board...

Thanks Stu, Mag, George and Simon.

Maybe not, but I think there will be a trip organised to Magna for any Pentaxians interested in a day out, I'll post an invitation in due course once I've looked at dates and another place to visit on the same day.

Best regards
David

Count me in for that David, subject to dates etc.