A Journey By Train

Posted By:

Zainab Junaid (Instagram)

How & Where It Was Captured:

A few minutes after the train due for islamabad had arrived at Lahore Railway Junction Station, and the passengers had boarded. I took it with my Samsung Galaxy when the crowd had considerably thinned.

Mobile photography is easier than DSLR one, however I used the Pro mood. It gives DSLR like features to a normal camera, even though the auto mode is mostly useful, but night photography works only using the pro mode.

Settings:

Ø  Shutter Speed: 1/20 sec

Ø  f/1.8

Ø  4 mm

Ø  ISO:  250

The smog in the air made the original picture a bit hazy,  especially below the lamp. I used Picsart to diminish the brightness below the lamp, that removed the smog. A vignette filter gave the picture it's overall dramatic effect.

Story:

            

              I had flown from Karachi, spent weeks in Islamabad and then four splendid days in Lahore. It was twelve in the night, I remember the smog stinging my eyes but the minute was beautiful: I had traveled alone from Islamabad to here, for the first time seen the most romantic city, met my family, and had made a new and unexpected friend.

Traveling in the economy class can be a real pleasure, you get to briefly view the lives of an everyday Pakistani. There was a diverse group of people out there on the station. We were all leaving this City of Gardens, all these different destinations, unique fairy tales, everyone having their own problems, lives, losses, gains, but we were united by our ride, and that heaviness of the midnight.

That's what I captured in this picture: a train that linked these myriads of stories. My little cousin who was travelling with me, interrupted me during the capturing just to whisper in my ears: “ We are on platform nine three quarters and this is the Hogwarts Express.” I laughed with him, but honestly, the station was mystical, with its history and the city itself, even more beautiful than the Hogwarts Express.