This is the 3rd day of my Tadami Line photography trip.
On the previous day, I tried to capture the first train crossing the No. 1 bridge from the so-called “landing point” on the riverbank, but I could only take ink painting-like pictures due to the river fog. Since the sun was already shining this morning, I might be able to take some photos under not so bad conditions in terms of visibility and light intensity.
So I took pictures again at the Tadamigawa 1st Bridge (between Aizu-Hinohara and Aizu-Nishikata). I wondered whether I should take a bird’s eye view from the view point on the mountain or try again from the riverbank, hoping for blue sky, but I decided to take the shot from below because there was almost no wind on the way and I could get a good view of the water mirror on the surface of the river.
As on the previous day, we passed through Hinohara village and arrived at the landing point. I set up my tripod and waited for 20 minutes, hoping the wind would stop blowing. I wondered if my wish was answered, and this morning I was able to get a good picture like this.
6:03 Tadamigawa 1st Bridge, Aizu-Wakamatsu bound (left direction) 422D
A similar composition was taken from the same location last fall using the same K-3III and DA50-135mm, but I was more self-satisfied this time because of the beauty of the fresh greenery and the stunning water mirror.
At the same time, I also took this photo with the sub GF10 + 12-32mm with a slightly different composition.
This would have been more interesting if the skies had been beautifully clear.
At the point early in the morning , there was a like-minded person who had been with us for two days in a row. He is a farmer, and although he is busy during the farming high season, he manages to make time to go there every day. I was amazed. There may be many “Tadami Line 300 days photographers” in fact, not only famous Mr. Hoshi.
Leaving the landing point, I tried again to photograph Yanagizu town rural scenery (between Aizu-Sakamoto and Aizu-Yanaizu). I changed the location a little and this time tried to take a fresh shot in the morning light.
7:00 Rural scenery of Yanaizu, Koide-bound (right direction) 423D
In fact, I had already scouted the location the previous evening and imagined that standing here and shooting like this with the 16-50mm would make a good picture. But in reality, the freshness of the blue sky and the magnificence of the water mirror were beyond my imagination. I applauded in my heart.
However, there is no time to be immersed in the not so good afterglow. Now I have to chase this 423D and take pictures at Tadamigawa 2nd bridge (between Aizu-Nishikata and Aizu-Miyashita). Tadami Line photographer in the morning is quite busy.
I managed to catch up with and overtake the train and parked my car by the 2nd bridge, but the train was already approaching. I didn’t have much time to examine the location and composition of the shot, so I decided to take a shot at the last minute.bridge
7:27 Tadamigawa 2nd bridge, bound for Koide (right direction) 423D
This is another DA16-50mm. It turned out to be an interesting picture composition with a bright frame composition. Maybe it works better when you don’t think too much about it.
On the other hand, this picture, which I took after thinking carefully and waiting for the next train, was a failure.
7:37 Tadamigawa 2nd bridge, Aizu-Wakamatsu bound (left direction) 424D
Train tiny! I completely misread the ratio of the size of the bridge to the train. I should know that because taking one earlier.
I had two successful photos of the water mirror this morning, so I got greedy and dug my own grave. The effect of the water mirror is limited in this composition. I should have thought of a different way to take the picture. In the end, it would have been better to go to the neighbor Saijiki bridge on the sunlit side and shoot with a telephoto lens…blah, blah, blah.
Next time, I’ll get back on track.
I headed for Takiya Station with the idea that the composition of taking a picture of the station from the overpass looked pretty good.
This time, I arrived with a little time to spare, so I took a few shots of the unmanned station scenery.
The air is cool and refreshing, and the station is quiet in the valley. In the photo above, you can see the overpass that we have been looking for.
The view on opposite side of the station from the bridge is also quite nice. I tried to take a telephoto shot of the train approaching in a straight line through the deep forest, but unfortunately it was rejected due to a major failure in focusing.
The station side also had a lot of trouble with focus, but I managed to get a few acceptable shots.
8:55 Takiya Station, Aizu-kawaguchi bound(back direction) 425D
Just beyond the station is the Takiya River valley, and this train leaving the station will cross the Takiya River bridge, which was photographed at the beginning of Day 1, just beyond the curve. The river flows from below the bridge to the left in the photo and soon joins the Tadami River.
The Tadami River flows northward from Yanaizu Town to Aizu-Bange Town, and joins the river called Aga River in Kitakata City. The Tadami River is positioned as a major branch of the Aga River system, and the main Aga River traverses the Aizu Basin from south to north from its source in South Aizu area, eventually entering Niigata Prefecture, changing its name to the Agano River, and finally emptying into the national longest Shinano River.
After 3 days of enjoying taking pictures of the beautiful railroad scenery in the mountains of the middle reaches of the Tadami River, I said goodbye to the mountain area and headed for Aizu-Wakamatsu City. I wanted to take pictures of the Tadami Line crossing the main Aga River, so I headed for the Okawa Bridge (between Nishi-Wakamatsu and Aizu-Hongo).
The river is much wider, so the atmosphere is quite different from the mountain area.
10:09 Okawa bridge, Special Train bound for Koide (left direction) 9425D
Beyond the bridge, the shadow of Mt. Bandai can be seen in the haze, a very Aizu-like scene.
Now that we have come down from the mountains to the city, there are still some places to go in terms of photographing the Tadami Line. Although not bridge photography, let’s go to Nannukamachi Station.
Nanukamachi Street from the station to the city center has become a tourist central zone of Aizu-Wakamatsu city with its retro streetscape, and the nostalgic old station building is used as a café and general store (the station itself is unmanned).
The Tadami Line train to Aizu-Wakamatsu has just arrived.
10:58 Nanukamachi station, Aizu-Wakamatsu bound (front direction) 426D
By the way, when I was taking pictures on the station platform, I was surprised to suddenly hear an announcement inside the station, even though it is an unmanned station. It was a remote announcement by a staff member at the neighboring Aizu-Wakamatsu station.
The last photo is a view from the platform looking north. I thought that the terminal Aizu-Wakamatsu atation was just ahead.
The Aizu symbolic Mt. Bandai are clearly visible from here as well. As a conclusion of “A man who takes pictures of Tadami Line for only 3 days 2023”, I think it is not bad to see the treasured mountain from the station.
Following last autumn, I enjoyed this early summer photography trip very much. Thank you very much for seeing my self-satisfied amateur photos and ramblings to the end.
