Sotetsu calendar photoshoot

September 2021 / Kanagawa Prefecture

Photographer / Koji Yoneya

Sagami Railway, which has attracted attention for its dashing navy blue and unique carriage design, is a railway company that runs from Yokohama Station to the center of Kanagawa Prefecture. Nicknamed "Sotetsu," the line began direct service with the JR Saikyo Line in November 2019, and is scheduled to begin direct service with the Tokyu Line in the second half of fiscal 2022.

The much talked about Sotetsu Railway produces and sells the Sotetsu Calendar. Following the 2021 edition, we were also in charge of some of the filming for the 2022 edition.

The first location shoot took place on a certain day in July. "We will be shooting at Sagami-Otsuka Station from 4:30 a.m." There is a siding where trains rest at night, but in the early morning, trains depart from there for service. We will shoot a scene that evokes the beginning of such a day.

Unfortunately, it was raining lightly on the day of the shoot. It was still dark, so we needed a tripod. We took multiple shots, including a wide-angle lens to capture the panoramic view of many trains lined up, and a telephoto lens to capture the expressions of the trains covered in raindrops. If you set a plate on both the body and the lens, you can easily attach and detach the camera to the tripod head with just one touch.

While shooting, I couldn't help but feel respect for the crew's efficient preparations for departure to ensure safe operation.

The location shooting on this day did not end until the early morning. Next, we had special access to the maintenance space to shoot a scene of a train running. However, the rain got stronger during the shoot and turned into a downpour...

I wanted to stop shooting, but I continued. I attached a teleconverter to the telephoto zoom and compressed the rain-soaked landscape. The Markins Ball head held the telephoto lens firmly in place, so I was able to shoot with confidence and capture some dramatic scenes.

We were suddenly contacted in August about the second location shoot. A "construction limit measuring vehicle," commonly known as the "Oiran car," would be running. It would measure whether the train would come into contact with station facilities, traffic lights along the line, tunnels, and other structures. In fact, it is very rare for it to run, and if we miss this time, the next time it will run will be two years later. "The shoot will start at 1:30 am after the last train." Following the early morning shoot, this time it will be late at night, and a tripod is essential this time as well.

The construction limit measuring vehicle has measuring arrow feathers that extend as if they are growing out of the vehicle. It also looks unique, and it is said that it got its name from the shape of the head of the Edo period courtesan, the courtesan, who wore a hair ornament. The construction limit measuring vehicle, which has such an origin, slowly passes through the platform of a station where the last train has already left. Several patterns were shot while changing the shooting position. The ball head allows me to quickly decide on the composition, and the Markins holds the camera firmly in place without having to tighten it too much, so the shoot went smoothly.

Even late at night or early in the morning when commercial trains are not running, railway safety is maintained in places out of sight. I would be happy if people would remember the people who work on the railway when they look at the photos in the calendar.

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With the supervision of Sotetsu employees, the filming is done from special locations to ensure safety. Unauthorized entry into the tracks, depots, track maintenance sites, etc. is strictly prohibited. Violations will be punished under the Railway Business Act.

cooperation : SAGAMI RAILWAY Co., Ltd.
Photo courtesy of : Saito Hisao and Abe Moemu

Koji Yoneya

Born in Tendo, Yamagata Prefecture in 1968, studied under advertising photographer Yojiro Adachi and railway photographer Mitsuhide Mashima before becoming a freelancer. Continues to travel around Japan and the world, capturing railway scenes that evoke a sense of everyday life and exploring the connection between people and railways. Authored several books, including the essay collection Hitotabi Tetsutabi (One Trip, One Train), which recounts interactions with people met on train journeys in Asia, and the photo collection I LOVE TRAIN - Asia Rail Life (Korokara).

URL : www.asiantrains.com

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