How to Take Better Train Travel Photos

For an Internet Rail Travelogue, and for Personal Use.

By Carl Morrison at MoKnowsPhotos.com - Carl@TrainWeb.com - TrainWeb.org/Carl

(The photo examples are best viewed while online, since some references are to photos on other web pages of mine.)

Click any photo to see a double-sized copy, click BACK in your browser to return to this page.

1The best light is horizontal,

early or late in the day.  Don't discount night photos, using a tripod, or even photos in the rain or fog.

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1.1

This shot of #93 in Ely, NV, was made late afternoon in December.

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1.2
This was the next shot I took after the train (1.1) passed, and I turned and shot noticing the sun was lighting the BOTTOM of the rising steam.


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1.3
With the late afternoon sun behind me, this moving locomotive has the entire front illuminated for detail, and enough indirect light to illuminate the side of the locomotive to see color and numbers.

(When making a 3-picture presentation like this, have the two outside pictures facing in so the viewer's eye does not want to leave the page.Using 2 verticals on the side with a horizontal in the middle helps the balance.)
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1.4
Without late afternoon light, there would have been no white snow reflecting below the silhouette of the train.  Shooting into the sun like this, be sure to block the source of light (sun) to avoid lens flair, as I did here with the steam.




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