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.
4. Photograph the
location in 3 or more shots,
so your
readers/viewers know something about the terrain and weather where you
shot.
If your wide angle lens can't capture
it all, use two side-by-side
shots and merge them (which I have done quickly and poorly here to show
the Tehachipi Loop in California).
Make your viewing area as wide as possible for this section.
4.1
4.2
Entering the
look through a cut and tunnel, progress around the loop, crossing the
tunnel (notice the elevation gained in the loop) and leaving the loop.
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4.3
Shoot through
the train to show the beginning of the same train leaving the
loop. The loop begins just beyond the tree in the center, in a
cut by the telephone poles.
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4.4
Photograph your
companions and give them a copy of the shot. The shot also says
something about location and weather during the shot. Good late
afternoon light illuminates the sides of the locomotives.
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Below is another situation that takes 3
pictures to tell the
story. Chris Guenzler and I were on a California Zephyr trip to
Denver together and as we left Sacramento, Chris was looking out the
window and remarked, "There was a puff of smoke between the first and
second cars." We immediately stopped, then backed about 3 miles
into the Sacramento platform so workers could check out the
situation. Chris, I, and others detrained, since we were at the
platform, and walked down to look at what they were working on.
4.5
Electrical
cables (above) run from the locomotive between cars carrying power for
lighting, heating or air conditioning, and for the diner.
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4.5
After some work, a RR worker carried off one of these cables which had
burned in half. Don't ask why RR workers wear Hawaiian shirts!
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4.6
I asked if I
could photograph the burned cable and another worker, in a Hawaiian
shirt, held it for me to photograph.
In fairness to the workers, I believe they said they had been at a
fellow worker's party when they got the call that we needed help.
They volunteered this after we make some friendly remarks about their
'uniforms.' We continued to Denver without mishap.
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