I had intended to shoot two steam locomotives this week – 844 and 346. I wasn’t able to make it north for 844, but I did get out and shoot the ‘Bunny Express’ out at the Colorado Railroad Museum. Here are some of my favorite shots from the outing:
346’s Headlight
Number Plates
Wide Portrait of 346
346 on the Turntable
Goose #7 heads out onto the Turntable
The Man and his Machine (my favorite shot of the day)
346 through a window in one of the Cabeese
346 leans into the curve on the NE part of the loop around the museum grounds
And finally, 346 approaching a switchstand near the No Agua water tower:
While it was a very windy day which kind of made it a little less fun than normal, it was still a great day. I’m really looking forward to the steam possibilities in the state this year, too. It should be a great year for it!
C&C always welcome.
Nice shots, Chris! I’m particularly intrigued by that shot of the caboose interior with the train through the window. As anyone who’s tried to shoot through a window to the outdoors and have both inside and outside come out properly exposed will know, it’s not easy! Did you use a flash to light the interior, or is it HDR?
Thanks! Interior was lit up with the onboard flash, which is why the light is so flat. I really need to pick up some of those cheapy eBay radio triggers and carry some off camera flashes with me.
Isn’t that ‘through a window’ view actually a picture instead of a glass window? The view angles don’t seem to match for a view through a window.
Chris, I’m sorry you couldn’t make it north far enough to catch the 844 (I don’t think the snow would have been a magnet for me, either), but I guess it was for the best of reasons! And you got some great stuff closer to home!
K.P., the angle’s fine, I think–it’s a cupola window, and the caboose is on a track parallel to the track with the 346.
Fantastic shots, Chris. I have no trouble believing the shot from the caboose window, but it sure could be construed as a photo of a portrait hanging on a wall!
K.P. - Carl’s got it spot on. It’s taken from the Cupola on a parallel track.
Carl - Thanks for the kind words! It was a nice day to be out, although the wind was a bit strong. It would have been fun to catch 844 up north. I’ll see her in July if nothing else. Gotta love the Frontier Days Train!
Brian - Thanks! I think I should have dialed a little flash exposure compensation in to make the caboose interior just a bit darker. I think the fact that the tones match so closely is why the photo looks like it’s a picture hanging on the wall.
CopCarSS (4-5):
Your photo fooled me. Shot from a higher elevation cupola makes perfect sense. Most indoor photos also have more of a contrast (negatively so) between indoor and outside, but you skillfully made them the same! Keep such great photos coming!
K.P.