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Gotta be summer, whether its Trains by the bikini beach, trains by the coven of sun worshiping nuns, or trains by the womans reformatory,SUMMER got it goin’ ON![:D]
Can’t really narrow it down to a specific season, as there is such a difference in the weather (at least, here in Wisconsin) between the beginning of one season to the end.
Late Spring-early Summer. Flowers are blooming, not too many bugs, not too much humidity, long daylight duration, interesting thunderstorms.
Early Fall in northern Wisconsin. The colors!! Maine, I understand, is also very nice.
Early Winter. Extreme weather. Lots of snow (not tired of it yet). Dramatic railroading.
Worse:
Late summer-early fall. Lots of bugs, with bees and hornets attracted to anything warm and/or sweet. Colors drab. Rains alot.
Early spring. No colors except brown. Short days. Cold rain.
Late winter. Sick of the snow & cold. Rather stay in and watch a movie.
Bikini beaches, Covens of Nuns, womens reformatory and TRAINS! All I have up here is a small chemical factory which makes ingredients for sunscreen, a mini steel mill specializing in steel bars, chains and fencing and a plant that manufactures the elastic material for underwear.
I am definitely at the wrong end of the tracks!! Are they selling land around where you live?
Jeff
PS
My favorite season is fall. No bugs, amazing foliage and comfy temperatures (the high is 9 degrees today)
Fall, by all means. Between the colors of nature and the colors of the trains you can get some stunning results. Just have to be careful and not get TOO many colors in your shots. Also, it is great to be outdoors in the cool, crisp air of autumn.
I like the late spring for its colors as the new growth is sprouting all around and the spring flowers are out, yet it’s still clean everywhere from the early spring rains. There are lots of opportunities for shots using the low angle of the sun in the morning and late afternoon to dusk. My second choice is early summer. Still has the best of the early spring and is not yet bug season.
You need an additional answer of “any season”. It depends on what is being photographed as to what season it will look best in. I mean other then for data, why photograph a snow plow in the summer?
Any season is great for photo shoots. Each season affords its own unique setting, the photographer needs to know what to shoot, when. Like JoePyland says, “why photograph a snow plow in the summer?”
I like a cool crisp sunny day in the fall to photograph trains in action. With the leaves turning and a hint of steam in the smoke of a hard working steam locomotive. True rare in these days but still very exciting to see and hopefully not gone forever.
Photographing anything outdoors during any season can be a challenge. The warmer the air temperature, the more moisture the air holds, which results in “dirtier air” and in some cases, murky photos. In March 2002, I went to a favorite train watching spot in the Twin Cities when the air temperature was about 5 below and a wind chill of about 15-20 below. At that temperature, the air cannot hold any moisture and (literally) regardless of what film you use, you will get spectacular photos. Of course you have to have a manual camera to do this because the new fancy electronic cameras will freeze up the minute they hit the air. Go figure.
Oh, and in late fall and winter when the leaves are off the trees, you can hear the trains from quite a distance away as they approach. [}:)]
First welcome to the new posters on the forums.I like fall because of the colors that mother nature provides.But have gone out in any weather as long as its not a thunderstorm or blizzard.
stay safe
Joe
It depends on where you are:
Wisonsin or New England in the fall
The Desert Southwest or Washington DC in the spring
Norhtbound On the Coast Starlight crossing the Cascades in Oregon shortly after
sunrise with a foot of new snow on the pines in winter.
The Mississippi River valley and the deep south in summer (sure, it’s hot and buggy,
but also beautiful.
Old rural train stations, any time, any place, any season. They are disappearing all too
fast, especially ones still operating to any degree passenger routes.
Oh, for a return to the early 1950’s.
Whatever the season, we’re all after good photographs. A skillful photographer can take whatever the season or moment gives him (or her), and create an impressive image. But fall, with all of the colors and frequently noteworthy skies, just makes it so much easier!
Fall is a must. The color of everything from clouds in the sky to leaves on the trees and even water in the lakes, and don’t forget the locomotive colors. Pick the right subjects and right locations and you have the best combination that can be had.
I perfer the Fall as the colors of the surrounding hills and valleys where I shoot in Montana and in the state of Washington for some of the business that print my photos for their promotional material, most of my connections perfer the fall.
Fall is awesome because of the cooler air, colors, etc. It’s especially nice here in northern lower Michigan. (usually - this year has been all rain.) But I personally like early spring. While it’s true that there is not much color, I think this time of year has many positives. First, I’m itching to get outside after a long winter. The humidity and bugs are not around yet. But most of all, the grass has not started growing, and the leaves are not yet on the trees. This makes it easy to spot and photograph the abandoned rights-of-way and old logging roads that I like to include in many of my train pictures. In the summer, they are covered up by the foliage.
I don’t think it matters. Each season provides a uniqice oportunity for some intresting pictures no matter where you live or are railfaning. You just have to brave the elements when it is bad out like in the winter.