Here are some from my archives, taken in 2004… Typical “wedge” shots, but I had great lighting. Let me know what you think
Top: Union Pacific C40-8’s, Elmhurst, IL. December? 2004. 2nd. Same C40-8’s heading into Proviso, December 2004. 3rd, Norfolk Southern manifest, Enon, OH November of 2004. Bottom, Norfolk Southern empty coal drag, on the BNSF, Clarendon Hills, IL, November 2004.
I like your pictures just fine. Of course, I just enjoy looking at pictures of trains, so I am perhaps not as good a critic as someone like Chris is.
Comment one: Would it be possible for you to post the camera settings (lens, exposure, aperture, etc.) that you used for your pictures? That would be helpful for me.
Comment two: On the two pictures that included signals, shooting the pictures earlier would have allowed the signals to frame the picture a little better. (My opinion only).
On cloudy days I just learn to point my camera down to the ground and Pre-focus and then just shoot the Train.
Yikes! I don’t know if I qualify as a critic. I will say I like all the shots, but the most visually engaging shot is definately the last one. The composition seems the most effective of the shots here. Not that the other shots are bad, but I think little tweaks could have added a little bit to each.
As an example, on the first shot, I would have liked to have seen the camera pointed a little more to the right. It would have killed a little of the dead space on the left side of the frame, and showed a little more of the train. I think the rule of thirds would be a little more effective that way, too (to me, the UP shield is calling out to be placed a little more to the left. In that shot, I really do like the dramatic perspective that the low camera angle provides, though.
Like I said, I really wouldn’t call myself a critic. I like all the shots, and the points listed above are merely things I would have done if they had been my images. Part of the fun of photography is showing your interpretation of a given subject to the world. I’ve stood side by side with other photographers, and we’ve come up with completely different shots. Many, many times I’ve often started thinking “Why didn’t I think of that?” when looking at results from such outings. I think that’s the most fun part, though. We can all learn something from someone else.
Datafever: Thanks for the comments, always appreciated. On the two that had signals in them, I was going more for the depth of field, but your point is valid. Signal bridges make great frames for photos. Sort of like this one:
I shot this one, probably about the same time, or maybe the fall of '05, not sure. If I could get the EXIF data, it would show the date and time, as well as f-stops, shutter speed, and all other camera settings.
As far as your question about camera settings, I can get those from the photo, if I had a program that could read it. I know the software that came with my camera has an EXIF viewer, but it’s not installed. But, I would be happy to provide it to you once I find it out.
But, thanks for comments, always appreciated.
Chris, thanks for the comments. Go ahead, be a critic, the rest of us are [:)] Of all the shots, the last one is my favorite too…Now, if the dispatcher that day, had been on the ball,[:-^] and sent the trains through at the time I wanted them to go through, I would have gotten a "