Sorry Mike…
Why in the world did you submit this photo, when you had a much better chance with your “winning” shot of the whole CN Train??? For the sake of “originality”???
Well… Keep your “pencils sharpened” and your “lenses polished” for the next instalment of "Trackside with… "
Bye and good luck!
PS - For the record, I voted for Erik’s shot, although I don’t like it that much, either.
Carl
Fantasitic!!! Keep up the great work! You guys never cease to impress. [swg]
I can’t believe I voted against my maroon & gold!!! Another hard choice, its funny how similar some elements are in each photo, but in the end I think Erik’s was stronger. The pollen floating and the exhaust blasting into the air are nice elements.
Greg
“wcnut”
Mike’s shot just doesn’t feel right. The CN is in focus but you can’t see enough of of the unit even though it takes up almost 50% of the pic. The WC units are out of focus. A wider zoom on the shot with a camera angle a bit more to the photog’s left may have better balanced the overall pic.
Erik’s shot is a bit off in the point of focus in that he shows maximum sharpness on about the 3rd flat. But the overall feel of the pic is much better. It doesn’t look like O scale next to Z scale. And the softness throughout the pic gives a sense of the haze that can be found in the air as the Midwest warms up. Down here, south of the Cheddar Curtain, the weather is in that hot/humid mode that leaves me driving through less than clear air for the 6 a.m. commute to work and anything from evening haze to full blown evening t-storms. About the only thing missing from the shot is a cottonwood tree dumping enough white fluff to make it look like snow.
Erik takes it this week.
Can you tell that summer is here just look at this week photos. About a mounth ago the shots were getting a little dull but hot dam its going tobe a good summer.!
Congrats to both Erik and Mike. Vote for Mike
Why don’t you come “down under” and photograph some real trains!!
Did you know we have GM “Bulldogs” (3,000 h/p) still running down here "
as well as good old smokey Alcos. Thanks for all the fun you guys share with
us I really look forward to your "adventures?? By the way Canon have released
here a new 8 mp replacement (EOS 350D) for your Digital Rebel, don’t know
whether you guys know about it yet??
I loved both shots equally, but I went with Mike’s shot this week because although the approaching train is out of focus, the focal point is on the CN unit and the Rebel really shows picking up the details in low light. Compositionwise, I like Mike’s photo because the focal point leads your eyes to the details on the CN unit and it’s always a plus when your main subject is in focus and the background enhances it. Although I like the lighting and haze effect of Erik’s shot, its a little too busy to concentrate on any one subject.
I guess I’m in the minority, I went with Mikes shot. Both are great, you can’t get any better then the late afternoon light, but Mike’s shows the past and present of Wisconsin railroading. The faded image of the past, the Wisconsin Central and the “in your face” class one, the Canadian National.
Wish I could vote for both.
-Justin Franz
Sorry Mike, I had to vote for Erik’s photo. It was a close call, Mike’s was cool because of the lighting effect, it kind of had an eriee look, like on one of the “Mad Max” movies after the fallout! Erik’s got my attention because you can see both locos completely and the diesel smoke pouring out, tells you these locos are really working. Keep up the GREAT job, both of you. Stay safe! Jim
It was a tough choice, well, I still don’t know, actually!
I think that mike should have submitted the CN freight coming around the corner. I really love that one, especially the light!
Right now, we can’t take photos here, because it has been raining nonstop for a week!
Flooding has forced the evacuation of several towns to the south and west!
Maybe in two weeks after the rain goes away, I will get some good pictures.
We’ve already had more precipitation than in 2004, and in 2003, and quite possibly 2002!
Matthew
Erik’s photo say’s action to me.
I voted for Eric’s photo because, it shows how some mainlines under power trains just to save a $. I also thought it was a good looking photo.
Gotta go with Eric in a very close choice. More action, lots of other rr stuff like crossovers and crossing gates and signals, etc
This was a tough choice, but Erik’s was more in focus, so that’s what I voted for. I really like the detail in both photos.
I also agree with Espeefoamer about the CN rig running past the barn. That is one nice shot! I would have voted for that one as well.
Truth is…I didn’t like either photo. I voted for Mike because I disliked his less than I disliked Erik’s. Neither one did anything for me. Sorry guys…try, try again.
I did like Mikes two other shots…love that barn in the background.
Walt
both great photos, lots of action, lots to look at, non-standard angles & views. Had to go with Mike’s because of the lighting (which is 98% of photography anyway). Liked the warmer gold & red colors as opposed to cold blues & whatever. The out of focus approaching train is a good feature, adds to the artistic feel. Tuff decision tho. Hey “Trains” guys, sure do like this feature, its the only forum I jump on regularly on this here computer. Larry in Las Vegas. (Just got back from Cajon Pass, whatashow. Saw a couple of all NS head end power consists [thot this was the west coast], an old Rio Grande [couldabeen an SD38?] and some of the dirtiest Armour Yellow I’ve ever seen)!
Probably not an SD38. Might have been an SD39, one was painted up for DRGW even though they never had either model!
And yes, UP seems to be carrying on SP’s tradition of being “the dirty”.
What were we talking about now? Oh yeah… I preferred Erik’s shot this time, despite its definite northeastern feel with all those blue engines! I might have to try getting pictures at that location sometime.
Speaking of meets, check out this photo I got last summer – a three-way meet! www.fuzzyworld3.com/cp02.html#n040914
Have a nice day, keep up the good work!
-Mark
This was a close one. In fact, I chose Erik’s, and I have no idea why.
I like Erik’s because it shows the front and back view of a locomotive!!
I think both photographs are fantastic. When I first saw Erik’s, I thought, “Ther’s no way Mike can top this!” My first reaction to Mike’s was that it was interesting, but not as good. Flipping back and forth between the shots, I ended up deciding that dots of stuff floating in the air in Eric’s shot were a distraction and sharpness of detail on the CN unit in Mike’s really made his shot. The tipping point was the clarity of the wheels on the rails. All the bulk of the CN engine on tiny points of contact. I would have preferred the background train be sharper, but I think the contrast in sharpness just accentuates the tiny details of the foreground engine, while telling the story of what the railroad is all about at the same time.