So yesterday was one of those really hot days where Denver didn’t see much in the way of clouds all day long. Even on those types of days, though, there’s usually a few clouds out west over the mountains. That’s a perfect situation for getting some crepuscular (did I spell that right, Willy?) rays towards sunset.
I called Amtrak and had another delightful chat with Julie and found out that the CZ was due into DUS at 8:05. That wasn’t exactly what I had been hoping to hear (8:30 or 9:00 guesstimates would have coincided better with the picture that was forming in my mind). Still, I decided to jump on the bike and see if I could make something work.
Lo and behold, Julie was right on with her guesstimate, and I was right on in my thinking that the train would be too early to get the shot I wanted. This was the result:
The shot is just way too contrasty to work very well. Why does it always seem like whenever I ride the CZ that it’s fantastically late, but this evening when I wanted it to be later, it was actually running pretty close to on time? Doh!
I resolved to not let the situation get me down, though. While listening to the scanner, I learned that I had a westbound waiting for Amtrak to get past and then he’d be on his way. I biked over to a new location and set up just as I saw his ditch lights come on. This is the result:
There’s a couple niggles that bother me about it (like the 3/4 marker being lined up with the grain elevator. I should have seen that in the viewfinder and taken a step or two to the left to correct that), but I really like this shot. Always look on the bright side! (Quite literally in this instance!)
In spite of Amtrak being on time you got two great pictures. Maybe you can file the Amtrak under what a CZ looks like when running on time. Could turn out to be a rare shot.
I think that’s why I like it so much. It really conveys “Late afternoon/early evening on a hot & sunny day” to me. Can I download and save that pic for personal use?
I like the 2nd shot. Even though it’s a bit on the orange side, it still looks good. It has an autumn feel to it, probably because of the cast of the sunset on the locomotives. The 3/4 marker being inline with the grain elevator isn’t that distracting, because you can clearly tell it’s in the foreground. Great job, as usual Chris… you had better luck last night than I did. Drove over to the west end of Proviso Yard, and saw one train, and got lousy photos…
I like the UP shot - a good example of down-and-dirty every day railroading, clutter and all.
The Amtrak shot is borderline moody. I’ll agree it’s not perfect, but it’s also not a throwaway. Again - it’s everyday railroading, not a pristine roster shot.
Nothing to be ashamed of there (as usual - but we know we can expect the best from you [:)]).
Right on the money with the spelling of that word. Personally, I think that both photos are amazing, especially the Union Pacific image. If you were to be a guest in Trackside with Trains.com, I think the competition would be humiliated to the point of no return. [8D]
I expect more out of you than photo number 1. It looks like something that I would have taken. Number 2 is a keeper. I like the motion (exhaust), the curve, and especially the lighting. Love that soft light that is available in the summer evenings, or during most of the day during November/December (if the sun is out).
The thing is, we know a train is coming and we go out to watch or photograph. Sometimes it works, other times it doesnt. We look at published photos either in print or digital and we say WOW…I should be able to do that. What we dont realize is the factors which make a great photo. The great photographers understand those factors and more. Sometimes luck plays a huge role.
I have been looking back at photos taken during the 80’s/90’s. Some are good, a few are very good, but my favorites are the ones in which there was something extra happening along with the photo. Perhaps it was at the end of a 400 mile day and in the distance I saw an SP intermodal running on BN in Western Il. and I pulled over and took the shot. It was a needed break in the action for me at the time. I remember those photos well.
Thanks for sharing and keep on shooting.
Sorry if I sounded a bit Simony but it has been one of those mornings.
Thanks for the comments. Actually, I was posting the first one because I didn’t like it. If the CZ had been later I had visions of something much greater. Alas, on a day when I wanted the CZ to be late, they were almost on time. Doh!
I guess it wasn’t clear, but the first shot was supposed to be the lemons, and the second shot was the lemonade. Sorry about the confusion.
Crepuscular clouds are cool in the way they fan out from the sun; what makes them interesting to me is that all of those rays you are seeing are actually parallel–they appear to diverge due to perspective effects. [Willy isn’t the only wannabe meteorologist on this forum.]
Since you have a BS in meteorology, I would say you’re just a little farther along than I am! Someday in the future, I hope I can say that I’m the real thing. Gotta get through that thing called college first. Just out of curiosity, are you a COOP observer or Skywarn spotter?
Yep. Home weather station has some three years of observations recorded on the computer.
Eight years in weather maintenance in USAF. Not an observer or forecaster, but still in the thick of things. Any questions about launching weather balloons?
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Chris - I kinda misunderstood your original intent as well - although I’m sure there are those who would think the UP shot needed a lot of work. I still like it.
Willy, I’m also lots older. However, in some ways you remind me of myself when I was your age. And I may have the BS, but I’m not in the weather business. I was going to go into forecasting, but I got bored with doing weather from a desk and computer–I wanted to be out IN the weather. Unfortunately, the opportunity never presented itself. But I’m happy with weather as a hobby.
And yes, I am a spotter for Milwaukee Skywarn, as well as a CO-OP observer. I also report for CoCoRaHS (they’re always looking for volunteers).
There is a “real” factor to the Amtrak shot, It looked just as you said hot and hazy. Text book pics are great, but yours has “atmosphere” to it. Just looking at that picture makes me think of 90 degree days and the sweet smell of creosote rising from the ties.
