UP action in Red Rock AZ.MP951.0

Windle,

Did you use a still camera or your Video camera to take the photos?

Also if you took video you know there is a site you can upload too for people to view them?

As for the quality of the photos they look ok however you may have been in the wrong position as the sun seems to be on the otherside of the train. It is always better to take photos with the sun behind you.

[ April 01, 2006, 04:05 PM: Message edited by: Colonel ]

 

Ok the site for uploading video is

YouTube

I have registered which is free and you can upload video up to 100 meg and less than ten minutes in length.

Here is a link to one of my videos

Engine Change

 

Windle,

I edited my first post not sure if you saw that but looking at your photos you were standing on the wrong side of the line so the locos are shaded however you probably didnt have a choice without trespassing.

 

Windle,
I am by no means a professional, and an amateur at best, but a good rule of thumb is to keep the sun at your back. Not only will you get a sunburn on your neck, but all your shots, in theory, should be well-lit. Also, 'high sun', most problematic in the summer months and late spring, is an other than ideal time to shoot. When you look at a loco, and the handrails' shadows do not fall on the long hood, the sun is an angle higher than you would want. Also, light directly on the side of the train is not very desirable.

Let me illustrate!

Ideal sun:
The sun is behind me, and the train is diagonally traveling into it, towards me:



Backlit:
The sun is in my face, or angled toward my face. The train is coming towards me: This light can be worked for a neat effect, but it's harder to accomplish:



Side-lit: The sun in coming at an extreme angle to the train, usually directly to the side. This light is workable, but not ideal.

The sun's angle is actually BELOW the tracks in this shot--very close call to being out of light......



Extreme head-on light--first or last light is what you'll be getting, and it's hard to harness with glare, etc.



Lastly, High Sun. Very annoying, unless you have a bunch of elevation on a train. Here's what high sun looks like on an engine at ground level--trucks are shaded, the engine is very lifeless and dull.
Notice the handrail shadows fall on the walkways:



High Sun is not all bad, if you can gain elevation on the train, mountains, overpass, cherry picker bucket, etc..

This shot is both sidelit on the wrong side, and high sun. Sometimes you cannot win.



Here's a better use of crappy high sun.. Note the sun's angle, denoted by the shadows, is nearly vertical, but behind me. This is a decent result of using High sun to your advantage.

 

Film shooters need to be even more selective. I'd say in over 10000 shots on my digital, only about 1% are lit correctly or ideally.
Having the digital lets me shoot when I know the shot will not come out, but want the image for posterity. It also allows for digital image enhancement and correction after the fact. Slide and film are a harder medium to correct after the shutter has been fired.

I apologize, Windle, if I got longwinded, but I guess I am a picture-hound,a nd love to post pics!!