I made this broadside silhouette of German and Austrian electrics rolling east under wire while standing in a field on a frosty evening on the opposite side of the River Inn from Brixlegg, Austria.

It was January 13, 2006, and I was working with Fujichrome film. The sun was sinking in the west.

My goal was to place the locomotives against the textured Alpine backdrop for dramatic effect.

While counter-intuitive to conventional railroad photographic practice, placing the main subject in the shadow can be a useful tool. In this image the dappled shadows draw the eye to the lead locomotive making its standout more than if had been in bright sun.

Tracking the Light works in the Shadows!