Must all great rail photos be bathed in sunlight?

I’ve asked this question before. While it is nice to have bright sun, often I find the best photos are in the shadows where light and dark contrast to produce a moody image that tugs at something deeper.

Last week after arranging the photo runbys at the famed Willey Brook Bridge, I walked to the headend of the train while the passengers were reboarding. Here the 470 Club’s freshly painted F7A diesels were deep in shadow with the mass of Mount Willard looming above them.

I made these photos using my Nikon Z6 with 24-70mm lens and adjusted highlight and shadow areas in post processing.

For me these were among of the best photos of the day. They capture the rugged scenery of Crawford Notch from perspectives rarely pictured.

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