In my quest to display transport and railway images while disseminating information on technique, location choice, lighting and how I use photographic equipment, I’ve aimed to cover a diverse range of railway subjects.
These include: freight and passenger; heavy rail and transit; views across North America, Ireland and many other nations; photos by day, by night and in dusk and in twilight; rural, urban and suburban settings; above ground and below; track gauges broad, standard and narrow; preserved railways and modern for-profit carriers; historic and contemporary subjects; film and digital; black & white and colour; wide angle and telephoto; model trains and prototype; views with scenery, with structures, with people; photos in all weather; sun over the shoulder, sun in the face, and sun behind the cloud. Signals, bridges, stations, sheds, and etc; Common places and obscure locations.
Also myriad associated forms of transport including canals, highways and in the skies; active lines and those lifted.
Some images represent a degree of perfection; most are works in progress; a few present examples of failure or missed opportunity.
CN freight in the snow at Lomira, Wisconsin.
SNCB passenger trains at Ottignies, Belgium on a cloudy morning.
Amador Central backlit in the Sierra foothills in March 1997.
Broadstone Station with LUAS tram, Dublin.
SEPTA Silverliner IVs at Media, Pennsylvania at dusk.
Model train at speed at the Amherst Railway Society train show in West Springfield, Massachusetts.
Portuguese Railways Alfa Pendolino near Santarem on a cloudy evening.
Black & white photo made on film at Bridgeport, Connecticut in December 1986.
Irish Rail IWT Liner at North Wall Yard, Dublin. Portrait view.
Irish Rail 29000 train interior.
Bessemer & Lake Erie at Wallace Junction on the evening of July 22, 1988, exposed with flash on Kodachrome using a Leica M2.
White River Junction, Vermont: Boston & Maine 4-4-0 494 on display.
Amiens Street, Dublin in the fog.
Bord na Mona rail section near Lanesborough, County Longford, Ireland.
Duplainville, Wisconsin.
Bord na Mona empties near Lanesborough, County Longford, Ireland.
Quantification isn’t the best approach. Yet, I like to consider various elements of the railway scene when reviewing my photography.
I realize that many photographers focus their work on those elements that grip their interest.
In my travels, I like to keep my spectrum as broad as possible. I’m always seeking to capture different scenes that relate to the railway as a whole.
Below are some of the many categories covered in my photography and in the posts on Tracking the Light. Undoubtedly some topics are more popular than others.
Tomorrow, Thursday 1 October 2015, I will give a lunchtime presentation to the European Railway Agency’s CME unit at Valenciennes, France on the subject of Railway Photography.
A Paris-Amsterdam Thalys high-speed train glides through Schaerbeek in suburban Brussels. Exposed on Fuji variable ISO color slide film rated at 200 ISO using a Nikon F2 with Tokina 400mm lens.
Below is an outline for my presentation:
Outline
1] Introduction
A] Historical Role of Photography and Railroads
B] Brian’s Background experience: photographer, author and railway scholar
Projects: Southern Pacific 4449 and Donner Pass;
Magazine Work
Book—Stations, Signals, Locomotives, Journeys
2] Approach and Technique
A] Composition:
—Working with depth of field, perspective, elevation
Freshly painted Irish Rail 087 leads the container pocket wagons working as the DFDS Liner on April 3, 2015. The old signal cabin at Cherryville Junction is many years out of service.
Daily Posts are typically available by about 3am Eastern Standard Time (specific posting times vary). Extra posts may be sent out at any time. Many posts feature two or more photos.
In addition there are feeds to Brian Solomon Publishing on Facebook, and also to Tumbler, Google Plus, and Twitter.
I’m often asked, “How do I find trains to photograph?”
CSX’s former Boston & Albany mainline at West Warren on Sunday October 20, 2013. Canon EOS 7D photo.
The short (and not especially enlightening answer) is that I pay close attention to the railway. (Whichever railway I’m photographing). Here are some basic tips:
1) Always pay attention.
2) Carefully study the details of the operation you wish to photograph: Learn when crews are called, how far they normally work, and what is expected of them en route. How long does it take to make a brake test? How long to make a station stop? How long to make a set-out or pick-up? Where are passing sidings and what are the distances between them. Learn about train weights, locomotive performance, and rates of acceleration and braking. Learn grade profiles and how these can affect train speeds. Find out about slow orders (both temporary and those in the timetable). Keep in mind, a scanner can only help you when you understand the information it provides.
3) Use these details to find out how they may affect when trains run.
4) Learn to distinguish good information from poor information.
5) Never assume anything without good solid information.
6) Don’t assume that everyday is the same (but always learn from the passage of trains, make careful notes as to the times trains pass and how long it takes for them to get between stations, and why.).
7) When interpreting schedules, find out how a specific schedule is to be used by the railway in question.
8) Know what questions to ask, and find the right people to ask.
9) Don’t assume that because someone works for a railroad that they are up to date on operations. Railroaders are like photographers, if three of them answer a question, you’ll get four answers.
10) Don’t expect railroaders to: ‘tell you when the train is coming.’ (see number 9).
11) Remember: on a railway plans will change, trains may be delayed, and no day is ever exactly the same (except in Switzerland).
12) Never assume there isn’t a train coming; you’ll be surprised.
13) When a train passes take the time to learn about it. Was it a regularly scheduled move? Was it an unscheduled extra? Was it running to schedule or was it hours late? Is it scheduled to run daily, three times a week or once a year? IF it runs daily, is it scheduled for the same time every day? If it doesn’t run at the same time, find out why.
14) When nearby a railway always use your ears. LISTEN! One of the best tip-offs that a train is approaching are the sounds it makes. Listen for whistles, engines working upgrade, as well as the sounds of braking, and cars clattering. Listen for switch points being moved or other tips that something may be about to happen.
15) Learn a railroad’s signaling and how its signals are expected to normally work. No two signaling systems are exactly the same. Learn when ‘red’ means a train is coming and ‘green’ means one is not (and vice versa!) Also, when ‘yellow’ means you just missed the train you were hoping to see.
16) Remember, a train is coming (but so is Christmas).
17) Put all of the pieces to puzzle into play.
18) Be patient.
19) Be persistent.
20) Take notes.
21) Accept that everyday is a learning experience.
CSX eastward intermodal freight (probably Q012) passes West Warren, Massachusetts on Sunday morning October 20, 2013. Canon EOS 7D with 40mm Pancake lens. A scanner, detailed knowledge of CSX operations, and patience all helped in executing this image.
More on finding Passenger and Freight trains in future posts.
