{"id":2,"date":"2012-07-19T19:23:03","date_gmt":"2012-07-19T19:23:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/02c2278.netsolhost.com\/\/trackingthelight\/?page_id=2"},"modified":"2026-06-10T14:40:37","modified_gmt":"2026-06-10T18:40:37","slug":"sample-page","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/briansolomon.com\/trackingthelight\/sample-page\/","title":{"rendered":"Welcome to Tracking the Light"},"content":{"rendered":"

Welcome to Brian Solomon’s Exploration of Railway Photography!<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Tracking the Light posts new material daily.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"K\u00f6ln<\/a>
K\u00f6ln Hbf in August 1998, exposed on Ilford HP5.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n


\n<\/em>A few words from the author:<\/h3>\n

I\u2019ve been making railway photographs since the days of\u00a0black & white film<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Kodachrome slides<\/a>. This passion, this obsession\u2014I inherited from my father and it’s something I share with many friends.<\/p>\n

This is more than a casual pursuit; for more than 20 years, I \u00a0built a career on railway publishing that blended my knowledge of railways with photography and writing skills. One project at time (although often over-lapping), as an author and photographer I\u2019ve participated in more than 70 books. I enjoy sharing photographs, the stories behind them, and how I made them with my friends and readers. Since 2019, I’ve served as the Manager of Marketing for New Hampshire’s Conway Scenic Railroad.<\/p>\n

In Tracking the Light, I am to highlight the tools, tricks, techniques and other means of making compelling images.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Connecticut Company car 1326 in the Tunnel of Lights. FujiFilm X-T1 with 18-135mm lens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Approaching<\/a>
CNJ 113 approaching Minersville, Pennsylvania. Exposed with a\u00a0FujiFilm X-T1 digital camera.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Important, yet subtle compositional elements at work.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Tralee, Co. Kerry, Ireland. The Munster Double\u2014October 2017. FujiFilm XT1 digital camera with 28-135mm lens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Exposed on Fujichrome slide film using a Nikon F3 with 180mm Nikkor lens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Irish<\/a>
Irish Rail 088 leads the HOBS near Islandbridge in Dublin on July 30, 2014. Exposed with a Canon EOS 7D with 100mm lens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Genesee<\/a>
Richard J. Solomon (at left) exposes a short video clip as New England Central job 610 passes Stafford Springs, Connecticut on October 28, 2013. Canon EOS 7D fitted with 20mm lens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
July 22, 2017; CSX at West Warren, Massachusetts, exposed on Kodak Tri-X using a Leica 3A with 21mm lens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A few words from the site’s author:<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been making railway photographs since the days of black & white film<\/a> and Kodachrome slides<\/a>. This passion, this obsession\u2014I inherited from my father and it’s something I share with many friends.<\/p>\n

This is more than a casual pursuit; for the last 20\u00a0years, I\u2019ve earned the majority of my income as a result of railway publishing, a career that blends my knowledge of railways with photography and writing skills. One project at a time (although often over-lapping), as an author and photographer I\u2019ve participated in more than 60 books. I enjoy sharing photographs, the stories behind them, and how I made them with my friends and readers.<\/p>\n

I highlight the tools, tricks, techniques and other means of making \u00a0compelling images.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
WHOOPS! Not every photo wins a prize. If you miss an ordinary train, well you can try again. Miss a rare special move, you might feel like giving up and taking up something passive, like bus spotting. If you think your camera is the cause of the problem, don’t blame yourself, get a better camera! Tracking the Light offers advice and practical tips on how to make better photos.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Kodak Tri-X processed in Ilford Perceptol 1-1 with water for 8 minutes at 70F, then toned in Selenium for 7 minutes. Negatives rinsed, washed, dry and scanned in color using an Epson V750 Pro.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"GP40s<\/a>
On October 9, 2004, Vermont Rail System freight 263 is near the summit of the old Rutland Railroad near Mt Holly, Vermont.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Metro<\/a>
Metro North conductor gives train 6538 the highball at Green’s Farms, Connecticut, November 2015.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Wide-angle views with grainy black & white film screams late 1960s to me.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Exposed with a FujiFilm X-T1 using the external adjustable rear display panel to compose the image while holding the camera close to the ground.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Lightroom work panel showing the positions of slider controls.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Railway<\/a>
On July 24, 1997, a Cape Breton & Central Nova Scotia freight rolls west at Cape Jack along the Gulf of the St. Lawrence.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"TTC<\/a>
TTC Streetcar at corner of King and Queen Streets, Sunnyside, Toronto, February 8, 2010.
Digital image exposed with a Lumix LX-3 set at ISO 80.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

See: Toronto, February 8, 2010.<\/a><\/p>\n

\"GO<\/a>
Eastward GO Transit trains near Sunnyside at sunset on February 8, 2010. Canon EOS-3 with 100-400 zoom; Fujichrome RVP-100. See: Toronto, February 8, 2010.<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Southern Pacific 4449\u2014Lima 4-8-4, passes Hooker Creek, California in 1991.
Exposed on Kodachrome 25 slide film with a Nikon F3T fitted 35mm PC lens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There is no one \u2018correct’ way to make photographs, although there are techniques that, once mastered, tend to yield pleasing results. I hope to expand upon those themes in these internet essays by telling the stories behind the pictures, as well as sharing the pictures themselves.<\/p>\n

Subscribe to Tracking the Light<\/strong><\/p>\n

Click the ‘reply’ button\/go to the ‘Leave a Reply’ box at the bottom of the page; then tick the box: ‘Check here to Subscribe’ to notifications for new posts’.<\/p>\n

Tracking the Light\u00a0is a work in progress; \u00a0I typically add new material on a weekly basis or as events and image present themselves.<\/p>\n

Check out: Brian Solomon Publishing<\/a> on Facebook:<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/BrianSolomonAuthor<\/a><\/p>\n

Tell your friends about Tracking the Light!<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Exposed<\/a>
Exposed with a Canon EOS 7D with 200mm lens set at ISO 400, f9 at 1\/500th of a second. White balance set to \u2018daylight\u2019 to avoid allowing the camera to balance for sunset conditions which would have minimized the reddish-orange effect of sunset.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"New<\/a>
New England Central’s southward freight approaches Mansfield Depot, Connecticut. Digital photo exposed using Canon 7D with f2.8 200mm lens; ISO f5.6 at 1\/1000 second.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Searchlight<\/a>
Searchlight signal at Brookfield, Wisconsin exposed with a Nikon F3T with f1.8 105mm lens on Fuji Provia 100 film.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Trailing<\/a>
Trailing view of R&N’s no-GP30 disguises the true nature of the day’s excursion. This could easily pass as a R&N freight. FujiFilm X-T1 photo.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"New_York_Subway_Lexington_Ave_P1350610\"<\/a><\/p>\n

\"LUAS<\/a>
LUAS on Abbey Street. Four Courts. October 2013. Exposed with Canon EOS 7D with 100mm lens.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Blue<\/a>
Mass-Central 1751 leads the northward freight at Forest Lake, north of Thorndike, Massachusetts on October 24, 2013. Canon 7D photo.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"It's<\/a>
It’s what they call a ‘hail mary shot.’ New England Central 611 rolls north at East Northfield, Massachusetts in a fading glimmer of October sun. Photo processed digitally to lower contrast, increase saturation, and improve color balance. FujiFilm X-T1 photo Exposed on October 29, 2015 at East Northfield, Massachusetts.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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