Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. So if you find joy in these pictures, that\u2019s up to you. But these are not the images I would normally display. In fact, typically I\u2019d erase them.<\/p>\n
Today, I\u2019m showing them for several reasons.<\/p>\n
- \n
- They are not what I intended to achieve.<\/li>\n
- They offer good learning examples of what to avoid.<\/li>\n
- They might aid\u00a0novice photographers recognize flaws in their own technique.<\/li>\n
- I think you might find them amusing.<\/li>\n
- Someone might get rattled and write me a diatribe (for free!)<\/li>\n
- They disprove a fallacy that every image I make is suitable for publication.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
So what went wrong?
\nRead the captions an find out:<\/p>\n![\"This](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/briansolomon.com\/trackingthelight\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Worst_photo_category_DSCF2283.jpg?resize=474%2C316\")
<\/a>This was part of a panning sequence. To achieve the effect of a train in motion, I\u2019d selected a relatively slow shutter speed and panned the Flirt railcar as it passed at speed. This image was exposed too late. The train is too far away, and instead of capturing the train in motion, all I managed to do was blur the entire image. That\u2019s one for the trash!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n ![\"Another](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/briansolomon.com\/trackingthelight\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Worst_Railway_Photo_DSCF2713.jpg?resize=474%2C316\")
<\/a>Another example of a Stadler Flirt photo gone amiss: The bright white train momentarily confused the autofocus system on my FujiFilm X-T1. Instead of selecting an appropriate focus point, the system was hunting for focus when I released the shutter. The result is totally out of focus. Compare the effect of being out focus with that of the above image, which is suffering from motion blur. These are distinct characteristics. While I often use selective focus and motion blur to positive advantage, here they\u2019ve ruined otherwise fine images. If you want to see nicer photos of Stadler Flirts,\u00a0see: http:\/\/wp.me\/p2BVuC-3f7<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n ![\"We](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/briansolomon.com\/trackingthelight\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/Worst_RR-photo_P1310676.jpg?resize=474%2C317\")
<\/a>We were getting ready to depart for another location when I heard a diesel working northward. I grabbed my Lumix LX7 and went to make a photo, except the train was too close by the time I released the shutter. What\u2019s wrong with this photo? Practically everything! I had the camera set wrong so the shutter speed was too slow. My angle was too tight to the tracks. The train is too close. I cut the top off the engine. The lighting angle is completely wrong (looking into hard mid-morning sun). And to make matters worse, I shook the camera adding extra motion blur to an already bad image. Also, I\u2019m positioned under a roadway that cast a shadow on the front of the train. (Despite all these flaws, I actually was delighted with the photo. It\u2019s so bad, its funny!)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n Tracking the Light normally publishes quality images on a daily basis, <\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n
today’s is the exception<\/span> to the rule.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Who says? Me. I\u2019m not picking on anyone. I\u2019m not highlighting lack of talent. These are my photos, and I say they\u2019re awful. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. So if you find joy in these pictures, that\u2019s up to you. But these are not the images I would normally display. In … Continue reading Downright Awful Railroad Photos<\/span>