PART TWO - There is always a Shot

 

Finding something interesting in the uninteresting is a sense you will develop as your photography improves.  Photographers develop an ability to capture the atmosphere of a scene even on the bleakest of days.

 

We’ve been taught as photographers to never shoot towards the sun and to be wary of the sun’s position on the subject.  This is important to take into account when composing your photograph.  Unfortunately, as railroad photographers, we’ve also been taught that a photograph taken whenever the sun isn’t shining is not as good as its sunny-day counterpart. 

 

This quite simply is not true.  Sure, the colors don’t pop as much under cloudy skies but think of the diverse photographic opportunities that open up now that the sun is shrouded.  Now, you can successfully shoot on the “shadow side” of the tracks without having the bright sunlight ruin your image.  In addition to new angles, cloudy, rainy, foggy, or snowy days have a different atmosphere – photographs captured in these conditions often make for a more interesting shot because of this.  They show that railways never sleep:  trains are running rain or shine, hot or cold.

 

Take, for example, this article’s cover image of a train’s headlight piercing through an early March blizzard.  I distinctly remember thinking I was crazy to stand out in the blowing snow to capture the moment that the headlights appeared through the whirling drifts.  The 60 MPH winds made standing outside a feat in itself, and the raging gusts made harmless, fluffy snowflakes into abrasive shards, which were being embedded into my jeans by the winds.  I was only outside for about fifteen minutes to capture the shot before I retreated to shelter, but that didn’t stop small drifts of snow from forming around my stationary feet!

They were indeed crazy conditions for photography, but I look back at this image more fondly than most I have captured.  This is one of my favorites not only because it was a memorable moment, but mostly because of what an incredible story it tells of the train crew’s determination and perseverance to battle the storm with the help of an incredible machine.

 

It’s hard to photograph delicate models in adverse weather conditions.  However, with a few tricks and practice, these conditions can be simulated without risking any of your model’s detailed and fragile components.

 

Using appropriate lighting is the key to constructing the setting for your image.  As an example, using a cool, diffused light gives the viewer an impression that your image was shot on an overcast day where the light was flat and the shadows non-existent.  Dimming/brightening the lighting gives hints to the time of day and helps add to the story of your photograph.  It’s important not to forget about the placement of your lights either – If you can’t take your models outdoors, try to emulate the lighting from the sun, ensuring the shadows cast by your models are realistically positioned (Ideally, all shadows should be pointing in the same direction).

 

Shooting models in the dark is especially spectacular if there are lighted buildings, signals, and signs.  Spot-lighting from miniature model streetlamps and traffic lights can be useful to frame your subject in darkened environments.