Trackside with Erik and Mike Vol. 5: April 5, 2004

[Bergie]

In our new online feature, Trackside with Erik and Mike, Trains.com staff members Erik Bergstrom and Mike Yuhas go trackside and share with you their results, as well as what they’ve learned. In each installment, we’ll include let our users vote on who got the best shot. Read this week’s installment.

[Anonymous]

I voted for #1 because it has more richer colors, both pictures are super good

[mikeyuhas]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Halieus
#1's color looks great on my monitor. The grass in the foreground stood out well, but there's a bit too much dirt there for my taste. [:P] (BTW, is that an arm waving from the lead loco?)

Well Halieus, now that you mention it, it is an arm giving us a friendly wave! Here is a portion of the original photograph, presented at original size:

Cheers,
Mike

[brilondon]

I like the first photograph as it is a deeper coloured and seems more pleasing to my eyes, but I have to where glasses so it may be a mute point.

[Anonymous]

I went for No. 1 precisely because of the color and the immensity of space shown. Sometimes I think that greater detail, as in No. 2, can be sacrificed for showing the hugh empty landscape that the train is traveling through. And sometimes I think that adhering to the thirds principle can be ignored. I like that balance between the deep blue and the beige of the dirt with the train dividing it. Good going for No 1. Besides I don't like washed out skies. I see too much of that all summer long in SW Ohio.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by djjoe

I saved Mike's pic and brightened it up and do like it much better now than Erik's pic (for which I voted). However, I can count only three locos up front , not four. Must still be too dark! Isn't the Warbonnet the third and last loco?

#4 is the CSX, behind the Warbonnet. (It's visible to me in both pictures, but I couldn't recognize the markings from pic 2.)

I was swamped and missed the voting ('til today). After looking at the bigger pictures, had to vote the first one. I didn't like either of the small photos and would have liked some cropping in #1.

#1's color looks great on my monitor. The grass in the foreground stood out well, but there's a bit too much dirt there for my taste. [:P] (BTW, is that an arm waving from the lead loco?)

#2 looks washed out n my monitor and not as "crisp."

[djjoe]

I saved Mike's pic and brightened it up and do like it much better now than Erik's pic (for which I voted). However, I can count only three locos up front , not four. Must still be too dark! Isn't the Warbonnet the third and last loco?

[Mickhall]

Although it appears #2 will win this weeks contest I actually liked #1 because it shows the locomotives in a more natural uncompressed way and the colour saturation is greater. It looks as if it was shot with a normal lens as opposed to a telephoto.

[overall]

I voted for 2 because I liked the perspective better. I thought the color was deeper and richer on 1.

George

[Anonymous]

I like No. 2. There's more color and light. No. 1 could have been a winner if it was taken closer up.

[Sterling1]

Liked No.2, with the train coming head on. No.1 a little dark, but showed the broadside of the locomotives despite the low lighting.

[Anonymous]

i think the second picture looks better. Has land marks . The first one looks like the train is flying. Thanks for your time. L.D.

[Anonymous]

This wasn't as easy as it appears to be for most others. While I first thought #2 was better because you did have the power of the train coming right at you and the train was better framed in the picture, the more I looked at #1 it grew on me. The color of the sky was much more dramatic and with just the sky and bare ground in front the train stands out with no other distractions. Not being as close did not distract from the overall picture. I voted for #1. The last two weeks have both had good shots.

[Anonymous]

Voted for photo no. 2. Although I didn't feel it was a lot better than no. 1. Wasn't hugely impressed with either of them compared to some of the previous photo's in the series.

However, I am enjoying the series immensely, great idea Boys, many thanks.

Andy. Tunbridge Wells, Kent, England.

[Noah Hofrichter]

I liked photo one better because you can see the three different paint schemes of the locomotives well, but i do agree it's too dark.

Noah