Trackside with Erik and Mike, Vol. 45: January 16, 2006

[Bergie]

This week's installment of Trackside with Erik and Mike is now live within the Railroading section on the Trains.com home page. Please read this week's column first then vote for your favorite photo below. Click here to read Trackside with Erik and Mike Vol. 45.

[Anonymous]

I like Mike's night shot best, even with the grain. His daytime shot is too plain. Eric's also has its flaws, but it shows the actions and the night lighting is quite good. The camera (or maybe the photographer) handled a difficult lighting situation well.

[Chris Owens]

Hands down, A real Train over a scale!!

[DICKK]

I voted for mike because I like real full size trains. Even so, Eriks photo was good and gives up and coming rail fans a place to start.

[Anonymous]

I liked Mike's night shot also. Very decent considering the conditions. Keep up the good work!

[Anonymous]

I like real trains, however both are good pictures, I voted for Mike's photo.
Would any of you like mud pictures from Washington State we are awash in water at 29 straight days of wet stuff.

[Bergie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Chris Owens

Hands down, A real Train over a scale!!

Did you not read my narrative in the column? Think about photography, not just the subject.

Erik

[Bergie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by DICKK

I voted for mike because I like real full size trains. Even so, Eriks photo was good and gives up and coming rail fans a place to start.

Did he just call me an up and coming rail fan? [:o)]

Erik

[Anonymous]

I also liked Mike's night shot the best. I voted for Mike's photo because I like full size trains the best for the contest.

[mooman]

I liked Eric's photo. The picture of the steam coming up was a great shot. Like you said, Eric, look at the shot not what the subject is.

[trainboyH16-44]

I'm always amazed that this is the palce where a lot of people have their first posts!
I like Bergie's photo, it's just so much more colourful and interesting..The CP shot is just so drab, eh?

[CopCarSS]

Mike! What are you doing? I would have had a terrible time picking between you two if you had used your other shot! As it is, the lighting of the night shot is so moody that it wins hands down.

We also get a sense of people in the Erik's shot as well. It tells a story...note the little kid in the first gon. Can you imagine riding behind a live steam engine, just his size? The anticipation is obviously building as they are loading into the cars, but haven't left the station, yet. Ohhhh...I like it Bergie!

BTW, Mike. Noise Ninja and other similar Photoshop plug-ins can help with the noise. And, if you're willing to go another route, convert the image to B&W, and leave the noise as is. Voila! It's like you're shooting Tri-X. I never liked 35mm Tri-X during the daytime, but for some reason, grain in night shots like yours always seems to work for me.

[Anonymous]

Sorry Erik,

I gotta go with the "real" train.

[emddd40x]

I voted for Mike, not because of the fact that it's a full size locomotive. I chose because, for me, what detracted from Eric's photo was the glare of the station lights. Maybe a polerizing filter might help? In Mike's shot, there's just enough light on the rails from the ditch lights to let you know that it's not just a gloomy day, it's late on a gloomy day.
That's my two cents.

[Anonymous]

To me, the scale model looked sort of childish. After a few minutes of looking at Erik's shot, I pretty much made up my mind to vote for Mike's shot.