Canadian Pacific's former Iowa, Chicago & Eastern SD40-2 No. 6404, named the "City of Everly," crosses the Menomonee River in Milwaukee, Wis. Canon EOS 30D, 7/7/2011, 1/800 sec. f/7.1, ISO 400, 39mm. Drew Halverson photo
That right there is my favorite shot of the month so far! The whole reason I took on this rail photo challenge was to find new perspectives within the territory I thought I knew so well. Last night, I explored three different locations I had always wanted to check out, and this place paid off big time.
What I like:
The late summer light, the reflection, the stone wall canyon covered in trees, the leader, you name it! This location is very shaded, but the light shows where it counts, right on the face of Canadian Pacific's ex-Iowa, Chicago & Eastern No. 6404.
What I don't like:
I'm still trying to find something, I really am ...
What I learned:
Finding new locations is challenging, but rewarding. And, sometimes you need good people skills. After I bagged this shot, I headed over to the Union Pacific line through Milwaukee, which I had seen, but never investigated. The spot I needed to shoot from was on private property, in someone's backyard. I introduced myself to the woman, who was out watering her flowers, and asked for permission to check out a vantage point. She kindly allowed me to check things out. Unfortunately, the spot was too consumed by trees, so I had to retreat. The lesson I learned is if there's a photo spot on private property, just ask for permission. The worst case is you get asked to leave. The best outcome: you end up with a nice photograph, and you send a print to the person who gave you the opportunity.
Have a great weekend everyone, and follow me on Twitter @TrainsMagazine for the latest updates on my Fantastic Photo Adventure.
Galleries:
Flickr: "Drew's Fantastic Train Photo Adventure, 2011" Facebook: Trains Magazine Facebook Page
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