What is a "railroad photo"?

[wcnut]

Current talks from "Trackside with Erik and Mike, Vol. 35: July 25, 2005" has got me wondering what you consider to be a "railroad photo" to be? Does it have to include the locomitives? Does there even need to be a train, could it be a switch stand? What is your definition and what do you look for when you go out to shoot? Just curious what everyone out there thinks!

Greg
"wcnut"

[espeefoamer]

There has to be a train in the photo[}:)]!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by wcnut

Does it have to include the locomitives? Does there even need to be a train, could it be a switch stand? What is your definition and what do you look for when you go out to shoot? Just curious what everyone out there thinks!
Greg
"wcnut"

It's an individual thing. Many as espeefoamer states consider a train in the photo a must. But many others also enjoy, railroad structures like depots, bridges, signal, tracks, signs, people and freight cars as railroad photos. Here is one I took, we were having picnic lunch off of I-40 in New Mexico, no trains, but the crossbucks and clouds with storm lighting caused me to fire off a shot. Its an 8x10 framed matted print in my home/office. I like it, so do others.

[fuzzybroken]

Neat topic!

I would say that a "train photo" would have to have some kind of train in it. A "railroad photo" would have to have some kind of railroad in it!

-Mark
www.fuzzyworld3.com <- plenty of "railroad photos" there!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by fuzzybroken

Neat topic!

I would say that a "train photo" would have to have some kind of train in it. A "railroad photo" would have to have some kind of railroad in it!

-Mark
www.fuzzyworld3.com <- plenty of "railroad photos" there!

Mark,

I see you have a nice selection of railroad photos, and within that a equally nice set of train photos. Thanks I enjoyed your web site.

Jim

[fuzzybroken]

It's always fun checking out my site statistics and seeing where visitors come from. Lots of search engine hits (mostly MSN with a little Yahoo and Google), but mostly visitors from the forums and groups that I post to. I have lots of stuff to update as well! Thanks to all who visit, and especially those who let me know how much they enjoy it! [:D]

Happy day,
-Mark
www.fuzzyworld3.com

[DanRaitz]

I would say that a "railroad photo" would be a photo of any railroad related item.
Be it a locomotive, freightcar, depot, signal, bridge, etc.

Dan

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by fuzzybroken

It's always fun checking out my site statistics and seeing where visitors come from. Lots of search engine hits (mostly MSN with a little Yahoo and Google), but mostly visitors from the forums and groups that I post to.

Mark,

I have a website too, its about some logging railroads in Northeastern California, and I also enjoy seeing where people come from, I get a lot of visits, about 20% from overseas.

Jim

[Dayliner]

Many years ago (back in the seventies, I think) Trains ran a photo feature entitled "Must railroad pictures always include trains?" Three or four pages at least of really good railroad photography, and not a single train. My answer to the question asked by that feature has always been "no". I don't go railfanning these days, but when I did it was usually around lightly-used branch lines, so I was bound to be disappointed if I thought all my pictures had to have trains in them. There's so much more than trains to any railroad operation, and so much of it is highly evocative--just check out SP9033's photo above.

[Anonymous]

A "railroad picture" only has to deal with railroading and doesn't necessarily include a train or locomotive.

However, given the sentiments voiced here, Eric and Mike would be nuts to submit a photo that DOESN'T have a train on it!

Maybe sometime they could both compete on this challenge: your best photo about modern railroading that doesn't include loco, cars, or full train.

Could we tolerate those instructions maybe just one time?

Allen

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by smalling_60626

A "railroad picture" only has to deal with railroading and doesn't necessarily include a train or locomotive.

However, given the sentiments voiced here, Eric and Mike would be nuts to submit a photo that DOESN'T have a train on it!

Maybe sometime they could both compete on this challenge: your best photo about modern railroading that doesn't include loco, cars, or full train.

Could we tolerate those instructions maybe just one time?

Allen

Allen,

Yep, that would be a good thing. If one looks through magazine articles and books a balance of different photographs usually adds to the piece. A steady diet of same-ness bores most of us. Even in a annual roster book, a sprinkling of scenic and people shots (people with the equipment) brings an additional facet to the work. Anyway, that's my thinking.

Jim