I would get rid of the theme other than that it be related to railroads. If the objective is actually to produce the best photograph, why not just let that be the objective? When you require the photo to comply with a specific theme, that becomes a distraction, thus diluting the contest by dividing the objective as follows:
To produce the best quality photograph.
To produce a photograph that best fits the theme.
It is plenty challenging to produce the “perfect” photograph, and the skill of photography is all about #1, so why dilute that objective by adding #2? Fulfilling the theme has nothing to do with the skill of photography. I see the adding of the theme as diluting the purpose for the true objective of producing the best photographic work.
The theme causes the objective to be subject-driven, whereas the best photograph causes the objective to be photographic skill driven.
There is no need for a common theme for the purpose of leveling the playing field. It does not require a theme to choose the winning photograph.
Choosing the best photograph without a theme forces the choice to focus only on the quality of the photograph, which is the ultimate point.
Since a majority of train crews are male - this would be a winner for me!
She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw
rdamon Swimsuit Issue
Swimsuit Issue
Been a while, but I'll see if I can find mine.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.
tree68I like the idea - if there is a problem it is that many don't have the opportunity to go out and shoot a specific theme on command. Personal photo archives might be the summation of various train watching/chasing trips over time and may hold the perfect picture to fit the theme/assignment.
That's the point. Make people get off their butts, and out of the comfort zone of their photo archives. Make them get involved and active - sort of like Pokémon Go! for trains. Add a touch of competitiveness. Will they always get the 100% super fantastical perfect shot? Probably not. Will they get decent photos that they can conform/manipulate to the theme? Sure.
I doubt it would succeed, but it'd be cool if it did.
zugmannThat's if anyone would bother. Maybe they wouldn't. I don't know.
I like the idea - if there is a problem it is that many don't have the opportunity to go out and shoot a specific theme on command. Personal photo archives might be the summation of various train watching/chasing trips over time and may hold the perfect picture to fit the theme/assignment.
That said, some themes could call for a more recent picture - say, "contemporary railroading," while others, "small steam," would more likely be a personal archive event. And that could be part of the assignment.
Unless the theme is "roster shots," I'd discourage such 3/4 view images for that "contemporary railroading" assignment. Force the photographer to use their imagination.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
I would ditch the whole voting thing, period. Doesn't really serve any purpose than to inflate some egos, maybe?
And even just picking a random theme and having people find a photo in their archives that somewhat matches seems pretty anticlimatic. I'd like to see the site do what other photog sites do and have photo assignments - where it makes people go out to shoot new photos that deal with a theme. That's if anyone would bother. Maybe they wouldn't. I don't know.
Or maybe instead of having it a entire forum thing, just solicit photos/essays from select people. Hell, you could just give the whole thing to CopcarSS Chris (if he wanted it).
I haven't taken a pix since the instamatic days. Just not my thing. But I would like to continue to see one line about where and when on each pix. (2010 - Chicago Il. - metra line) Pretty simple and then you can go on ad nauseum about what the photogs want.
You’ve got to be kidding, Brian!
Why don’t you encourage people to petition Union Pacific to bring back the old “Crap Shooter” to Las Vegas from Los Angeles, the train of luck! TRAINS Magazine wants lucky photos, direct from the camera, no cropping, no recomposing adjustments, no nothing. Luck is your great mighty God. Why don’t you just be honest with everybody and say you promote the God of luck? That or change the overall photo submission policies …
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- K.P.’s absolute “theorem” from early, early childhood that he has seen over and over and over again: Those that CAUSE a problem in the first place will act the most violently if questioned or exposed.
I like the idea of including the technical information, as it may be available - even if it is a cell phone picture. Most DSLRs embed that information with the image.
Submitters can certainly write about their own expectations for the shot (what they hoped to achieve), challenges, etc. We don't need a lengthy dissertation about the Podunk & Western - if we want that, there's other sources. Let's hear about waiting for exactly the right light, or the right train, etc. Was the photographer looking for something specific for their shot (again, lighting, etc) or was this a "grab shot?"
I think there's been a decent effort to encourage diversity in topics and approaches - we really don't want week after week of 3/4 shots of steam in the snow. I realize that there aren't usually dozens of entrants, but perhaps focusing on new entrants would be good.
We love to see the work of the regulars, but if Joe Railfan sees his image in the gallery, others may be enticed to submit as well. Might we see some less than stellar entries? Maybe. Or not.
If staff is willing to do it, perhaps revisit old topics. In the announcement of the topic, include the winning image from last time.
I'm looking to make Trackside with Trains better. What started as a conversation and demonstration about photography technique has morphed into almost an afterthought, and our readers deserve better than that. So I want to hear your ideas on how to make Trackside with Trains relevant again. I'm inclined to bring it back to its roots: holding entrants to a higher standard to explain the thoughts and technique that went in to making a photograph, rather than simply writing a caption about what's in a photograph. That, in my estimation, will hopefully begin to teach others about photography and raise the bar for entries. We get a wide range of entries, from seasoned photographers to cell phone snap shooters. My sincere hope is that every can use this as an opportunity to learn again.
Brian Schmidt, Editor, Classic Trains magazine
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