8451 West
If you disturb a locomotive in its native habitat, it will sound its horn at you, loud and angrily.
Very loudly. Very angrily....
Read more
If you disturb a locomotive in its native habitat, it will sound its horn at you, loud and angrily.
Very loudly. Very angrily.
Read less
Very loudly. Very angrily.
Read less
Jul, 2013Views
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Superb Composition
Peer Award
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Absolute Masterpiece
Outstanding Creativity
Magnificent Capture
All Star
Exceptional Contrast
Superior Skill
Jaw Dropping
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
I shot this photo at a triple track crossing somewhere in the middle of rural Nebraska. I can't tell you where exactly without some serious detective work. I take an annual cross country trip, just myself and my camera, for a few weeks or more. This particular day, I was crossing Nebraska, being paced by a particularly lethargic summer storm. Once the lightning activity started to pick up, I exited the interstate and started exploring backroads looking for a suitable location, which led me here.Time
I started out in late afternoon, as the storm seemed to peak, and shot well into sunset. This particular photo was perhaps 4 or 5 pm.Lighting
The lighting was exactly what you'd expect from an overcast day: no sharp contrasts, good even lighting.Equipment
This photo was shot with a Canon 7D, mounting a Tokina 12-24mm F4 lens, on a tripod.Inspiration
The train driver was on his horn like I was Flash Gordon and he was Ming the Merciless attempting to blast me back into the Stone Age. Ostensibly he was irritated that I was too close to the tracks, and wanted to express such, but I'm sticking with the Flash Gordon scenario. He made sure I knew he was coming, so I rewarded him by trying to get his mug shot as he passed.Editing
Post processing in Lightroom is a crop, contrast adjustments, and a selection of dodging and burning to enhance color and details, plus a clarity adjustment.In my camera bag
On a road trip, I'm packing a tripod, a variety of zoom, wide, and prime lenses, and a set of neutral gradient filters and mounting kit.Feedback
Earplugs aren't a bad thing to keep in your bag. They're small, and you can tuck them almost anywhere. Otherwise, be prepared to handle the sky blowing out your shots. I use neutral gradient filters to knock down the sky's brightness and give me more control of my exposure, without having to resort to HDR and other post processing tricks to get the exposure I want.
