Prince Train
Jan, 2016Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
A small, rural town called McCreery, West Virginia...the community's train bridge seen here sits loftily above a narrow portion of The New River, which is one of the great wonders we have here in our wild and wonderful state. I used to go camping near here as a child, now as an adult; I love to revisit some of the spots from my past.Time
This image was captured in the late evening, just before sunset, during the first changing of leaves of our beautiful fall seasons we get here in West Virginia. I have always loved the fall, especially in my home state. The crisp bite of the air, the feeling in the changing wind patterns, and the smell of the trees shedding their summer blooms is something magical.Lighting
The lighting actually would've been quite dreadful for anything other than a monochromatic image in this frame. This day was growing quite overcast from an incoming storm, and it was already near sunset - but I felt that the lighting in this as a classic black and white would show the natural tones of the rustic bridge and just how historic this landmark really is, at least to me and others in the area.Equipment
This was shot on my trusty Canon Rebel t3i, using a standard 18-55mm lens - and I actually used the train rail itself to balance the frame, getting a unique angle and perspective on the rails leading through the bridge structure.Inspiration
I love showing off the historic and natural scenery of my home state, especially the ones off the beaten path in our more rural areas - such as this one. There is still a certain magic and mystery to be held from exploring these still standing structures of our ancestors.Editing
Actually, this image was shot as-is - with no post-processing or editing. I usually try to shoot as naturally as possible to capture the tones from what I see with my own eyes, and transfer that through my camera's lens.In my camera bag
I carry a very compact kit with me when I shoot, which consists of my Canon t3i, a macro lens (18-55mm) a standard kit lens (55-80mm) and a third small zoom lens (80-200mm) in which I have a pretty simple three-step focal length system. I also carry a backup battery pack, as well as a 200E Speedlite Canon flash, and a homemade snoot which I use very rarely unless I need to throw some extra lighting on a model or darker subject.Feedback
Explore your surroundings, and when you find a subject that appeals to you - don't just shoot as you see it with your eye-level. Try getting into different positions to change your perspective. A simple change of angle in your frame will show dramatic changes. I can't tell you how many images I've shot over the years that I hated, until I looked back over them and thought "if I had just shot this same frame from a slightly different perspective, it would've been a great image" That's my single greatest advice to give any photographer out there - don't ever stop shooting, and don't ever stop exploring different angles and perspectives. Simple adjustments can go a long way to add interest to your images.
