Last weekend Santa Fe Steam Engine 3751 made a trip to San Diego. It pulled 24 vintage cars. I only got a couple pics of the actual steam engine coming in, and missed the perfect focus to boot. But I did have a great time when it broke down right down the street from me and had to unhook the cars for a while. ;-)
I got too excited and started shooting when the train was too far in the distance. I was shooting raw and the buffer filled up and paused, right at the spot that I had prefocused on! Errgh. Oh well, here is the not so well focused shot of it coming in.


I realize this is funky pp and not to everyones taste but it is just what I had in mind when I snapped this shot.


Step right up..


A break at the destination stop


The light was in the wrong spot from my vantage and the reflections were intense, no polarizer but I'm not sure it would have made any difference. Everything on the road behind me is reflected in the windows.


This fella was more than happy to give me a smile for the camera.


The vintage cars were awesome!


There are 79 photos in the gallery I put up. Here is the link:
http://laree.zenfolio.com/img/v4/p102567785-4.jpg

I like the slide show...
LaRee

Hope you enjoy something here!

....... but #3 does it for me. There's something about that shot....can't put a finger on it, but I like it. Really good series. Makes me wish we had something like that around here...

Alan, I think I know what you can't put your finger on.
In fact, I think it's two things. 1) The perspective is exactly as it would be if you were waiting to get aboard, it's inviting. 2) This may be me just getting deep but it's the palm tree seen through the doorway. The Lion, the witch and the wardrobe effect emphasis on the wardrobe. Looking through to another world.
OK, bring the straightjacket.

[LaRee]

And thank you for the comments. Gary, the last image I posted here is tweaked a lot already, but I guess I could play with twisting it a bit more.
The porter in the Pullman car I had to really work on in pp. I replaced the blown out sky with a gradient blue but the car itself was all blown out to the left of the man. I had to paint it back in and clone the rivets back in. I'd have to do a better job if I wanted to print it as it is rough at the moment.

Al, after this experience I envy your friend being paid to ride and shoot the trains in Colorado. What a great experience that must have been!

Ken, thank you for checking out the slide show. The boy is my youngest son. When I saw him standing in front of the car with the stick in his hand (the boy always picks up a stick if there is one around) I had to take a shot. I had to do it quickly as it was a fluke that there weren't other people in the shot. It turned out to be one of my favorites too but I thought it was mostly because of the emotions photos of this little guy evoke in me.

Gary, you are very perceptive. I wanted a photo of a palm tree with the train. When I saw this through the window of the car I was pleased. I had to burn it in a bit as it was quite blown out but I think it came together pretty well considering. I am glad that you and Ken appreciated that one.

Again, thank you to each of you for posting comments. I am happy with this set I came away with from this event and it is great to get feedback.

................. I am glad that you and Ken appreciated that one.

Thanks Laree, BTW, it was Alan not Ken.

[PFH]

Great shots, thanks for sharing. I also liked the slide show.

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Last edited by PFH; 10-03-2008 at 01:22 PM.

[maxwell1295]

Alan, I think I know what you can't put your finger on.
In fact, I think it's two things. 1) The perspective is exactly as it would be if you were waiting to get aboard, it's inviting. 2) This may be me just getting deep but it's the palm tree seen through the doorway. The Lion, the witch and the wardrobe effect emphasis on the wardrobe. Looking through to another world.
OK, bring the straightjacket.

What size?

It probably jumped out at me because I find myself seeing things that way. I probably would've taken that same shot. Funny that's it's happened with LaRee before and Rosemary as well. Maybe I just shoot like a girl.

I tend to see things in parts.....probably from taking things apart and rebuilding them. I think the fact that I'm a tinkerer makes me look at the pieces and how they're put together, so I end up focusing on the parts instead of the whole.

That's my theory anyway.....maybe I'm the one in need of that straight jacket. Should I order two?

[gawan]

Great series, LaRee! I really like them all!

[LaRee]

What size?

It probably jumped out at me because I find myself seeing things that way. I probably would've taken that same shot. Funny that's it's happened with LaRee before and Rosemary as well. Maybe I just shoot like a girl.

I tend to see things in parts.....probably from taking things apart and rebuilding them. I think the fact that I'm a tinkerer makes me look at the pieces and how they're put together, so I end up focusing on the parts instead of the whole.

That's my theory anyway.....maybe I'm the one in need of that straight jacket. Should I order two?

Well, if you need a straight jacket then I definitely do. I happen to really like the way you shoot.

Great series, LaRee! I really like them all!

Thank you kindly Georg.

[chubasco]

Great series, love the "Step Right Up!" shot.

Bill