Train Travel Photography

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My wife and I will be making a lengthy train trip through the south, midwest, and far west. My M6-TTL will accompany us. What lenses, film, filters, techniques, etc., are suggested for making photos of the passing landscape from inside the train? Thanks to all.

-- Max Wall (mtwall@earthlink.net), July 16, 2001

Answers

Max,

What lenses do you have to work with? Of my outfit I would take (suprise!) all my current lenses. 24 mm elmarit for environmentals, 35 summicron for snapshots, 50 summicron for snapshots (different perspective), and 75 summilux for portraits. On two bodies of course. If I were to choose only 1 lens and I only had the 0.72 body it would be my first set-up. 0.72 TTL + Tri-Elmar. If you can get the polarizer (universal) then it is probably your most useful filter. Film wise, I would go with Fuji Velvia (for landscapes) or Fuji Provia F (for portraits). Even at ISO 50 there should be enough light to shoot during the day with an F4 lens. Of the B&W films I would restrict myself to either Ilford Pan F or HP5+. Delta 400 would be tempting. Bring a flash too. And don't forget the microfiber cloths... in the dusty midwest you need something to habitually clean the front element of your lens at all times.

Cheers and God-speed,

John.

-- John (ouroboros_2001@yahoo.com), July 16, 2001.


Max,

I lived in Europe and Asia for many years, and train travel is very common there. To be honest... you can shoot from a train, but I doubt that you will have one of those photos hanging over the fire place after the trip.

You have two things to fight. First and of course most obvious subject movement (actually photographer movement). Shooting at a long range will help for a couple of reasons. Things at infinity are moving less abruptly (relatively) than things close to the window. If you are shooting at infinity, not needing to worry about depth of field, the aperture can be kept more open, and you can keep your shutterspeed dial up around 1/1000th.

The thing that really frustrated me most is I am a control freak for tweaking my compositions, and here you are at the mercy of the train's tracks. I have had many shots ruined by an obstruction that suddenly materialized after I composed for a distant vista. Trees, rocks and other trains (on opposite tracks) come up fast, while your eye is looking through the finder. I have more great shots in my mind than on film. It is hard to anticipate while looking out of a side window, and by the time you say, "Wow! Look at that!", it has passed. In the west, you will have a better chance due to the long range between sights. One compositional tool I do use is to get some of the train, (like a window frame in silhouette), in the frame, just to show it in context, or to frame a distant scene.

Lenses will depend on where you are, but I'd just go with a 35mm or 50mm to keep things simple. Like I said, you are not going to be playing Ansel Adams, getting your shot perfect before pressing the shutter release. I am a committed still photographer, but I can see where the argument might be made that video would offer a better chance to capture the "feeling" of the trip. During your stops, try to get out from the stations and shoot some of the local environments under a more relaxed pace.

Have a great trip!

-- Al Smith (smith58@msn.com), July 16, 2001.


After giving up on shooting senics from a moving car, if it were me, I would limit myself to shooting things that are happening inside the train. But then again, I like people photography and would see it as a way to get better at shooting people up close and personal.

-- Josh Root (rootj@att.net), July 16, 2001.

I agree with most of what was said above. You're not going to get tack-sharp, well-composed scenic shots through the (dirty/clean?) window of a moving train. If you've got a camcorder, or always wanted one, now's the time. I travelled from Budapest to Vienna and on to Prague by train and I didn't bother wasting film, I just sat back and enjoyed the view while my wife was busy draining the batteries in her DV mini-camcorder. I took a few shots especially to emphasize the motion of the train, and included some of the train interior in the (wide-angle) shots. I also did some fast grab-shots at various platforms when the train was stopped. I will never take one of those observation-dome-car traintrips like they run through the Canadian NW, because I'd be a babbling, nervous wreck watching all those shots pass before my eyes un-photographable.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), July 16, 2001.

I've photographed from moving trains in the U.S., Canada, Germany, Switzerland and Scandanavia.

I've always used Kodachrome 25! However, I'd now use an ISO 100 E6 film.

I've had success using both Leica M's and an SL/2. The M's work better because you can see what's coming into view. On the other hand, the best results I've had were with the SL/2 and a 60 Macro Elmarit.

For interior shots, the best lens I've seen was a 15mm Minolta (boy can you have fun with that lens in a compartment full of strangers).

I always look for an opportunity to shoot from an opening from the train rather than through dirty windows. I also recommend avoiding lenses shorter than 50mm for scenics (unless you are going to crop the results). As I said, I like the results from the 60 better than other focal lengths. I'd love to try a 75 Summilux.

Using a polarizer might be a bit difficult and with color reversal films, you wouldn't have a need for other filters.

-- Bud (budcook@attglobal.net), July 16, 2001.



Max:

Forget what equipment you alread have, what equipment would you like to have? A trip like this is the perfect excuse (like we all need one) to purchase some additional equipment.

I love my 12mm Voigtlander - not for tricks of perspective but for extreme wide-angle shots. They look like you could step right out into them. I also love my 3E (first version). I'm presently light on telephotos save for my 90 Summicron (last non-Asph version) so I can't recomment much there.

-- mark (mramra@qwest.net), July 16, 2001.


Thanks, everyone. I have a 35/2 SUMMICRON-M ASPH; a 50/1.4 SUMMILUX-M ASPH; and a thirty-year old 90/2 SUMMICRON. From the responses to my earlier question (My Next Lens), I have decided to purchase, before the trip, a 21mm f/2.8 ELMARIT-M ASPH. We will spend most of the time aboard the train, except for three days in Carmel/Monterey, CA. I understand the stations in Chicago and Los Angeles are very attractive, so I will have photographic opportunities in those locations. Additional suggestions are appreciated.

-- Max Wall (mtwall@earthlink.net), July 16, 2001.

HD-B's pictures from train windows are among his few failures. Walker Evans, on the other hand, did a whole excellent article for Fortune Magazine. I believe that he just used a normal focal length lens.

-- Bill Mitchell (bmitch@home.com), July 16, 2001.

HC-B's pictures from train windows are among his few failures. Walker Evans, on the other hand, did a whole excellent article for Fortune Magazine. I believe that he just used a normal focal length lens.

-- Bill Mitchell (bmitch@home.com), July 16, 2001.

have you seen how the 24 asph works, is a beauty, check it up before you buy your 21, on the other hand I would go with a single lens, and the trick will be to solve all your shoots with it, at the end of the trip you will have leared a lot about prespective, and the same fun, the 35 seems for me to the the lens for your trip, imagine you inside a cabinet, the closeness to your mate, the ligth trough the train window, a waiter in his withe jacket getting into your cabinet, your wife waking up with the morning sun on her face, forget about focal lengths, fix on one and concentrate on images, well sorry I got a little excited, have fun, and tell us your stories when you return. good luck.

-- r watson (al1231234@hotmail.com), July 16, 2001.


I agree that a 50 (or even a 90) would be better than a wide-angle for shooting from the moving train, in order to avoid forgrounds filled with extraneous stuff like telephone poles, the roadbed, and so on that's likely to be near the tracks. By the sunny 16 rule, using ISO 100 film, frontally lit subjects on a clear day can be taken around 1/1000 at 4 1/2 on reasonably smooth sections of track. But for more challenging light, I would have some faster films available. The train windows might be tinted, costing a stop or so of light loss. Just in case there's any green in the tint color, you might like to have a skylight filter or even a Tiffen 812 filter to get some correction.

I would still bring a wide-angle lens for some shots of the train interior. A 35mm Summilux would be useful, in order to deal with the lower light levels inside while maintaining a high shutter speed. Then again the new 28mm f/2 ASPH might be a thought. Though I don't think the advantage of an ASPH will be realized under these conditions, it would be good to have the speed.

Bon Voyage!

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), July 16, 2001.


Also, the desert landscape really comes into its own at sunset and even after sunset. So don't forget some faster films. I tried a couple rolls of Provia 400 recently and was pleased.

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), July 16, 2001.

Max: Good suggestions and decisions so far...

You might want to look up a copy of Steve McCurry's book on the Railways of India for picture ideas - he used Nikon, but a 21/35/50/90 combo would come very close to covering most of what he shot, and especially the best pictures. In the right setting and light you might WANT the telephone poles (or shanties or whatever along the tracks) visible in the foreground, so don't stint the wide-angles for landscapes.

Best tool will not be equipment but preparation - do a little research to find out where the various kinds of landscape will be and what time of day you will be passing (assuming the train is on time). Use maps and timetables and maybe some tourist websites to find out what will be open desert and what will be closed-in mountain terrain and have an idea of what lens you'll want most available (and then have the others JUST as available!)

Union Station in Chicago is/will be a good subject - but also (if time allows) explore just outside the station - it sits along the Chicago River, surrounded by some of the newest architecture in the city, and in the shadow of the Sears Tower. Dig out that new 21!!

Also don't forget the industrial landscape (a la Evans). You'll see lots of that getting into and out of Chicago - a complete visual history of the bridge engineer's art in one hour. Are you taking the route from Chicago to N'awlins (as in 'City of N'awlins')? Watch for hot, hazy summer sunsets across the cornfields around Kankakee/ Champaign. With barns and without. The 90 will be good; so will the 50, 35, and 21!!

Bon Voyage!!

-- Andy Piper (apidens@denver.infi.net), July 17, 2001.


When shooting through a moving train, avoid shooting through glass window, you might get ghost image of reflection of other side of windows. Bring two or three cameras, because shooting through train may use up film fast.

-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), July 21, 2001.

Max!

I'm a commuter train shooter and a train travel shooter too. Shooting from train windows is okay for memory shots but don't expect Anel Adams to step aside for you. I don't know about you but I love photographing people on trains--especially on long trips. It is far more interesting than the scenery. So here is what I'd be taking if I were you and I had my equipment.

M-6 with my trusty Rapidwinder and two customized grips--Leica and Rapidgrip (the former for fast handling, the latter for steady slow shots).

A second body. Maybe my CLE. Maybe my M-2 with Rapidwinder.

Definately my Summilux 35/f1.4.

Also my Summicron 50/f2.

Absolutely either my Voigtlander 15/f4.5 or my Voigtlander 21/f4, or both.

Possibly my Rokkor 40/f2--though I might simply use the 50/f2 on the CLE.

Absolutely my Voigtlander 28/f1.9.

You might take a 90mm or a 75mm lens. I wouldn't because I seldom use telephoto and would want to keep the weight down.

Take some very fast film (1600, 800) and maybe some slower film (400).

Take a light bag.

And have a good journey!

Alex

-- Alex Shishin (shishin@pp.iij4u.or.jp), July 23, 2001.



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