Tank Cars on Yadkin River Bridge Between U.S. 29 and I-85, North Carolina

Here is the same crop in a larger size.

--Lannie

Shot handheld at 1/90 sec with a non-stabilized lens as I stood on a narrow elevated walk on the adjacent bridge (an old highway bridge).  Since the train was moving, there is some softness in the image, particularly noticeable in the large attachment in the preceding post.

--Lannie

For me the most important thing is to be decisive.  Either longer to get obvious blur or 1/250 to stop the train.  That said, there is very little motion blur. 

The first of your detail photos for the tanks didn't get uploaded.

Jamie, if I had shot shutter priority, I was afraid that the lens might open up so much that the DOF would be shallower than I wanted.  I'm not sure.  In any case, the train caught me by surprise.  I need to go back on a similar kind of day, same time of day, and wait for the perfect train.  There is still the dicey problem of how to get the shot from the other bridge without finding myself over the side. . ..

As for the shot of the water tanks, the attachments come and go in terms of availability for viewing.

--Lannie

Great shot. The rusty bridge gives it character and the shadow on the bottom is excellent. Nice work!

Thanks, Stephen.

--Lannie

you were right anyway, i think.  the softness seems to show up only at the left and right edges, so it's probably lens blur, not motion blur.  perhaps even more stopping down?

i never mean these things to be directive.  merely hypothetical ideas to mull over for next time.  it does sound like fun hanging out on a bridge waiting for a train though.....

Jamie, it sure sounds better than going to interminable meetings, which is what clouds my future vision at present.  Oh, well, an amateur such as myself knows that photography is icing on the cake of life--and trains coming by all the time are generally a plus, unless I am trying to sleep.

--Lannie

sort of.  I know that sounds terrible.  I was an academic for 6 years, and meetings, though almost certainly useless, were unavoidably part of my job.  You know that you are at least doing what you are supposed to be doing.

--Lannie

Lannie:  This photo has perfect exposure, very natural colors.  Tom