WRP_RailsBeyondRutland_Jul15_3v_Layout 1 7/2/15
Beyond the Rutland
Rails
PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS AND TECHNIQUES
High Dynamic Range Photography GUEST COLUMNIST: EMILY MOSER
LOVE IT OR HATE IT, High Dynamic Range (bet- ter known as HDR) is more and more making its way into modern railroad photography. Although many vocal detractors find fault in the often over-done and completely fake ap- pearance of some HDR photos, if you do HDR right, and in a subtle way, it can make a great photo — even in adverse shooting situations. The goal of HDR photography is essentially
Now operated under the Vermont Rail System banner, you’ll see the early operations of the Vermont Railway, Clarendon & Pittford, and the Green Mountain Railroad! From the marble quarry pits to piggyback trailers, from steam excursions to heavy freight!
to get more detail in the shadows and high- lights of your photo. This concept, however, long predates digital photography. Back in the days of black & white film photography, the film could capture a wider range of details than could be displayed in a print. Thus using darkroom techniques like dodging and burn- ing, one could bring out more details in high- lights and shadows. Ansel Adams was con- sidered a master in techniques like this, and his photo “Moonrise” is considered a prime example. For that print, Adams darkened the sky, which was clearly a stylistic choice; the clouds and moon, which were bright and nearly blown out, were then given more de- tail. The somewhat washed out foreground gained contrast and detailing. These are some of the very same things that good HDR pho- tography attempts to do.
In order to do HDR, one must use exposure bracketing (which is often a feature you’ll find in your DSLR). Basically, you’ll take three photos of a subject, one at a normal expo- sure, then one with less exposure (yielding a darker photo, with details in the highlights), and another with more exposure (yielding a brighter photo, with details in the shadows). Later on you will combine the three photos in a computer to blend them together and create a single HDR photo.
Photographing Sunsets/Sunrises
If you attempt to shoot a train at sunset or sunrise, you’ll often find that the sky is very bright and the ground is very dark. Because of this, if you get a good exposure of the train, you’ll often find that the sky is completely blown out. These are the times that HDR photography is perfect. The three exposures (opposite page) of an M train approaching Marcy Avenue station in Brooklyn were taken after sunset when the sky is brightly colored and brighter than the dark foreground. HDR allows the background of the sky to really shine, without the train being shadowed in darkness. Purists might say that it is possible to com-
From the Rutland’s last gasp to the Vermont Railway’s modest start, you’ll enjoy great black and white photography documenting this picturesque New England shortline from end to end. A detailed locomotive roster and diverse equipment photos round out this look back at Vermont Railway’s early years. LIMITED SUPPLY, order your copy today!
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54 SEPTEMBER 2015 •
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Shooting inside a building or a railroad car and exposing for the interior lighting will almost always result in the exterior scene beyond the windows being blown out (left). HDR allows you to keep the interior properly exposed while bringing out the shadow detail, and also allow for proper exposure of the world outside (above). This scene was captured during the NRHS Convention in Alaska in 2013. EMILY MOSER PHOTOS
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