Sometimes, it all comes together

In two recent posts, including this one, I shared some shots of Via Rail corridor trains on the Smiths Falls Subdivision. I have been trying to get some shots from different perspectives as a way to liven up an otherwise dull pursuit of nearly identical Via Rail corridor trains. One area I have been working with is McKenna Casey Drive beneath Highway 416. This is a tricky spot since the road has narrow shoulders. But I did find one stretch beneath the highway that has wider shoulders that allow you to pull over safely and get some interesting shots.

Recently, I parked right beneath the highway and was immediately struck by the interesting lines that the twin highway spans created over the railway. Also, unlike the area I have shot from a little west of this perspective, there were no trees to block my shot.

This image below is the end result where all the elements of a great photograph came together. I found the right location. I was fortunate enough to arrive just as this purple-blue cloud was passing over the area, which only added to the shot. Combine those colours with the buttercups in the field and you have the makings of a great railway photo. This shot below shows Via's Train 55 making its way west toward Moodie Drive, being pulled by a P42. I was thrilled with how this shot turned out.

I'm not sure which shot I liked the best, because I really liked this shot too, since the train is not blocking the lines made by the highway spans. This is good example of the types of images I have been trying to get recently where the train isn't necessarily a huge element of the photograph, but is still striking nonetheless.

I also liked this shot below as Train 55 made its way out of the frame. The composition of the sky really made these shots better.

This meet with Train 55 completed my experiment with this area. I know now where I will take shots of trains in the area in the future. I've tried photographs from different angels, but I think this shot is by far the most dramatic.

I've mentioned this before but I've really think it's worthwhile to get photographs of trains where the train is not necessarily dominating the frame. Taking shots that showcase a train's immediate surroundings really do result in some compelling photos.