Trains Magazine will release one of their special editions separate from the normal monthly issues titled “Historic Trains Today” this May. I have a feature article appearing in it on the McKinney Avenue Transit Authority and their efforts to provide a useful service to their community based around historical routes and equipment. On Saturday the 20th of February while I was in Sweetwater the magazine contacted me and asked if I could take a night shot in Dallas for them to use across the two-page opening to the article. I had already submitted several night shots taken during the 2008 NRHS convention, but they wanted a scene showing a trolley on a regular run passing through one of the local neighborhoods. Welcome to the world of editors and deadlines as they needed that by Monday morning if possible.
That just left the evening of Sunday the 20th to make the attempt, so I braved the 30-degree wind chill, drizzle, and traffic in Dallas for 90 minutes after sunset until I was too frozen to press the cable release or dodge cars. Luckily I had Judy to drive me back while I warmed up. Fifteen naturally-lighted time exposures utilizing the heavy industrial strength Bogen tripod were culled down to one that fit their desires perfectly and was submitted before the deadline. Out of the four following photographs can you guess which one matched the mental picture they painted for me?
The issue should be in stores in May or can be ordered directly off their website at Trains Magazine
One Comment
Definitely 1 or 4 because those show the neighborhood better. I’d select 4 as the spread because the overall tonality is darker which works better with the reverse color text magazines like to use.
If I were the art director, I’d crop the shot to where the trolley occupies the top left corner of the spread, with the building in the top third of the spread. Text can go where the darker areas at the bottom of the frame.
BTW, you didn’t say what the prizes were in this contest…:-)