Train Spotters

Synergy · Jul 7, 2004

Hi Everyone,

I was waiting for my morning train to take me to work the other day and while walking onto the platform, I noticed a trainspotter there. Now dont get me wrong, Ive nothing against trainspotters even though he was the stereotype trainspotter ( I get enough grief about my photography from the wife :roll: ) but it was the camera he was using that made me notice him.

It looked a lot like a Canon 1D :shock: and with that he had a massive flash sitting on the hot shoe and two lenses strapped to his side, which he changed twice during my wait for the train and these lenses were the size of my leg not my arm mind you (Im a thin person) My dirty Thames Turbo train pulls up 15 minutes late and on cue the guy starts composing his shot but decides not to take it.

And while he was doing this, it occurred to me that if he was wasting all that gear on just trains that was a bit like Superman only helping grannies cross the road, a worthwhile thing but what a waste of ability!

Let flaming of Synergy from trainspotters begin!

mrsid99 · Jul 7, 2004

I'm no train-spotter but I take pics that probably only please me so I guess this guy does too and I too like to have nice equipment and if I had the bucks it would be a 1D.
Bottom line, whatever floats yer boat but I can understand your equipment envy (me too!).

danalec99 · Jul 7, 2004

mrsid99 said:
Bottom line, whatever floats yer boat

True!

In my opinion, composition is partly made in your mind. The lighting or whatever about the dirty Thames Turbo must have not matched what he had in between his ears. Patience plays a vital role in photography.

pilgrim · Jul 7, 2004

some one care to explain to a none train user what a train-spotter is?

seem's to me like he is just a guy with nice gear who had an idea,waited for the moment to come, something didn't seem right, so he decided to wait it out...?

Synergy · Jul 8, 2004

I found this good definition of a British Trainspotter

train-spotter n :

hobbyist, often schoolboy, a bit like a bird-watcher, but who collects train numbers, occasionally spotted huddled alone at the far end of the platform, notebook in hand. Also inf. nerd, geek, see anorak.

So It wasnt really his photography techniques or style that made me notice him, but that he took the above definition to the extreme almost becoming a parody of a trainspotter! I completely respect anyones desire to fulfil their creative desires but this guy just stood out!