The photography of trains is an art form almost as old as trains themselves. Interestingly, both trains and photographic equipment experienced a meteoric rise during the 19th century, and the two have made a perfect pair ever since.
In fact, the combined passions contributed to the launch of train-themed magazines like Trains, Classic Trains, and Railfan & Railroad (check out our list of gifts for train lovers for more examples).
Put simply, the photography of trains is a snapshot of American industrialism, the romanticism of travel, rural and industrial landscapes, and the raw power of human engineering.
That’s more than enough to inspire anyone!
Use our table of contents to dive deeper into some popular railroad photography topics:
Table of Contents
A Brief History of the Photography of Trains
Photography of Trains: 7 Techniques to Follow
Our Favorite Train Photographers
The Best Train Photography Locations
Train Photography & Drones
Train Photography Etiquette & Best Practices
Stay Close to the Trains
A Brief History of the Photography of Trains
The photography of trains has its roots in the mid-19th century when both the railroad industry and photography began to flourish. Early photographers used bulky equipment and glass plate negatives to capture images of steam engines, railway stations, and the expanding rail networks, immortalizing the progress of the Industrial Revolution.
As technology advanced, so did the art of train photography. The introduction of smaller cameras and faster film in the 20th century allowed photographers to capture trains in motion, creating dramatic and dynamic compositions that showcased the raw energy and movement of locomotives. Train photography quickly evolved into a niche art form, celebrated in books, magazines, and exhibitions worldwide.
Today, the tradition continues with digital photography and drone technology, enabling rail enthusiasts to experiment with new perspectives and techniques. From documenting historic railways to capturing the sleek lines of modern high-speed trains, train photography remains a captivating way to tell stories of travel, progress, and engineering marvels.
Photography of Trains: 7 Techniques to Follow
If you’re looking for some surefire techniques to take your train photography to the next level, follow some of our tips:
1. Use the Rule of Thirds
The Rule of Thirds is a fundamental photography principle for finding the ideal composition for your next photograph.
Imagine two equidistant lines running up and down your lens and two more running side to side. You’d end up with four intersecting lines that separate your photos into thirds in each direction.
The Rule of Thirds says that wherever those lines intersect is the best spot for the subject of your photo.
2. Pay Attention to Timing
When you travel for train photography is just as important as the equipment you take with you. The world’s leading train photographers pay attention to both the time of day and the time of year.
With that in mind, here are two can’t-miss recommendations:
1. Shoot During the Golden Hour
The golden hour is a photographer’s favorite time of day, taking place just after sunrise and again right before sunset.
During the golden hour, the sun’s rays are softer and colors are warmer, leading to vibrant photos that often require less editing.
The exact time depends on your location and time of year (especially if Day Light Savings is involved), so it helps give yourself plenty of time if you’re taking photos in a new location.
2. Play With the Different Seasons
Every season of the year offers its own characteristics, and those unique details can truly make your photography pop!
A few examples:
- Winter is ideal for capturing photographs with a background of vivid white snow, which will help your trains appear extra sharp in the foreground.
- Springtime is a bright, colorful period of the year when you’re more likely to capture budding flowers and wildlife in your train photography.
- Summer is convenient for its warm temperatures and long days, giving you plenty of time to find the perfect location.
- Fall is wonderful for the change in leaves, which can provide a colorful backdrop for your photoshoot.
3. Play With Long Exposures
Long-exposure photography is a powerful technique to add a dash of drama and motion to your train photography. By using a slower shutter speed, you can capture the movement of a train as it streaks through the frame, creating dynamic images that evoke a sense of speed and energy.
This approach is especially captivating during low-light conditions, such as dusk or nighttime, when the contrast between the train’s lights and the surrounding environment becomes more pronounced.
4. Experiment With Equipment
Whether you explore photography as a hobby or a profession, it’s rarely inexpensive. But there’s a good reason for the costs associated with train photography: There’s plenty of equipment and technology available to capture that perfect photo.
If you have the budget for your train photography kit, try experimenting with gear like:
- Telephoto Lenses: With a telephoto lens, you can capture distant trains or emphasize unique focal points, like the train’s engine.
- Wide-Angle Lenses: A wide-angle lens can showcase a massive train within a larger landscape, allowing you to emphasize the grandeur of mother nature.
5. Experiment With Contrast, Color, And Black & White Photography
Post-processing is just as important as capturing the shot itself, and playing with contrast, color, and black-and-white settings can significantly impact the mood and feel of your train photos. Each technique has its own appeal, so don’t be afraid to experiment and find what works best for your style.
Ideas to try during your next shoot:
1. Enhance Contrast to Make Details Pop
Boosting contrast can draw attention to intricate details, like the texture of a weathered locomotive or the fine lines of the tracks. Higher contrast adds drama to your shots, making them feel vivid and dynamic.
2. Use Color to Emphasize Key Features
Vibrant colors can be a powerful storytelling tool in your photography. Whether it’s the bold red of a vintage train or the lush greens of the surrounding landscape, enhancing these hues can guide the viewer’s eye and evoke emotion. Use editing software to fine-tune your color balance and saturation for a polished look.
3. Explore the Timeless Appeal of Black & White Photography
Black-and-white photos have a unique way of stripping an image down to its essence, focusing on light, shadow, and composition. This timeless style is perfect for capturing the nostalgic romance of trains, much like the legendary work of O. Winston Link. Use this technique to highlight the interplay of geometry and texture, whether you’re photographing a sleek modern train or a historic steam engine.
6. Research Train Schedules (Or Pick Up A Radio Scanner)
There are some places—like The Station Inn or The Horseshoe Curve—where you’re nearly guaranteed to see dozens of trains every day. But if you really want to plan your photography, check out a local train schedule.
An accurate train schedule can help you make the most of your time as a photographer, and it can even give you a chance to visit multiple locations in one day.
We will note, though, that train schedules are generally tough to come by outside of scheduled passenger trains.
With a trusty radio scanner, however, you can gather real-time train information.
7. Play With Perspective
Perspective is everything in photography, and train photography offers endless opportunities to explore unique angles and viewpoints. By shifting your perspective, you can create images that stand out and showcase trains in a fresh and exciting way.
Some recommendations to try:
1. Get Low for a Dramatic Angle
Shooting from a low angle can make the train appear larger-than-life, emphasizing its power and scale. Position yourself at track level (while ensuring your safety) to capture the imposing front or the expansive length of the train.
2. Climb High for a Bird’s-Eye View
If you have access to an elevated vantage point, such as a hill, bridge, or drone, use it to photograph the train from above. This perspective is especially effective for capturing winding tracks or trains cutting through dramatic landscapes. The Cassandra Railroad Overlook, for example, is a fantastic spot for great views!
3. Try a Close-Up Shot
Zoom in on specific details, like the train’s wheels, coupling mechanisms, or iconic logo. These close-ups can tell a story of their own and add a layer of intimacy to your photography.
4. Experiment with Depth of Field
Use a shallow depth of field to blur the background and focus on the train itself, creating a stunning subject against a dreamy, soft backdrop. Alternatively, use a larger depth of field to capture the entire scene in sharp detail, from the train to the surrounding environment.
5. Frame the Train
Look for distinct natural or architectural elements, like archways, tunnels, or trees, to frame your shot. This technique draws the viewer’s eye to the train and adds a sense of dimension to your photo.
By playing with perspective, you can turn even a simple train photograph into a visually captivating image that sparks curiosity and admiration. Remember to experiment and have fun—sometimes the best shots come from unexpected angles!
Our Favorite Train Photographers
The railroad community is packed with fantastic photographers, both professional and amateur. But here are some of our all-time favorites who truly stand out in the photography of trains, in no particular order:
Craig Hensley
We’ve had the distinct pleasure of partnering with Craig Hensley on a few different social media campaigns, and that’s a big deal. Craig is a fantastic railroad photographer, and we’re consistently impressed by his blend of railroad knowledge and photography techniques.
As an example of Craig’s excellent eye, check out this reel he captured while visiting The Station Inn:
Learn more about Craig Hensley:
Greg McDonnell
Greg McDonnell is a multi-talented artist who’s as comfortable with a camera as he is behind a computer. See, as impressive as Greg is as a photographer (and he’s well known to railfans), he’s also the author of a few fantastic books, including Locomotives: The Modern Diesel & Electric Reference and Passing Trains: The Changing Face of Canadian Railroading.
Learn more about Greg McDonnell and see some of his photography by checking out his interview in Trains.com.
Michael Froio
Back in 2023, we decided to launch our artist-in-residence program to honor the legacy of The Station Inn founder Tom Davis. To kick off our program, we decided to highlight the fantastic work of Michael Froio—a photographer who has spent the last 15 years focusing on the landscape and infrastructure of the former Pennsylvania Railroad.
Michael Froio’s photography frequently captures the majestic beauty of both modern engineering and the natural world around us.
Michael Froio’s work has been highlighted in the Library of Congress, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and the Woodmere Museum. While impressive, it’s not hard to see why: Froio has a knack for capturing the stone and steel of the last 200 years in soft elegance, imbuing American industrialism with a sense of timeless romance.
Learn more about Mike Froio:
O. Winston Link
Ogle Winston Link is a legendary train photographer who helped popularize railroad photography in the 1950s and beyond. Known for his black-and-white photography and sound recordings of steam locomotive trains, Link became incredibly influential, and his attention to detail made him especially impressive.
Often frustrated by the uncontrollable lighting from the sun, Link ultimately decided to focus on photography at night, which required hauling tons of equipment and a complex series of lights to capture the ideal compositions.
His efforts were worth it, however. O. Winston Link has been immortalized in the railroad photography community, even beyond his death in 2001.
To learn more, check out the O. Winston Link Museum.
The Best Train Photography Locations
We’re situated in Cresson, PA, which is the heart of Pennsylvania’s train country. Naturally, we’re a bit biased when it comes to the best train photography locations, but we’ll try to set aside our preferences for the sake of this article.
Here are some of the best places to explore for the photography of trains:
Photography Locations Near Our Home
Our region is packed with adventure-worthy railfan treasure troves:
1. Our Front Porch
The Station Inn is a popular railfan destination for a reason! Our front porch overlooks four active railroad tracks, which means we regularly see around 50 trains per day—including everything that passes along the Horseshoe Curve.
That makes The Station Inn a popular home-away-from-home for both professional and amateur photographers.
2. Horseshoe Curve
The Horseshoe Curve is one of the most famous railfan destinations in all of North America, and it’s located less than 20 minutes from our home in Cresson, PA. A marvel of human engineering, The Horseshoe Curve slashed travel times through the Allegheny Mountains—which made it an important thought point in our industrial past.
3. The Cassandra Railroad Overlook
The Cassandra Railroad Overlook is a former single-lane road bridge that’s since been converted specifically for railfans eager for panoramic views. If you’ve ever dreamed of capturing trains as they battle the rugged Allegheny Mountains, this is a must-visit destination.
Other Great Train Photography Locations
Here are a few more terrific photography hotspots along the east coast, courtesy of Trains.com:
4. Hudson River Valley (New York)
Hugging the famous Hudson River and located within eyesight of the Catskill Mountains, the Hudson River Valley is a beautiful destination for nature lovers and railfans. It’s never a bad time to visit the Hudson River Valley to capture some new train photography! CSX runs freight primarily on the west shore, and Amtrak and Metro-North Commuter trains ply the east shore.
5. Perryville, MD
The railroad bridge connecting Perryville and Havre De Grace is a picturesque destination for rail photographers. Don’t forget to stop at the MARC (Maryland Area Regional Commuter) Train Service station to catch some of the local flavors. Amtrak and MARC trains are frequent, and Norfolk Southern freights can occasionally be seen during daylight hours – most run overnight.
6. Alexandria, VA
Located less than 10 miles south of Washington, D.C., Alexandria, VA has a major Amtrak station that’s perfect for capturing commuter trains. More importantly, Alexandria has a rich railroading history—including a railroad depot that opened all the way back in 1905! CSX freights run through Alexandria as well.
Train Photography & Drones
Drones are growing more and more popular among railroad photographers with each passing year. To gain some invaluable insights, we reached out to our friend Craig Hensley (who we mentioned earlier). Here’s how Craig summarizes the importance of drones in the photography of trains:
In the ever-changing game of photography, drones have become a very impactful tool for the photographer to have in their kit. The ability to fly and maneuver to places once thought impossible to get to by foot is now as easier than ever. The advancement in technology has created high-definition cameras that shoot in 4K video and 48mp pictures all from a device that folds up into a backpack.
As a railroad photographer, this gives you an unparalleled advantage to get the bird’s eye view of places like Horseshoe Curve. DJI holds the market with an entry-level drone starting at just under $500 (DJI Mini 3) or as much as $2,100 (Mavic 3) for a high-end consumer drone. (Hint: Check out our blog post on gifts for train lovers for additional photography gear ideas.)
While drones may be intimidating, with a little practice, they are surprisingly easy and stable to fly and give you a vantage point like none other!
Train Photography Etiquette & Best Practices
The railfan community is lucky to have an active, supportive group of amateur and professional photographers who are eager to share their photos and offer insights and advice.
If you’re new to the photography of trains, here’s what you should know:
Rules to Follow
Follow these rules and guidelines to demonstrate respect to fellow photographers—and the railroads in general:
1. Stay Safe Near Tracks – The Federal Railroad Administration recommends staying at least 25 feet away from the rails. Never cross tracks unless at a designated crossing, and avoid loitering on or near the tracks. Never block railways with a vehicle!
2. Follow Local Laws and Regulations – Be aware of trespassing laws when photographing near private railroad property or industrial sites. Many railroads restrict access to non-employees for safety reasons.
3. Be Considerate of Others – If you’re photographing in popular railfan spots, be mindful of others trying to enjoy the same view. Avoid setting up equipment in ways that block paths or disrupt others’ shots.
4. Respect Train Crews – Train engineers and conductors are doing important, dangerous work. Avoid distracting or obstructing them while photographing. A friendly wave is okay, but don’t attempt to flag them down.
5. Leave No Trace – Preserve the natural beauty of your location by picking up after yourself. Don’t leave behind trash, and avoid damaging plants or infrastructure.
Don’t Block Roadways or Crossings
Terms to Know
When you converse with other photographers, it’s helpful to know the lingo. Here are some important phrases to know:
- Consist: The lineup of locomotives and railcars that make up a train.
- Foamer: This is a playful term for overly enthusiastic train enthusiasts who can’t contain their excitement. Note: Use this term carefully! Some may interpret it as derogatory.
- Heritage Unit: A locomotive painted in a historical or commemorative style, often celebrating a specific railroad’s legacy.
- Panning Shot: A technique where the camera follows the moving train, resulting in a sharp subject and a blurred background to convey motion.
- Roster Shot: A photo of an entire train, typically taken from the side, to showcase the locomotive or rolling stock.
Places to Share Your Photos
Once your photos are taken and edited, it’s time to share them with the community! Here are some great places to check out:
- RailPictures.net: A popular site for showcasing high-quality train photography. Members can upload and share their images while exploring a massive archive of train photos.
- Instagram: The vibrant railfan community on Instagram often uses hashtags like #RailPhotography or #TrainSpotting to connect with others.
- Flickr.com: Many rail photographers use Flickr to organize and share albums of train photos.
- RailroadForums.com: This online community features forums where you can post your work, discuss techniques, and ask for feedback.
- Facebook Groups: Search for railfan or train photography groups on Facebook to find like-minded photographers.
- Local Railfan Clubs: Check for regional railfan organizations or hobbyist groups that host meetups and photo-sharing events.
Stay Close to the Trains
Come stay close to the railroading action at The Station Inn! Live a photographer’s dream by standing face-to-face with the best trains in Pennsylvania as they pass right by our front porch. Learn more about us or book now!
And while you can stay close to the trains, you shouldn’t get close to the trains! You should always stand at least 25 feet away from the tracks to maintain a safe distance.
