Kent, thanks for sharing your photo and your knowledge. It's really appreciated. I really like this aspect of FM, where people share knowledge and everyone improves as a result
I shoot big harvesting machines for John Deere, here in Australia, among other objects. On the odd occasion, they want "dawn" shots, but I only use ambient (these machines are on tracks, but not rails, if you get my meaning!).
Please let us know the derivation of "Night Foamer": that one had me confused!
Keep up the good work, and keep posting. cheers, kl
I live in a rural/agricultural region and used to shoot photos of combines/tractors/harvesting/planting for a regional stock photo supplier. I also took a few for calendars. The two biggest problems to deal with are: (1) dust (2) not getting run over. I've got a shot of a grain train that I took from the cab of a combine, somewhere. I own a farm myself and am familiar with heavy ag equipment. I don't farm any more though. Anyway, "foamer." Railroaders often refer to the more "rabid" railfans as "foamers." This is presumably because they foam at the mouth when they hear a train coming. Some BNSF (railroad) crews started calling me the "Night Foamer" when I first made my appearance in the wee hours of the morning two years ago or so. They kind of get a kick out of me. Some will get on their radio and request I drop off a print for them at their terminal. I always do, along with my email. I've received some nice tips from doing that.
Nice work Kent & Jack - O. Winston would be proud. Obviously harder than it looks!!
Word here in the Midwest is that "foamer" is a derivative of "Fomite" (Far out mentally incompetent train enthusiast) - a commentary by mainstream train photogs & authors on the fringe elements in the hobby.
Two23 wrote:
I thought of that, but didn't know how to get it up there without spilling light on the train. At that time I did not have my 20 ft. lightstand yet, and had no snoots with me. I tried lighting it with a 13 ft. light stand and using Buff barndoors, but I was getting light spill where the train was going to be. (Buff barndoors are "weak.") When I tried putting 13 ft. stand to my far left, it created some nasty shadows too. There was nothing else taller nearby to attach a light to either. How would you have done it? Two shots, layer in post?
Kent, thanks for sharing your photo and your knowledge. It's really appreciated. I really like this aspect of FM, where people share knowledge and everyone improves as a result 
I've got a shot of a grain train that I took from the cab of a combine, somewhere. I own a farm myself and am familiar with heavy ag equipment. I don't farm any more though. Anyway, "foamer." Railroaders often refer to the more "rabid" railfans as "foamers." This is presumably because they foam at the mouth when they hear a train coming. 
Some BNSF (railroad) crews started calling me the "Night Foamer" when I first made my appearance in the wee hours of the morning two years ago or so. They kind of get a kick out of me. Some will get on their radio and request I drop off a print for them at their terminal. I always do, along with my email. I've received some nice tips from doing that.