Photoblog by 
Great category choice and I know we are going to see some amazing stuff this week. Good luck to everyone.
This past summer, I created this image. It is just outside of our local county fair. The train that you see is called the Amtrak Coaster that runs up and down the California coast.
Sony A7RM2 with 16-35mm
I had preplanned this shot by first visiting in the morning and figured out the train schedule ahead of time. I knew approximately when the train would be coming North or South, bearing any delays.
I arrived back at my spot just before sunset and there were these teenagers, three girls having a picnic. There are many beach houses and condos within walking distance from this spot. I figured they lived close by and it was a pretty cool spot overlooking the fair and they didn't have to pay admission.
Initially, I wasn't really paying attention to them. I only had a small window of how many trains would pass during sunset and twilight. So, I was composing, taking test shots and getting ready to time the train and the sunset. Then one of the girls brought out a DSLR camera and they started to take pictures. They were just messing around taking pictures of themselves with the fair in the background. Ok, cool as long as you don't get in my shot! I thought to myself.
There are warning signs all over this bridge not to walk near or go on it. In my opinion, I was at a safe distance but I should not have been so close either. I could feel the wind and rumble from the trains blasting by me. I feared that a rock or something could have ricocheted off the tracks and hit me or my camera.
Yet, these girls were so relaxed and just goofing around, like they play here all the time. I kept close tabs on the train schedule with my phone. Several times the girls were on the tracks and then they ran off before the train went by, it was never a close call. Then at one point, they got brave and two girls walked deep onto the tracks and the third girl was below on the rocks with the camera taking a bottom - up picture.
I started to get anxious because I'm was watching the time schedule and the train should had be arriving northbound shortly. Then I saw the train coming and they weren't looking at all. I had to finally yell at them, "Girls, train!"
Then they looked and started to run off the tracks giggling. They got off with about six seconds to spare. They weren't fazed at all about how close it was. I think in their minds they thought they had cleared it easily.
In my few years on this planet, I have learned that bad things can happen in an instant. Like to me, in this post. Six or so seconds is not very long. What if they didn't listen or heard me in time? What if one of them had tripped or dropped their phone and decided to go back and get it? I can go on and on. Geez, Louise.
Maybe I watch too many movies but I am glad none of those things happened because I would be showing you a much different picture or submitting my pictures as evidence to the police. It is one of the scariest things I have ever seen as a parent. I did a lot of daring things as a teenager but these kids need to be locked up for their own safety. Hopefully it doesn't catch up to them.
This is the final image. It reflects the events, feelings and what I saw that evening. The fair, the train, the sunset, the innocence and naivety of the youth, and me watching it all through my lens, trainspotting.
Cheers.
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Thank you in advance,
Rudy
All images © 2016 Rudy Gonzales. All rights reserved.