Mdsmith Loc: North Carolina

Any ideas on how best to capture photos from the train. Assume I will be shooting thru a window, but maybe not????i've taken a lot of photos from a bus, and they are okay. Thx for any suggestions.

rmm0605 Loc: Atlanta GA

High shutter speed and hold the camera as close to the glass as you can. Good luck!

SonyA580 Loc: FL in the winter & MN in the summer

Polarizer may help.

Morning Star Loc: West coast, North of the 49th N.

Rocky Mountaineer? for Tourism. Vancouver-Banff or Vancouver-Jasper. Depending on the package you buy, you may have access to the two-level domed cars. Huge windows.
There may be an open car, for the convenience of photographers. Ask even before you book.

Regular rail service, strictly for "transportation" - check with the rail company about how clean they keep the windows.

Either way: If you have a choice of seats, get one on the shade side of the train so that you don't have to fight the sun.

If you have a window seat, although I've never used one, a rubber lens hood to press against the window is supposed to be good. Otherwise keep your camera at any angle but 80 - 100 degrees to the window (Unless you want lots of photos of camera reflection. No flash, same reason).
Be aware of your fellow passengers - they too, will be wanting to take photos, so don't hog the windows.
For settings, same as anywhere else, depending on light, distance, lens used, etc.

The company running the trains really is the best source of information. Also ask if they have a guide on board, pointing out landmarks; possibly even have the train slow down for "Kodak moments".

You might want to follow the route of the train on Google Earth, and see if anything stands out that you'd like a photo of.

One last thing: If you're anything like me, you'll be taking lots and lots, and then lots and lots more photos from the train. Make sure you have extra battery and extra memory card(s) at your fingertips!

Mdsmith Loc: North Carolina

I am onRoad scholar tour. Good idea about contacting railway for info. Think the dome is available and thought I saw a window open with someone with a camera. Will have a tour guide with us all the time. Getting excited about beautiful country thx for info

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

tisrjtisrj1 Loc: Kissimmee, FL & Alexandria, VA

Marsha,

I recently completed a trip on the Rocky Mountaineer. I was most disappoint with the opportunity for good photography. As a comparison, the train passed through Hell's Gate. From the train I was able to get a few somewhat keepers. I passed through the area in a car several years previous. Photos were so much better. Had time to set up, get the best angles for multiples exposures without movement. Suggest that you just enjoy the train trip and count on a few acceptable "grab shots". Follow the techniques others suggested previously.

RJ

Mdsmith Loc: North Carolina

Thx. I've taken pics on a bus, and got some decent ones, so hope to get some on the train. Doesn't sound too encouraging. Just won't set my standards too high. And we will be stopping at a lot of places along the way, so will have better opportunities.

Morning Star Loc: West coast, North of the 49th N.

Considering the Rocky Mountaineer promises all train travel by daylight, there should still be daylight when you stop for the evening/night. I bet there will be some good photo ops near the stations, between station and hotel and around the hotel, as well. Just don't tuck your camera too far away when stopping for lunch, dinner, or the night.
I'll think about you next week, when my husband and I are driving through the Rockies, from Mount Robson Park to Folding Mountain.

johneccles Loc: Leyland UK

I have just been on the Bernina Express and the Glacier Express in the Swiss Alps. There are a couple of things to bear in mind when shooting through windows, make sure the glass is clean inside and out, reflections of other people or the interior lights etc, I found that whatever you try there will be something you didn't notice.
If you can shoot through an open window that's the best way otherwise when shooting through glass I keep the lens actually touching the window, which is where a lens hood helps a lot.
Obviously if the lens is flat on the window that is the best method, but for a different angle gradually alter the move the camera while still keeping the lens on the glass as much as possible.
I my recent trip I had some success using this method and I also had some failures, it was was very difficult sometimes when the sun was shining through the windows as the train twisted and turned round curves in the track. Sometimes it is difficult to obtain perfect focus I thing this maybe due to shooting through glass.
I will attach a few photos which show what can happen when you don't notice some reflections, although have lots without any reflections at all.

Reflections in Top Right Corner


One of the better ones.


Reflections in Bottom Left


Reflection in the Centre


Refections in Top Left

Bear2 Loc: Southeast,, MI

What others have said, plus if your lens has an "active" VR setting try using it. It worked for me on the Empire Builder from Chicago to Seattle.
Have a great trip.

Duane

ygelman Loc: new -- North of Poughkeepsie!

Here's a suggestion: Look for shots within the train itself. I took this one on the train from New Orleans to Los Angeles. But you can also take "street" shots of passengers -- especially in the observation car.
.

Dining Car - Sunset

picturesofdogs Loc: Dallas, Texas.

We rode the Mountaineer last year. Seats are assigned so it's luck as to which side you get. Image stabilization and a good zoom are your friend. Only gold and I think silver ticket holders get the double decker cars.
There were a lot of days we got in at or even well after sunset. There were quite a few times we set on sidings waiting for other trains to pass.
There were several stops on our trip where we would have a day of no traveling or a road trip between places. If you can afford a private car and guide instead of riding the tour bus I strongly recommend doing it.
Be ready for some very early mornings and have a good trip.
Almost forgot, they sell RM souvenirs on the train that you can't get anywhere else, but only take credit cards.

plessner Loc: North Dakota

we did the trip two years ago and it was a great experience--but you have to remember this is booked as a sight seeing trip and not a photography trip! I was about the only photographer on board and now want to go back when I can take the time needed. We were on the top car and the big windows were hard to photograph through even though I did everything recomended--just too much glare. Then on the bus part of the tour from Jasper to Calgary we saw some amazing scenery, but with only a 20 min stop a lot of times by the time we got off the bus I was almost running to the sight to snap a few quick ones before heading back to the bus. But I still came home with some great shots and am very glad we went

Bill Munny Loc: Aurora, Colorado

One of myy lenses (Nikon 24-120mm f/4) has a VR-Active switch. You might look into getting a lens that has that feature for extra bumpy photo ops. It is costly but your tour is worth it. The landscape you will see is beyond words, so the pictures will do the talking.