Bob Crum

It happened again. Total capture count: 972. I love it! No point in making excuses so I won't. Besides, I have an exquisite alibi. Genetics. My DNA has a photographic gene that forces the right hand index finger to keep pushing the shutter release button the second I pick up my camera.

The occasion was the recent Fillmore Railfest. As expected, the star was the majestic Baldwin #14 steam engine. Photo ops aplenty even just sitting pretty on the tracks and occasionally blowing off some steam. Running she's like the most lifelike, exciting and endearing of all the machinery man has created. How can anyone watch a steam-powered iron horse rumbling down the tracks and not be in awe. Listen! The profound gong of the bell! The whistle... oh that enchanting whistle. The chuffing-chuffing as she picks up speed. The smoke bellowing from the glorious smokestack. Awesomeness!

Back in the day, as staff editor/photojournalist for the Southern Star magazine, I shot at least three times as much film as other staffers. I had to, to beat the odds. Couldn't review the photo in the field like now. Because success was paramount, always experienced a tinge of insecurity. What if? Pressure and expectations created reasonable anxiety. Yet, a benefit. The experience I gained taught me to trigger the shutter more instinctively. A valuable asset. Remember, there are no re-dos regarding special moments that cannot be predicted or repeated. Photography, to paraphrase author Steve Simon, from his book 'The Passionate Photographer', is a bit like trying to anticipate the future to trigger the shutter just at the exact right moment. Still, there are a ton of misses. The future is elusive. But the robust shooting ethic is rewarding when it works. The reward: I got the most cover photos! It's still a formula that increases the odds that I get the best image out of every assignment. This practice continues, which is obvious. Furthermore, I encourage all event photographers who desire (strive) to capture the ultimate photo to shoot more, regret less. The photo op missed is gone forever. Shoot till your shutter release finger is cramping. But you're not done until it's calloused. Got it?

When #14 runs the photo options are voluminous. But they're not all going to be great moments. For full effect it helps to have steam emanating from various ports and smoke bellowing from the smoke stack illustrating that the machine has the high rail and running strong. It would help if the engineer would turn some knobs and kick up some smoke when seeing a photographer camera up but that's wishful thinking. Anyway, smoke is not continually belching from the stack nor the locomotive expelling steam. What to do? Chase it. And keep chasing it! Success demands that you be on the scene to make the ultimate photo. Shoot a lot. With luck, one of every 10 photos will make the cut. I chased. However, a lung impairment slowed me down considerably. Translated, I couldn't get (hike) to all my secret spots for the photos I envisioned because I couldn't move fast enough to get back to the truck and drive to the next spot in time. Nevertheless, I survived and delightfully accumulated, you know, a few hundred photos. After all... it's fun!

The photo of the week was made at the iconic trestle bridge over Sespe Creek. Didn't matter that I couldn't descend the hill for a frontal coming out of the bridge because the area was littered with phonetographers. Grumble, grumble, grumble.

Happy photoing!

Send your comments, suggestions or questions to bob@fillmoregazette.com