Re: Photo run - What is it worth?
| March 12, 2009 10:34AM |
Dan,
Having been a participant and organizer of tours, I can comment on
1. Saturday only, or both Saturday and Sunday? It seems that most photo charters have to be on these two days. Volunteers or crews are only available on weekends. Also travel and days off are part of this.
2. What is the maximum group you consider preferable? 20, 40, 60,
higher?
It would be great to keep the sizes small. Today's costs now require larger groups. I have been on tours with only 8 people and up to 104 passengers. In the days of the NS steam specials we used to have as many as 1000 people on a tour. Times and people have changed.
Today we have more amature railfans that are not members of the NRHS or local clubs. They have a passing knowledge of trains. However today this group often is part of the tour group. It is often harder to control these passengers since they are not aware of the rules and goals of a photo charter.
I think groups of 50 or more will be the norm for charters because of the cost.
3. How many photo locations and/or runbys would you expect each day?
Depends on railroad and geography of the line. C&TS and D&S have limited locations that can accomodate a large group. On the other hand I have been on the Old Patagonian Express (Argentina) where we can get a lot of photographers on hill tops and open areas.
4. How important is early morning light, late afternoon light versus a night photo shoot?
This is a subject of discussion between European railfans and North American railfans. North Americans can be more flexable on what is best for them. Europeans only think of the morning light and evening sunset shots. The rest of the day is not as important to them. I think some good morning and sunset shots are the best part of the tour. I have to add, be flexable, if the sky clouds up or rains come, find something else to do beside wait for the sunup or sunset.
5. What is the one most imprortant improvement that could be made to most photo runs in your opinion?
Have a good organizer. Instruct the passengers on rules and goals for the day. Try to pick sites that will be best for photography. Sometimes do something different against the rule, backlit, or some special effect that could be unique. Most of the best photos on different tourist roads have been done over and over again.
6. How much do you consider to be a fair price for each day?
IMHO Good tours will be in the range from $100 to $400. Also depends on the railroad location and trains.
7. Any real preference for the season spring, summer, fall or winter?
some of the questions.
In the eastern and midwest US only from August to May. In the summer the underbrush and tree canopy is too thick. Western US is good most of the year. Best times are Spring, Fall and some Winter runs. Of course this is only true for North American tours, overseas in the world the conditions vary from country to country. In the Peru where I have had a lot of experience, the Summer months are November to March and this is the best time Lima, Peru and the coast. In the highlands it is very wet and is the rainy season. So the dry season in the Andes is June to August when we run most of the tours for railfans.
In otherwords it is location, time of the year, and group that you want to cater to. IMHO, the railfan community has changed a lot in the last 30 years. We now have many splittered groups that have different interests. Also many new railfan photographers have joined into the mix. The true hardcore railfans have a internal network that alerts them to upcoming special limited tours. The announcement of the railfan days at the XYZ rail museum will bring out all sorts of railfans which sometimes are in conflict with the true believers.
One of the good things about this forum is we can discuss this and also educate others to what the preservation and railfan community is all about. I think we will have to except a broader range of railfans to keep the special events going.
One thing that has not been mentioned in this discussion is railfans with mobility problems? How do we accomodate them on charters and special events? Any suggestions?
Dale Brown
Wings and Rails International Expeditions
wwww.wingsandrails.com
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/12/2009 10:37AM by DWBrown.
Having been a participant and organizer of tours, I can comment on
1. Saturday only, or both Saturday and Sunday? It seems that most photo charters have to be on these two days. Volunteers or crews are only available on weekends. Also travel and days off are part of this.
2. What is the maximum group you consider preferable? 20, 40, 60,
higher?
It would be great to keep the sizes small. Today's costs now require larger groups. I have been on tours with only 8 people and up to 104 passengers. In the days of the NS steam specials we used to have as many as 1000 people on a tour. Times and people have changed.
Today we have more amature railfans that are not members of the NRHS or local clubs. They have a passing knowledge of trains. However today this group often is part of the tour group. It is often harder to control these passengers since they are not aware of the rules and goals of a photo charter.
I think groups of 50 or more will be the norm for charters because of the cost.
3. How many photo locations and/or runbys would you expect each day?
Depends on railroad and geography of the line. C&TS and D&S have limited locations that can accomodate a large group. On the other hand I have been on the Old Patagonian Express (Argentina) where we can get a lot of photographers on hill tops and open areas.
4. How important is early morning light, late afternoon light versus a night photo shoot?
This is a subject of discussion between European railfans and North American railfans. North Americans can be more flexable on what is best for them. Europeans only think of the morning light and evening sunset shots. The rest of the day is not as important to them. I think some good morning and sunset shots are the best part of the tour. I have to add, be flexable, if the sky clouds up or rains come, find something else to do beside wait for the sunup or sunset.
5. What is the one most imprortant improvement that could be made to most photo runs in your opinion?
Have a good organizer. Instruct the passengers on rules and goals for the day. Try to pick sites that will be best for photography. Sometimes do something different against the rule, backlit, or some special effect that could be unique. Most of the best photos on different tourist roads have been done over and over again.
6. How much do you consider to be a fair price for each day?
IMHO Good tours will be in the range from $100 to $400. Also depends on the railroad location and trains.
7. Any real preference for the season spring, summer, fall or winter?
some of the questions.
In the eastern and midwest US only from August to May. In the summer the underbrush and tree canopy is too thick. Western US is good most of the year. Best times are Spring, Fall and some Winter runs. Of course this is only true for North American tours, overseas in the world the conditions vary from country to country. In the Peru where I have had a lot of experience, the Summer months are November to March and this is the best time Lima, Peru and the coast. In the highlands it is very wet and is the rainy season. So the dry season in the Andes is June to August when we run most of the tours for railfans.
In otherwords it is location, time of the year, and group that you want to cater to. IMHO, the railfan community has changed a lot in the last 30 years. We now have many splittered groups that have different interests. Also many new railfan photographers have joined into the mix. The true hardcore railfans have a internal network that alerts them to upcoming special limited tours. The announcement of the railfan days at the XYZ rail museum will bring out all sorts of railfans which sometimes are in conflict with the true believers.
One of the good things about this forum is we can discuss this and also educate others to what the preservation and railfan community is all about. I think we will have to except a broader range of railfans to keep the special events going.
One thing that has not been mentioned in this discussion is railfans with mobility problems? How do we accomodate them on charters and special events? Any suggestions?
Dale Brown
Wings and Rails International Expeditions
wwww.wingsandrails.com
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/12/2009 10:37AM by DWBrown.
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