Train Departure

The Amtrak train leaves the Main Street station of Richmond on a damp autumn afternoon, crawling like a segmented snake into the mist. Above, a bewildering mass of wires, cables and lines. Anyone who knows me knows that one of my greatest passions is trains and travelling on them. They can sometimes be elusive things to capture interestingly in a photograph though. What I liked here was the fact that we see so much of the train because the track is curved at this point and each carriage (or car, if you prefer) is shown at a slightly different angle to the next one, giving the picture a more interesting slant. The man about to cross the tracks gives the picture a human dimension, contrasting with the frightening technological aspect of the lines and cables above.

Location: Richmond, Virginia, USA

AutumnGate

It's autumn and as I write snow has started to fall. But in this picture there is merely a frost, sprinkling the fallen leaves with a white, crisp powder. The sun hangs low but bright in the sky, creating some theatrical effects. But here it's the gate that is in focus. Quite often, gates look imposing and even threatening when closed, but these ones, though simple and rather grimy, seem quite benign.Perhaps it's the glint of sun that gives some of the slats an almost magical edge or the graceful curve of the gate's top. Somehow it seems to be inviting us in –or should that perhaps be: luring us in?!

Location: Oslo, Norway