RailRoadFan.com

I'm working on my website (which is more turning into a blog if anything to be honest) and I've been typing my captions, which I want to be able to explain my photo and what not, but not sound like a foamer OR go too in depth.

For instance, I'm going to include a photo and the caption with it, which is...

A few very unusual occurrences, well, occurred in order for me to get this photo of a stopped BNSF intermodal train in Fort Madison, Iowa. Including this train stopping almost a 1/2 a mile away from the signals, the former CitiRail GEVO trailing (which is now owned by Canadian National), and the VERY friendly engineer, BNSF crews are not known to be so friendly to railfans, but this engineer was awesome, he asked what setting I wanted the headlights at for my pictures, which I asked for full brightness with the ditchlights on, add the sunset in and you get a pretty dang good photo.

Were you all the way zoomed out with the lens?

Keep it minimal. Nobody wants to read an essay.

kd_1014 wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 11, 2022 2:21 pm

Keep it minimal. Nobody wants to read an essay.

Mostly this, however longer descriptions can be ok if they are well-written and interesting.

Just don't be one of those guys that puts up a photo with the only info being "Q369 Suman" and nothing else.

Are you asking for help of some sort? There's so real question in your initial post... Pay attention to what you are writing. Perhaps don't post comments in the chat room, make this thread, and go right back to chatting.
Do you want to find out if your photo caption is appropriate? I don't mind that it's a bit wordy, but saying "you get a pretty dang good photo" in the caption is definitely not needed. By even posting the photo, we get that you probably like your own photo, but let the audience judge your photo for themselves.

SD80MAC writes good captions. I appreciate his photos because of the background information.

SD80MAC wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 11, 2022 3:01 pm

kd_1014 wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 11, 2022 2:21 pm

Keep it minimal. Nobody wants to read an essay.

Mostly this, however longer descriptions can be ok if they are well-written and interesting.

Just don't be one of those guys that puts up a photo with the only info being "Q369 Suman" and nothing else.

~Z~ wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 11, 2022 3:03 pm

Do you want to find out if your photo caption is appropriate? I don't mind that it's a bit wordy, but saying "you get a pretty dang good photo" in the caption is definitely not needed. By even posting the photo, we get that you probably like your own photo, but let the audience judge your photo for themselves.

Agreed.

Rule #1, never compliment your own photo in the caption. Let the viewers decide if your photo has earned a compliment or not.

Who is your audience and what is the story you want to tell?

PatAzo wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 13, 2022 12:16 pm

Who is your audience and what is the story you want to tell?

Great advice. I love it when the photo tells a story and the caption compliments it. Let the photo tell the story. The caption should add the color commentary.

A railfan would be interested in the location, consists, train symbol and so forth. A wider audience wouldn't care what a GEVO was and will skip over it once the jagon starts. Complimenting the photo would be caption about the engineering asking if you wanted the head lights on or off for your photo (leaving the BNSF not usually friendly out). That would have a broad interest. Brief stats at the end. Photo geeks always want to know what it was shot with and settings (again brief).

PatAzo wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 13, 2022 12:16 pm

Who is your audience and what is the story you want to tell?

Any railfans to be honest