Now that it's October, everyone is getting their holiday cards ready and family sessions are in full swing. My facebook newsfeed has been overflowing with beautiful family photos, and I absolutely love it. But every once in a while, I come across something that makes me physically cringe, and that is children and their families on train tracks.
Now, I'm not going to lie. I see the artistic appeal of train track images. They can be beautiful, cool, and unique. But it's something I will never ever ever do, and here is why:
First of all, train tracks are private property. Which means shooting on them is blatantly breaking the law. You can be heavily fined, or even arrested, depending on the state. Even if the tracks are no longer being used, they are STILL private property, and shooting on them is trespassing. It's illegal.
If breaking the law isn't enough to deter you, here's my next point: It's freaking dangerous. People have DIED taking photos on train tracks. Let me say that again: People have DIED taking photos on train tracks. If the tracks are active, you can not rely on "cautiousness" and "good judgment" to keep you from getting hit by a train. Trains are fast. It takes a long time for them to stop if they need to. Plus, they move in both directions, so if the train is being pushed, it would take even longer for anyone who saw you at the front, to communicate with the people controlling it in the back. They don't always sound their horns and you can't always hear them as they're coming toward you. And even if you DO clear the tracks in time, they overhang the tracks by quite a bit, so you could STILL get hit or even pulled under. A session on the tracks risks the photographer's life, the kids' or family's life, and what about the people aboard the train? You're putting all of them at risk as well. Not to mention the potential damage you could cause by forcing a train to have to make an emergency stop. Pileups or derailments could be disastrous, and the photographer would be liable.
But let's say you or your photographer found a set of train tracks that are completely unused (safe) and for whatever reason, you are able to use them legally. What kind of example would you be setting? I get asked to shoot on train tracks quite a bit. And it's not because my clients came up with that brand new idea all on their own. It's because they've seen it. Even if I was able to set up a safe and legal session on train tracks, the images produced from that session could potentially inspire someone else to do the same, who may not know the rules and dangers involved. As a photographer, I have a responsibility to keep my clients safe at all times. It's my number one priority. But I believe I also have a social responsibility to set a good example, for anyone else - clients or photographers - who might be watching.
So this is me, begging everyone to stay safe this year. (And every year.) Please stay off the tracks; it's not worth it.
<3 <3
