November 2008: Orange Coast Magazine

This month I have an image in Orange Coast Magazine.  It was a really tough assignment, but I think it really gave me some tools to be a better photographer.  I was assigned to ride an Amtrak commuter train and photograph people.  

Basically the story about was about how crowded the trains are now that so many commuters are looking to alternate modes of transportation.  Also, about how the cafe car, mostly on Friday afternoon commutes, turn into something more like a corner bar at happy hour, filled with friends and tons of bitty bottles of scotch.  Everyone has a blast in the cafe car. 

I rode from LA to San Juan Capistrano...twice.  It was a very different way to shoot, but allowed me to be more free...and constrained at the same...and tested my ability to ask complete strangers to have their photo taken.  I was shooting with a 30mm lens, but would have perfered something a bit wider, as space on a train is rather lacking.  Overall I was really surprised at how willing most people were.  It helped the process quite a bit.  Here are a few out-takes from the trip.