The Lone Passenger

Part of the reason I started this blog was because I enjoy talking about my photos. Here's one from my past.

Let's go back to December 26, 2008. The whole month of December had been very cold, but on this particular day the temperature climbed all the way up to 50 degrees! I remember it like it was yesterday... it was cloudy and foggy all day, but at least it was 50 degrees! That night, I was having coffee with my Mom and stepdad at Caribou Coffee in downtown Downers Grove. It was getting kind of late, and the fog was getting really thick - I just knew I had to be out taking pictures. So, I bid them farewell, and walked across the street to the 1930s-era Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad station which is used today by Metra. Looking down the tracks, visibility was probably less than 1/8th of a mile. I mean, this fog was thick! However, the serchlight signals down at Forest Avenue were showing a green board on the west bound track, so I set up my tripod and waited for a train to come. And I waited. And I waited. And I waited some more. After 35 minutes, and the signals still displaying a green board, I decided to pack it up and call it a night. It was 9:09 p.m. All of the sudden, literally out of nowhere, this individual appeared. Almost like he (I'm assuming it was a he - I guess it could have been a she) was sent by the photography Gods from above, there he was. He stood still, silent and smoking a cigarette. I quickly snapped a few shots, and left. I'm not even sure if he saw me standing there, even though I was only about 50 yards away. Despite the fact that I didn't get to see a train that night, it turned out pretty good. In fact, it's probably one of the best photos I have ever taken.

Sometimes, the best shots are the ones you never intended to take.