• This is a running day and the scene is far from carefully manicured. There are people all over the place and 5" gauge trains were running in and out of view all the time.
• The camera is a pocket digicam, placed solidly (on the rails, this time).
• Camera direction is chosen to include small 'scale' trees in the distance (where the train curves to the left).
• Camera distance and optical zoom are chosen to cut out all but the train, then backed off a whisker to allow a small amount of final cropping. Don't bother with digital zoom: it gains you nothing.
• Camera exposure is chosen for shadow detail, allowing the sun to be a little hazy (helped by the Histogram display on the screen - your own digicam probably has one hidden in the Menus.).
• While steam is raised (conveniently pinning the train down for five minutes) the camera-man darts from Screen to Scene, moving dead leaves, adding view-blockers (like the big log beside the Shay), and dodging direct sunlight:

Photos: David Halfpenny: 2008

Later, in Photoshop (other photo-editing Apps are available):

• slight final cropping.
• slight adjustment of Levels.
• the glaring yellow wagon (at left in the sky shot) was adjusted to dark ochre.

[Calibrate and correct if your camera distorts (all Action Cams and Zoom lenses do to some extent).]