How to Take a Picture on a Train

Picture on a train

Here we’ll share the secrets of how to take a picture on a train! One of the best things that Switzerland has to offer is its vast transportation options.  From trains to gondolas, funiculars, boats, and more, these various modes of transportation will take you to all corners of the country.  No matter what mode of transportation you are on, you are almost always guaranteed to have amazing sights and views! 

What is the first thing I see tourists do when they get into one of these human transporters?  They take out their cameras, of course! Who doesn’t want to take pictures of the glaciers you are suspended above? Or the tumbling waterfalls blazing down the mountain along the train tracks? Or the quaint chateaus with the funky slate roofs?  The heartbreaking thing is when you get to your hotel later that night and review your pictures, anxious to see the amazing landscapes of the day and find nothing but streaky lines through your pictures. A byproduct of the glare that came through the window or the reflection of the lights on the windows, as you shot your otherwise brag-worthy photos.  

Photo glare

Unfortunately, I was in a crowded gondola coming down from Mt. Rigi and was in the middle of the car and couldn’t get to the window, so this was the best I could do.

Photo glare train window
The glare from the overhead lights on the Goldenpass line. 

Good news!  There is a solution to taking non-glare pictures from a glass enclosed vehicle.  The first thing is to put your fancy high-tech camera aside and reach for your basic smartphone.  

Step 1:  Determine what end of the phone your camera is on

locate phone camera

Step 2:  Press the entire camera side of the phone against the window

Flat on glass

Step 3:  If you like what you see through the screen, go ahead and click away

Photo at angle

Step 4:  If you want to get a picture to the right or the left of where you are and need to move the phone to get the right angle, keeping the camera end of your phone touching the glass, begin to pull the other end of the phone towards you until you have what you want in your sights.  Then click away.  

camera at angle

Step 5:  If you need to get an angle in the opposite direction, then flip the camera around and repeat the same action in Step 4.

Tip:  The closer you can keep the phone to the window, the better chance you having cutting out the reflection or glare.  If you pull the one side of the phone too far away from the window, you may start to see the glare again.

There you have it, a reflection-free picture! Now when you show your Swiss photos to your friends back home, they can be amazed and delighted in seeing your beautiful photos.  The good news is that with just a few tips, you can feel like a real pro since the surroundings are so good, it doesn’t take much effort on your part to bring home that prize-winning photo! Now you know how to take a great picture on a train, join us for the Scenic Alps by Rail views!

landscape
Taken from a bus on the way to Mannlichen in the Jungfrau Region.
Robyn Damon
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