Did You Know It’s Illegal To Take Photos On These In Iowa?
Sometimes the perfect backdrop for photographs can be hard to find. A good backdrop can enhance the quality of your photo and help provide a scene to the story you're trying to tell. If you're taking family photos, wedding photos, or senior pictures, do not take photos on these in Iowa, no matter how romantic the look might be.
First and foremost, taking photos using these is dangerous. The last thing you'd want to do is have some horrific accident happen while trying to capture lifelong images. An accident involving these could be deadly. I'm assuming losing a life wouldn't be the way you'd want to remember the day you were taking special photos. Sure, you already know taking photos on train tracks is dangerous but did you also know it's illegal?
I highly doubt you've seen wedding pictures or family photos of people on train tracks but it's very possible you've witnessed senior pictures involving train tracks. I get it, they can have a rustic appeal to them and they might seem "edgy". You can find really cool abandoned areas where train tracks are set, which can give your photo a unique vibe to it.
They can help create interesting symmetry and can help create certain lines in the photos but photos like the one above, or senior pictures on railroad tracks need to stop. According to Des Moines Register, photos on railroad tracks, even if they're abandoned, can lead to criminal charges.
Even if you think by just using common sense you can take these photos safely, is it really worth the risk? You might believe you can feel, see, or hear a train coming, but that isn't always the case with the advancement of technology.
Philip Merz is the rails regulations and analysis coordinator of the Iowa DOT and when he spoke to the Des Moines Register, back in 2016, he said,
Technology for railroads and trains have advanced, making them move more smoothly and with less sound.
That was 7 years ago...you can only assume the advancement of train technology has increased over the years. You should also remember that if you take an underage child to a set of tracks to capture senior photos, you could receive a felony charge of child endangerment. Meraz added,
This is not just like writing a ticket. This is, you get put in handcuffs, you take them to the courthouse, you sit in jail, and set a court date.
Let's leave the senior pictures involving train tracks out of the yearbook this year. Schools should consider not posting these pictures in the yearbook as well if you ask me.