Critique - CSX Rail, Little Falls, NY

[Orgnoi1]

I am looking for a critique on my processing and content. I processed via my laptop starting from RAW (I dont use RAW ever) and then had to transfer it to my work CPU which the monitor isnt so great.

The specs on the image are as follows:

Canon 5D, Sigma Bigma @ 50mm, Cloudy/Snowy Morning
ISO640, 1/500, f/9, Manual, AWB, RAW

Converted via CS2

Thanks in advance!

 

[auer1816]

Not bad, but a couple of things are bugging me on this.

1. Composition -- I don't want to say it because I try not to follow the rules all the time, but the centered train is just not doing it for me. It would be more appealing to me if the whole scene was shifted to the left and down (or up) so that the pole is excluded, the train is not centered, and the track is more prominent in the foreground.

2. Color/Lighting -- I know it's a cloudy day and the sky is washed out anyways, but that doesn't mean the rest of the picture should be void of color and contrast. All that brown just kind of blends together and doesn't provide much separation. With the train being the only object with color, it should POP out from the rest of the brown, white, and grey.

Just my opinion though, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Don't take these comments too seriously, they're just ideas to experiment with.

 

[outdoorlover]

I agree, you should move to take out the pole and off center the train.
But I like the tops of the trees, so I would try to select the sky and try to get a little color in it, just enough so it doesn't look so washed out

 

[Orgnoi1]

Well as far as color and contrast... I believe as long as the image shows the exact environment then I am happy with that respect... everything color wise is fairly accurate... I was more worried about my processing being off because of my laptop screen not being calibrated or the like...

I will mess around with crops though... I agree about the centering... I usually try not to crop or change images aside from your normal processing stages... its just something that I try to stick with... but I do agree on the centering slightly... there really is no way of planning some shots... with a train running by at 65mph you have to hit it quick... and in this shot from a very compromised position unfortunately...

Thanks both of you a lot for the critiques... will have another look at it...

 

[Pyrex]

Hey! I'm not the only train picture taker on the boards!

 

[Orgnoi1]

Hey! I'm not the only train picture taker on the boards!

I dabble in it a little...LOL

Check my site:
http://nerrphoto.fotopic.net

 

[Pyrex]

Oh sweet mercy! I will spend some time looking at your website...

here are some of my meager attempts:

http://thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=69341
http://thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?p=647044

I'd really like to know what you think of my local remote controlled trainyard I frequent often.

I dabble in it a little...LOL

Check my site:
http://nerrphoto.fotopic.net