Down by the trains...for C&C please! First post

[cocado]

1.

the station by cocado, on Flickr

2.

the tracks by cocado, on Flickr

 

[tirediron]

Welcome! C&C per req: A nice start. A few general thoughts: Try and avoid centering your subjects in the frame quite so much (Google 'Rule of thirds' and 'Golden mean' for hints on composition). The skin in both is slightly over-exposed; perhaps use a levels/curves tweak to reduce it by 1/2 stop or so... In #1, consider using a longer focal length and larger aperture (smaller f#) to use focus to ioslate the subject from the background.

Just my $00.02 worth - your mileage may vary.

~John

 

[Marc-Etienne]

Tirediron said pretty much everything. I would add that it's best to have a background that does grow anything out of the subject (ex. branch or three out of the head) and in your case (#1) a background in which you don't lose the subject. A nice subject is good, a nice subject in a good environment is better!

 

[cocado]

Thank you so much for you time and comments. I will take this into consideration and hope the next posts will reflect it!

 

[RedWylder]

I can't get past the kid on the train tracks..for some reason this bothers me although I know he was perfectly safe. Seems fine to stick adults on tracks who can run away at any second but kid sitting with teddy bear...makes me want to rush him off of there!

 

[MissCream]

^^^^ I agree!

 

[Brenda Lee]

You definitely don't want to place an adorable little boy with a teddy bear in front of a train -- not because he's in any danger, but it gives the viewer a bad feeling. A little tip about the use of a prop -- don't make it obvious. If he was standing with the teddy bear dangling by his side, for instance, the prop is more subtle.

 

[kundalini]

Something you really have going in your favor is his body position to the camera. Having the 30-45° angle, either by design or dumb-luck, this is a boon in portrait photography.

I like the kid with the teddy bear in front of the train. I like juxtapositions. I don't like his foot being clipped though.

Very nice start. Thanks for sharing.

 

[cocado]

Thanks everyone. I really appreciate all of your comments. Just for the record, it is a dead end rail line and the boy loves trains! It was a fun day. I will consider my locations more carefully next time, never thought about it being disturbing!