Railroad Track (for C&C Please)

Trblmkr

No longer a newbie, moving up!
Joined
Feb 18, 2013
Messages
463
Reaction score
247
Location
Springfield Va.
Can others edit my Photos
Photos OK to edit
I took this last winter and finally getting around to processing them. I also plan on entering them in my photo clubs competition in a few weeks. So I'd really love to hear some opinions on how to make the pictures better by editing them differently (via crop one has already been) or color/tone processing.

Thanks

1. (this one is cropped)

Train Tracks-14-011213 by Dan_Girard, on Flickr

2.

20130112_WestSpringfield_Tracks-16-1 by Dan_Girard, on Flickr

3.

20130112_WestSpringfield_Tracks-2 by Dan_Girard, on Flickr
 
Railroad tracks are pretty cliche. Everyone has done one, everyone has seen one. They are kind of like sunrise / sunset shots in that most of the permutations have already been done, and it takes one really special to break through the ice.

That said there is something about the third shot that I like. I'd recommend that you straighten it, it's leaning to the right, and I think the point where the tracks disappear into the mist is too close to the center of the image vertically.
 
Honestly I do not care if the subject is a cliche or not (as long as it is not cats :playball: ) what matters is how good is the photo. And I like no 1 and 2 very much. No 3 is not bad as well.
With No 1 I would be tempted to crop the upper side so that the cut branch on the right side would go into the frame.
 
Railroad tracks are pretty cliche. Everyone has done one, everyone has seen one. They are kind of like sunrise / sunset shots in that most of the permutations have already been done, and it takes one really special to break through the ice.

That said there is something about the third shot that I like. I'd recommend that you straighten it, it's leaning to the right, and I think the point where the tracks disappear into the mist is too close to the center of the image vertically.

Thanks for the comment Scott. That really is how the tracks are laid out, it's a bit of an uphill grade going around the corner as I fought with this one over and over even used a level and my in-camera rule of 3rd's grid. I could try and rotate it some in LR to make sure the first track is perfectly straight, but not sure the effect on the rest of the picture. I'll play around with it some more.
 
Honestly I do not care if the subject is a cliche or not (as long as it is not cats :playball: ) what matters is how good is the photo. And I like no 1 and 2 very much. No 3 is not bad as well.
With No 1 I would be tempted to crop the upper side so that the cut branch on the right side would go into the frame.

Just crop the top so the end of the branch on the right ends right at the top of the frame??
 
I like 1 and 3 the best. On number 1 to me it might work better without the rail just a shot of a misty woods. I really like the mist and the curved rails in number 3.
 
I like 1 and 3 the best. On number 1 to me it might work better without the rail just a shot of a misty woods. I really like the mist and the curved rails in number 3.

HHmm I never thought about cropping out the rail in #1. The pictures is already cropped alot, and I thought the rail gave it a sense of "level". I'll take a look at it again. Thanks Woodsman..
 
Thanks for the comment Scott. That really is how the tracks are laid out, it's a bit of an uphill grade going around the corner as I fought with this one over and over even used a level and my in-camera rule of 3rd's grid. I could try and rotate it some in LR to make sure the first track is perfectly straight, but not sure the effect on the rest of the picture. I'll play around with it some more.
I understand. Heck, you've already gone to more effort than I would have! They do build them with some cross-slope in places so that makes sense. The problem is that regular people viewing the photo aren't going to know that, they will just see a shot that isn't straight and not care why. When you enter them in a show you aren't going to have the luxury of explaining that either.

Either way it's a good shot in my opinion.
 
The tracks are banked due to the curve. It is supposed to be "not level".
 
First image is excellent....
Second image fine still composition, which tell a story those who care to hear...
Is there a tilt in the third or is it the elevation of the track at a curve?
I like them all :D
 
If you need to choose one of these for the other B&W, try #3.

#1 & #2 should remain in color, IMO.
 
There is more interest in the canvas-like forest than the rail in number one.
 

Most reactions

Back
Top