Hi all. These are three photos I took last Sunday. What do you think?
#1: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2251941
#2: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2251956
#3: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2251978
#4: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2251976
Well, in the 1st one you missed the crop and cluttered up a perfectly good photo of a MOW machine with a plain old train in the background . … . [:-,] More seriously, I like the angle, and that the MOW machine is larger in the image - a good way to tie the relationship between the two together. But I’m thinking I’d like some more foreground and just a wee bit more on the right border to ‘frame’ it all better.
The 2nd one is a ‘keeper’ - very dramatic with the super-elevation and the wedge angle on the loco.
The 3rd one is a good ‘roster shot’ - and dramatic, too, in its own way, of how high those double-stacks can be and how they tower over the MOW equipment, and the well cars and the details of the different container types.
The 4th one is a good ‘going away’ shot - an angle that’s not attempted often enough. I like that you got the crossing signal in on the right border - just a little bit more of it would have added some emphasis and accent, I think.
Thanks for sharing. You got any of the MOW equipment to share, too ? Note that since it wasn’t moving that day, you likely had lots of time to get a good angle and composition for it - not something you see everyday, either.
Quick thought: watch your horizons. A couple of these seem extremely tilted to me. I like the concept of the first one, but can’t really voice what I don’t like about it yet. Let me ponder it a bit.
Thanks for sharing them here, Justin!
I’ defer to what Paul said and Chris as well.
Just curious about one thing…The pile of materials in front of the MOW machine.
Any idea as to their use?
Great pictures, just as it started viewing them a train was passing the house so I injoyed the audio, and physical effect with them.
Most likely rubber “Rail Seal” strips for use along the rails in upcoming grade crossing replacements/ repairs/ upgrades in the vicinity - such as the crossing in the background of the 4th photo. For some manufacturers, see:
http://www.itsrailroadrubber.com/ITSframes/ProductsOnly/RailSealStrip.html
http://www.itsrailroadrubber.com/ITSframes/ProductsOnly/RailSealStrip.html and
OK, Justin, here goes.
Like I said, I really like the concept. I like seeing peripherals of railroading in shots. There are enough 3/4 Wedge roster shots out there. Seeing the other stuff that makes up railroading beyond locomotives is always a nice change of pace.
The biggest error in the shot is that the horizon is tilted pretty dramatically. Straightening that out would do a lot towards helping the image.
The second issue I see is that the colors are kind of dull. Adjusting the white balance and adding in some vibrance and/or saturation could help the image out. Also, with levels/curves/highlight recovery, pulling the sky back a little bit so there’s a bit more definition between the sky and clouds might help. It looks a little blown out, but I think you can pull some detail out of it.
The image looks a wee bit soft to me, too. Some sharpness could be added with a pass of Unsharp Mask, but good technique can go a long way, too. What was your shutter speed for this shot?
Beyond the technical stuff, the composition is good, though I think I would have tried a different lens. My first inclination would be a wider angle closer to “DAMMIT-1” whatever that thing is. That probably wouldn’t have been possible because I’m sure you’d be on private property by that point. In which case, I’d probably back up and go with a longer lens (and wider aperture if possible). Honestly, the train doesn’t need to be in focus. If you could get a sharp shot of the equipment with the train out of focus, it would tell the story that this is part of railroading but lead the viewer’s eye to the equipment.
Just some thoughts. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different camera angles and focal lengths. Experimenting with both will teach your eye to see differently. While most people think of telephotos for “getting closer” and wide angles for “getting it all in,” I tend to think a little differently.
Hello all.
Thanks for the input. I appreciate the complements and constructive criticism. I’m not sure what you mean by the “Tilted Horizons”. Could you clarify that for me a little?
I was very very frustrated with the stupid lighting. The lighting was absolutely perfect just about 30 seconds before the train rounded the curve. The sun went behind the clouds! I slowed down my shutter to 1/2000 of a second and sped up the ISO to 1600. It disappointed me. I wish I could of used my 1/4000 of a second speed. I think that does a good job of “freezing” the train.
Yes for those who asked that pile of rubber strips in front of the equipment are rubber seals for the rails at crossings. NS has been tearing out all crossings in Attica and re-doing them all.
Thanks all.
The pictures are kind of leaning to the right. So if the horizon was visible in the shot, it wouldn’t be a line going straight from left to right. It’d be a diagonal line from the upper left to the lower right. You should be able to correct this with a small crop in post processing.
Alas…it’s part of the challenge of railroad photography. When you do find sweet light, though, it’ll make it that much more rewarding.
It’s just my opinion, but I’d go with a lower ISO in daylight. The sensor won’t perform as well at that high of an ISO. With
Good comments, dialogue, and responses from both Chris and Justin - I’m learning from those, too.
I meant to mention that apparently unique and local name that’s so neatly stencilled on the orange MOW machine earlier. A full-frame photo of just that end of the machine would have a certain ironic or cynical appeal to some of us . . .[swg]
I’m a little embarassed to admit that I can’t say for certain what it is, though. At first I though it was a tamper, but on closer look I believe it’s an older version of a tie remover/inserter. That conclusion is based on the large ‘fork’ or upside-down ‘Y’ metal plate in the lower left - that kind of thing is usually to brace the machine - or at least the pushing/ pulling hydraulic ram - more directly against the rail. That way, the large horizontal forces from that ram are kept out of the machine’s frame, and so help to keep it up on the rails where it belongs. The pair of long black vertical poles or rods in the background still mystify me, though - perhaps they belong to a weed sprayer that’s also parked there ?
The Forum software apparently deleted part of my post yesterday about the Rail-Seal - the other website is this one: