Evening Express

[John 2]

I know what I have tried to do here but I'm not sure it's quite come off. The idea was to try and create the feel of the train steaming through the countryside (a la the Railway Children if you know the film). Normally it's with a few cows and/or sheep in the FG but I have looked for a different approach. So comments very welcome.

[Shadowman]

Not sure what your goal was, but my gaze immediately went up the path trying to identify that shiny object within the frame. Nice capture. Re-reading your statement, I'd have to say the train doesn't look like it's steaming through, it's a bit too sharp and looks stationary, but it's still a good shot.

[Ziggy]

Me I would be sitting next to the track and catch the incoming train.

Will be the end to me someday.

Would love to see a shot of the train.

[Donald]

I can see exactly what you were trying to and it was an excellent idea well worth pursuing. Including the gate is what I think an awful lot of people would have aimed for. It does add to that idea of the 'rural idyll'. The problem, I suggest, is that the gate is too far away from the track. the result being that the picture becomes one of a gate with an awful lot of foliage ... and something else in the background.

I think that in a picture like this, the train has got to be 'the subject'. So the image has got to be composed with that in mind. The rest of the scene needs to be the supporting act, not the main subject.

Looking at that scene, inasmuch as we can see it without actually being there (and I don't know if you will have the chance to re-shoot), I wonder about climbing over the gate and getting down that path and much closer to the line. You could still include the path as the leading line taking you into the picture and some of the lower-level foliage that's down there. You're going to still have the land behind the train as a backdrop (even more significantly so). And .... given that the train presumably goes through at the same time each day and the sun will be in the same place - at least for a while yet - you'd avoid that harsh division between sunlight and shade.

[IzzieK]

Re-reading your narrative and your wish, I think I know what you were trying to do here...it would have been idyll. That it didn't eventuate with the animals, cattles is not really a failure here. I am not familiar with Railway Children and have to google it and Wikipedia provided a good story there and an illustration of the kids sitting down on the fence waving at the train....but you are halfway there...it just lacks that human element, even a single one looking down at the train. Animals would be a bonus...the idea is there...even with just that gate...

[bnnrcn]

I like the image John, it is very nice on its own But I have to agree with Donald if you are after the evening express as main subject.

[John 2]

I like the image John, it is very nice on its own But I have to agree with Donald if you are after the evening express as main subject.

I think Donald has nailed it completely. I had an idea that it wouldn't be quite right. The Gate is too far away from the action but I wanted to include it. I used a zoom and tried a few focal lengths thinking a bit of compression at the long end might help but the compromise in the end was between that and being able to achieve front to back focus.

None the less, thanks all for the comments.

[Geoff F]

Most of my thoughts have already been mentioned; but just an extra thought. Crop closer.

At the moment the gate is the main subject which is a good idea but there are a lot of rather dark shadows there. So how about cropping a little from the top and right side?

Show half of the stone pillar on the right?

Then I also wonder about also cropping the left side to have just a little bit of the gate leaves showing. Not sure about the image size then; possibly 5 x 4 ratio or maybe even square?

[Loose Canon]

John, forgive me if I am way off here, but this is a composite right?

[John 2]

Thanks Geoff. Tried your suggestion. It helps but it is still not right. Needs a rethink. This special runs every Wednesday until the end of August. Should be able to catch it again before the evenings get too short.

Terry, no it isn't a composite. It's a straight shot using an 18mm-55mm zoom at about 40mm.

[Loose Canon]

Okay John. Sorry about that, but thanks for saying.

I must be losing it (big surprise)!

[John 2]

Perfectly legitimate Q Terry. No probs.

[Donald]

Just coming back into this thread.

I think there's a lot of serious and considered comments perhaps because others, like me, can see the potential for an absolutely wonderful image in there.

If it is of any help whatsoever, here is something I did of a steam train. Just to give some alternative ideas.

[jcuknz]

The difference between Donald's shot and John 2's is the steam which gives the impression of movement to a frozen object. Then there is tghe lighting which looks over sharp and 'glitzy' to me. The foliage and gate are quite delicious.
I dislike the HDR approach to this subject matter and prefer, obviously , my also mucked about using the simple Paint dot Net editing programme. Playing with motion blur for a first time

[John 2]

I loved that mono the first time I saw it Donald and still do.

John, I'm not sure where the thought of HDR being used comes from but I promise you this is a straight shot. Exposed for the highlights due to the very contrasty conditions and the most that has been done is that I have lifted the shadows and added a de-saturated vignette. As to your preference, I respect that we are all different.

[Mike Buckley]

Another alternative is to make a child the subject rather than the train. Use the exact same composition or perhaps with the bottom cropped about halfway up the gate but have a child running down the path toward the train with arms waving in the air.

[John 2]

A classic Mike but the trouble is that in the UK at the moment, taking photographs of children in a public space is a hazardous occupation. None the less thanks for the idea.

[jcuknz]

I am interested in the fact that Donald's loco has a 46xxx number as does Scot Guardsman? Yet quite different loco types?

[John 2]

John, I enjoy photographing these machines but I'm not an enthusiast per se. Consequently, I don't know much about them. This Wiki link explains a bit about how British Rail applied a unified renumbering system to the locos after nationalisation. However, I believe that it can still be a puzzle in that these heritage trains can change their livery between BR's colours and their former pre nationalisation colours year on year and sometimes the original privatised numbers are used as well. All very confusing to the uninitiated.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_...itish_Railways

[jcuknz]

My after thought was that they got similar numbers because they were used for similar passenger duties.