What was your goal, there's so much going on here? I know the obvious, but you have fifty percent of the composition in darkness and about twenty percent well exposed, those two areas capture too much of my attention. Where do you want the viewer's attention to be focused?
I agree with John. Concentrate on the 20 per cent in the background. That is only my opinion.
Cheers Ole
Your second photo is much more interesting than the first one. The colours are nice and bright and there is action in this shot. I would rotate the shot slightly with photoshop or Lightroom so that the railway track running through the middle of the photo is horizontal. But I'm just being "picky." It is a nice photo.
Real dark fun, Alan...is this in your backyard? I would have fun too if this is mine...you should had explained the scenario with more narrative at the first image, then followed it with this last image so there is confusion...it is a good practice on night photography too...nice job.
Thank you Izzie, yes, this is my backyard. I usually don't set up the train except at Christmas time. This is the first time I set it up outside. I invited some friend's grandkids, ages 7 and 4, to play. They (and I) had a blast as we put my ELPH on board and shot some videos from the train. They thought that was really cool. I made a couple of CD's for them to take home and I've heard reports that they are wearing them out playing them.
You have potential for a great garden railroad in that area if you could get planning permission
Alan...looks like a big gauge one...is this like a 7.5? the ride-able version? You have a beautiful garden...I am envious...it is neat and tidy...
This is LGB 'G' scale Izzie, not ride-able, they're the kinds you see in department store window displays sometimes, especially around Christmas time.
I have my wife to thank for the garden as that is her domain, not mine.
Your second photo is fun and the colours are good. Bad thing is I am envious. I want a train like that in our backyard.
Cheers Ole
This is her garden. It goes around the whole yard, but the grass section is mostly dirt thanks to our drought conditions and isn't fit to photograph much less post here.
She is a quilter, thus the art work on the fence.
As you can see, we had a bbq the day we played with the trains.
I took this picture more or less just to document how we laid out the tracks in hopes of maybe one day repeating it.
Awwwwwwwwww........so beautiful. Now I am envious....very, very jealous...thanks Mrs. Alan -- I am inspired. After the stock market crash these last few days, now I want to create something like but not before I counted my pennies and save for it then bar the dogs from going inside it...