Arrival and Departures

[John 2]

One from my local rail station. C&C welcome.

[Donald]

My very first reaction was, "That's brilliant".

But then I started asking what it was that was nagging me and just didn't feel totally right about the composition.

In the lightbox I moved it around and 'cropped@ from the bottom and from the right, so that the nose of the train unit filled the bottom right corner, instead of us seeing the track bed. You might not like the idea.

[Wavelength]

This is very nice indeed I like those group which is the life of this image....

[Sam W]

Great shot. I do like Donald's idea on the cropping.

[John 2]

My very first reaction was, "That's brilliant".

But then I started asking what it was that was nagging me and just didn't feel totally right about the composition.

In the lightbox I moved it around and 'cropped@ from the bottom and from the right, so that the nose of the train unit filled the bottom right corner, instead of us seeing the track bed. You might not like the idea.

Yes that works Donald but I've taken a bit from the left as well. Puts the yellow line back in the corner which to my eyes helps. Need to post and flick between the two in lightbox to see which I prefer.

[bnnrcn]

The crop looks better , very nice image John

[Urbanflyer]

The crop works well. Not a crop I would have thought of--so I have learned something too! Thanks for posting!

[Shadowman]

Very nice.

[John 2]

Thanks all for the comments. I think that the Donald version has it by head. I has more immediacy.

[IzzieK]

Very colourful...it makes me bend my head on the left...

[Sergio M.]

I think that the Donald version has it by head. I has more immediacy.

Yes, immediacy, good word. I feel like I'm immediately thrust up against the train as I look at the image. It has more tension.

For that reason, I prefer the first image. I'm gradually eased into the frame by the lines of the platform, to the train, and then down it's length. It's a more relaxed view and engagement.

Both well done. Just my take as they have a different appeal for me.

Sergio

[Urbanflyer]

Interesting responses to the crop. For me, I am guided by the yellow line right to the passengers on the platform, then zoom back out to the front of the train, a vee scan. And, for me, very effective! We all see things so differently. That is one value of this group.

[Kaye Leggett]

Lovely picture - but what a shame about the state of the station !

[RobFellows]

That looks like Crewe station?

[John 2]

Thanks all for the continued comment.

Julia, I must admit that was what I had in mind in taking the shot.

Kay, it's a very old station. There has been a station here since 1838 and been expanded (and shrunk) over the intervening years. The current buildings are some early Victoriana dating back to 1880, and although it's on the West Coast main line, it has suffered a little too much from the " if it aint broke, don't fix it" syndrome. It gets the occasional face lift but that is about all. Fairly typical of many UK stations though.

Rob, no its Preston, a couple of stops up the line but the architecture is very much the same.

[ST1]

Would that be "Preston North End" then John ;-))
Great composition with the yellow line leading to the passengers and the similar colour to the front of the train, a train which seems extremely bright and shiny at odds with the station. Well seen and captured.

[pnodrog]

I like it but would not crop at all on the right but agree with a crop off the bottom (more than you did) and if you want to retain the yellow line emerging from the bottom left corner crop a bit off the left hand side. The distance from the locomotive to the right hand edge should be at least as big as the distance from the base of the locomotive cab to the bottom of the photo.

Thanks, I feel much better now that I have got that off my chest.....

[Rebel]

Nice image John

By cropping from the left as well its more or less the same composition as the original just a little bit tighter?

I don't think the yellow line has to be coming from the corner.

[John 2]

Thanks for the comments Peter, Paul and Matt.

Peter - well I guess they both have coaches. I agree , the station has seen better days. It's been repaved and had a lick of paint but short of a total rebuild in the way that Birmingham New Street has just had, it won't really improve much but I can't see that happening any time soon.

Paul/ Matt - When Donald first posted his suggestion, I misread it and thought that he had proposed a bottom/left crop. I tried it and to my eye, it unbalanced the composition. Maybe that's because it is different to what I had in mind but it just doesn't feel right. When I realised my mistake and cropped bottom/right, I was OK with that mainly because it made more of the group of passengers which of course, all the suggested crops would do.