cold railway line

[Bootsy]

c&c welcome

[Colin Southern]

The first in the series could be one of the classic bride and groom shots where you campture this image with bride and groom each walking on 1 rail - holding hands - and walking towards a sunset. As it stands it's a nice enough capture, but I personally think it lacks a point of interest in the foreground (like a bride and groom for example, or one of my kids tied to the tracks! <j/k>).

I often say "it's OK to break the rules, but the resulting shot has to justify it" - the last two break the rules, but they don't really seem to work for me unfortunately.

Hope this helps!

Cheers

[sbartell]

Yea I'm new to all this, but I still know what rubs me the right way.

The first pic I feel has potential. It reminds me of a cold, ghoulish scene. I really like how fog effects the depth of an image. It also seems this is pretty windy area as the trees and the sign are bending the same way. (Im from the mojave desert... everything bends to the sunrise)

The third pic is sweet. From this I think that greyscale fits this series best. Although in this image the out of focus foreground is distracting. Just my 2 cents though.

sb

[Colin Southern]

"I really like how fog effects the depth of an image."

I've found that fog and mist can often "be your friends" - they can do a very good job of hiding unsightly detractors when you've got a nice foreground.

Cheers

[shreds]

The first shot works ok, although the 25 speed sign in yellow on the right does end to draw the eye. Number two, I like looking at the pattern of the rust on the unused railhead. However with both the latter shots, a common problem is the depth of field especially close by. A lot of photographers do this kind of shot, but as Colin says, it could do with something to focus on as the eye is led along the rail, and of course the DoF thing is always going to be awkward on a misty day, when you are struggling with the aperture.

Not sure about tying anybody to the track, despite the disused look, something might just creep up! (Afraid there have been a few unfortunate seemingly innocent level crossings deaths in the news recently)

[milleniummuppet]

If it were me taking the photo, I probably would have walked further up the track to that crooked sign on the side of the track, and incorporated that (for a point of interest).
Although you would have to think carefully about how you shot the sign to get the right effect.
But I suppose it would have the side effect taking away the bend in the track, in which case I would probably have shot it from the other direction.

[atvinnys]

strange, I actually prefer #3.
the focus is maybe a taf too far (maybe a little too much blur in that right corner..), but I like the fact the DOF doens't start right at the beginning (like it does for #2)

[Zephyrize]

curiously, like atvinnys, I really like the third one. The narrow DOF makes us not focusing in anything in particular.. I just like the general desertic 'lost' atmosphere!
I like the detailed foreground texture in the second pic.

Overall, what makes me like these is probably the 'cinematic' feel in them, I can perfectly imagine the camera shots and mouvements in a scene like that.

No really, I keep staring at that third pic, don't know why/what, but something is really intriguing. Some photos have this effect on me...

Good job bootsy