Please take a look at these andtell me this is bad cropping?
Mechanical Department "No no that's fine shove that 20 pound set all around the yard... those shoes aren't hell and a half to change..."
The Missabe Road: Safety First
Well welcome to the anger that is railpictures…two of the photos have stuff in front of the train such as parked cars and they will always reject photos with that in them…but I can somewhat see the bad cropping thing in the last one as the handrail is almost out of the frame just be lucky they accepted any of your photos…they seam oddly unsure of their own guidelines because I have re-submitted photos with out changing a thing and had them accepted…what changed idk lol
But see I had to crop it that close as they apparently dont want red signals in the picture..
Welcome to the club. There is certainly nothing wrong with the first shot I looked at. One had cars blocking but I think anyone who has submitted to RP has had the same experience. I think it is basically one persons opinion. I believe like locophotos.com does it out of 5. 3 yes votes and you have it posted. seems fairer.
keeping trying though. I do
The only one I dont agree with them is the first one. I think that one is good. The rest I can see how it could be improperly composed or poorly cropped. What kind of post processing are you doing?
RJ
"Something hidden, Go and find it. Go and look behind the ranges, Something lost behind the ranges. Lost and waiting for you. Go." The Explorers - Rudyard Kipling
http://sweetwater-photography.com/
The first shot is fine, IMHO, although it does sound like the signals might have been an issue.
The second has the automobiles. I'd tend to agree with rejecting that one.
The third has the lineside equipment, breaking up an otherwise pristine view of the train, which seems to be a major criterion as well.
The fourth definitely needed cropping. The car adds nothing to the shot.
The milky, overcast sky may possibly be another black mark.
Larry Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date Come ride the rails with me! There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...
The only issue with he first shot is you have two subjects. one on the left, one on the right. When I look at it, my eyes go straight down the middle, with nothing really to focus on. The fact the signal and train are facing away from each other doesn't help it much. Nice shot though. All the others just have too much clutter in front of them.
But what happened to the snowplow on that leader?
It's been fun. But it isn't much fun anymore. Signing off for now.
The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer, any other railroad, company, or person.t fun any
Railpictures is rediculous. I submitted a picture where it was slightly dark by the trucks only. Rejected for being too dark. NJT Comet IVs, Vs, and IIMs have LED displays showing where the train is going. The words on the display were slightly blurry. Rejected for being too blurry. If it's not PERFECT, they don't take it. Yet, I've seen some pretty crappy pix on there.
As for yours, they're good. Maybe not the one with the cars in front, but the rest are fine.
My Model Railroad: Tri State RailMy Photos on Flickr: FlickrMy Videos on Youtube: YoutubeMy Photos on RRPA: RR Picture Archives
OK, here's my non-professional opinion, for what it's worth [where's that "2 cents" thingy ?] Please accept these comments as constructive criticism - not at all trying to beat you down, as you'll see - probably better than what I could do. With that understood, here goes:
I'd say that for the last 3 of the 4, it's more a case of "bad composition" than "bad cropping", if that's a distinction with a difference.
1st one - nothing wrong with it, I'd say that's a keeper.
2nd one - yep, it's cluttered - cars in the foreground, plus the crossing signals obscuring the 2nd unit, and the gate arm part of the running gear of the 3rd unit. And be consistent - a clearly emblemed Ford in the foreground - its roof rack hides some of the 2nd unit's running gear, too - but with the GM EMD's in the background ?!? Get your priorities straight, man !
3rd shot - lineside gear - esp. the solar panel and the switchstand target - breaks up the lines of the 3rd unit, makes it look like abstract art, dilutes the focus. Against the hoppers may be OK - a nice contrast, even, to break that monotony - but not in front of the locos. Lot of gray sky and white snow - focuses us on the units, but still a lot of "white space" there.
4th shot - Lose the car and the right 1/4 of the photo. I like the juxtaposition of the red signals - near & far - and on each side of the train. Red nose is vibrant, snow flying = action ! If you still want to go with the car size joke, it would have worked better to have it on the left side of the locos - wouldn't obscure anything there, and much closer so much more dramatic size difference. I know, you probably couldn't do that without trepassing or freaking out the train crew or worse, so don't include it at all then.
Rebuttal ? Responses from others ? What can we learn from this ?
Hope you had a good trip anyway ! Keep shooting and post more where we can see them, even if not at railpictures.net.
- Paul North.
zugmann But what happened to the snowplow on that leader?
Huh ? Which photo ? What's wrong with the plow ?
Railpictures once rejected several night shots from a steam photo specail on the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad. The reason they stated was that my images were "overprocessed". Actually, the only time they had been edited at all was to resize it to meet their criteria. I really dislike RP as a place to post my photos. I use rrpicturearchives or just photobucket if I want to upload a photo.
I say sc... er, um RP su... oh heck if you can't say something nice
seriously though, I really like #1 and enjoy your shots in general, keep up the good work
I thought the pictures were good coborn, I know railpictures.net can be picky from other people I have talked to.
Those were some good pictures. The only one I would have rejected was the one with the two SUVs in front of the locomotives.The others were keepers!
You have some composition issues...obstructions in some or wherever...look at what is accepted, look at what is published, printed, presented elsewhere and compare to what you have presented. Overall today's photogs either fill the frame with the train or do head on's with a zillion millimeter lenses that distort all reality. Most pictures appear to be roster shots or the same ole same ole. Now I admit a photographer has to decide what he wants in his picture, but he also has to know what he wants to get out of it. Roster shots are great for details, for a record, for modleing or cataloging. But you might be looking for the length of the train, the might of the locomotive, for how big the train is in a small space or how small the train is in a big space, or how the color stands out or blends in, how the light hits or misses. The internet is full of nice pictures of trains and engines but very, very few with dynamics and power and drama. And the more pictures there are on the internet the harder it is going to be to be dynamic, dramatic, powerful and different. Don't condemn the messengers but learn from what they have said and do it different the next time. Your pictures are good for a personal collection and are what you saw and what you wanted.. Keep on clicking and but think about what you want from the picture first.
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AWESOME! This is just what i was looking for. I see now that the car on the left side wouldve been better.
I feel that as a 17 year old these are pretty good shots and I can only do better from here. Thanks guys and any more comments are still welcome.
Paul_D_North_Jrzugmann But what happened to the snowplow on that leader? Huh ? Which photo ? What's wrong with the plow ?
And remember,too, that not every shot is going to be a masterpiece, perfect in everyway. Often you may have to bracket your shots...i.e, different lens lengths, openings, angles, etc. of the same scene when possible. Look at your pictures again then go back to the crossing with them in hand, see what you want differnt. Leave your car further away from the tracks, go at a different time of day, different time of year; look at the crossing from as far away as possible and as close as possible. Line up in your mind what you want the picture to look like, find your spot, adjust your camera and go. Then do it all agian.
henry6And remember,too, that not every shot is going to be a masterpiece, perfect in everyway.
There's an old rule of thumb that out of a roll of film you'll get one "keeper." Since we aren't as cautious when we're burning up electrons, that might mean that one shot in a hundred is a real winner.
Of course, sometimes you get lucky and get several.
Once you get some experience (and a lot of helpful critiquing), your percentage will rise, but you're still going to get home, download your pictures, and discover that the "perfect" shot you thought you got included a stop sign in the worst possible place.
Of course, you may also discover that a "grab shot" you thought nothing of is positively stunning.
Keep shooting. Read about photography. Take classes. Look at the work of the great photographers (and even not-so-great photographers) - see if you can figure out what makes them great.
As for the photo site - keep submitting. Their reasons for refusal may not be real helpful, but take a look at the picture with a keen eye and see if you can see where they are coming from.
zugmannTaking a closer look at those photos - none of them have snowplows. Is that a DMIR thing? Paul_D_North_Jrzugmann But what happened to the snowplow on that leader? Huh ? Which photo ? What's wrong with the plow ?
Some units were delivered with snowplows (mostly 38's and some 9's and 18's) but all were promptly taken off. Which doesn't make sense considering how much snow we get...
Just go to www.photobucket.com were you can put all the pics you want for free. Thats were I download mine because railpics were pickey on my photos.
Anyone can take a picture. Just press the shutter button.
Photographers actually take photographs and good photographers take photographs that have artistic content and composition as well as the proper control of light and background.
It takes a lot of work, and alot of mistakes to make a Good Photographer. Keep working at it!
Rome wasn't built in a day....a Good Photographer is not made in a single press of the shutter.
Never too old to have a happy childhood!
I rather like the first one. I think the composition is just right. And, I like the flat lighting. I wouldn't change a thing. But, I'm not an RP screener.
The others are good, not great, for reasons others have pointed out, and RP is really, really selective these days, in their usual uneven manner....
I suspect the first one really got rejected because it was a cloudy day shot.
You can always resubmit it and see if you get a more lienient screener - try a different time of day...
If that doesn't work, ask them what to crop, the resubmit with comments that you followed their instructions.
-Don (Random stuff, mostly about trains - what else? http://blerfblog.blogspot.com/)
My two cents. As has been noted your first picture splits the viewer's focus and leads the eye down the tunnel between the train and the signal. This is the old problem of wanting to include too much. I'd recommend losing the near signal to direct the visual focus on the train - as below.
I also liked #1, but I think you boosted the reds a bit too much; I like the effect, but others might not.
Just got from the library David Plowden: Vanishing Point, Fifty Years of Photography. Now I know he's an old timer: black and white, own darkroom, etc. But in reading the book and looking at the photos one gets a sense of what photograpy is about. And his comments at the end about technique and technicals is most illuminating to the subject: "find what works for you". Serious photogs should read this book. Afficianados of great photography should read this book. Like trains? arichitecture? industry? people? art? photography? any or all of the above and more?: read the book.
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