First post here on NPN, thought I’d just jump right in. Please do the same, the more Honest feedback the better.
I think I’ve had the shot in my head long before I discovered or rather stumbled upon its location and certainly the atmosphere on this particular day.
Part of my processing was to retain as much mood and dark tones in the image while providing a rich, complex and great depth to the story.
Please let me know any artistic, technique, compositionally, processing that stand out or highlight that I might try or change to improve…or if its hot garbage just say so
Exif: Single, d850, 270mm f6.3, 1/5sec
LR-PS-LR (many times to get this version)
You may only download this image to demonstrate post-processing techniques.
I like your composition on this one and the fall colors look amazing. I think you did well on keeping the mood in this photo. The only problem I have with it which is more of a personal preference is that the focus is really shallow. You have great light in this shot in the middle and then the background down the tracks. My eye wants to follow the light down the tracks to the next light spot and for me i wish it was in focus. I see that you shot at 6.3, did you use a blur in post or was the focus just in the light spot on the center of the tracks?
Thanks David,
Only post blur was done was already blurred. Appreciate you preference, I had other shots with more focus depth, which did what you had suggested, but ultimately felt the image got a bit lost and didn’t allow the viewers eyes to settle on subject. But I may revisit and see if some selective dodge/burn could help more.
Ok I can see that…and now that you mention it; I see the right side has a bit more area in focus but isn’t exposed, I may dodge and see if I can open that area up a bit more.
Welcome to NPN. What a terrific first post! I think this is a fantastic use of DOF and selective focus. Very effective too in that the selective focus part of this isn’t really focused on a thing, but rather on a place, or idea - where the track begins to curve. That is the viewers starting point and I love how the image fades off in to the distance losing focus as you go. I also think it’s important that the track doesn’t end at the edge of the frame and I get the sense this goes off to infinity. Very cool.
Another neat aspect is that the rails a bit deformed and I can’t imagine a train ever having been on these tracks without coming off the rails!
The darkness does set the mood and helps accentuate the light that is on the focused area of leaves and track.
Thanks Lon, Appreciate the warm welcome and comments!
Yes a train hasn’t seen these tracks in many years…otherwise I surely won’t have been on them… about a mile further up the tracks is a collapsed section too. But I do love the wiggle in the rails as a point of interest too.
Honestly any classic concepts done here was purely accidental, lol;)
Josh, welcome to NPN. Great first post, too. I am with Lon, the shallow DOF is extremely effective in conveying a sense of mystery. The track lead to ??? and they fade out of sight and focus. Really good use of DOF to create a strong tension. This is a really enjoyable image. I am looking forward to seeing more of your work.
Pretty cool. I don’t see many selective focus landscapes so this makes you think differently. The fact that the focus coincides with the sunny area of the scene makes this work. Don’t know what to recommend. You could try a cast that’s less orange and more yellow to see how you like it. The ‘hole’ seems to look a bit better with this change.
Really nice, the shallow focus is something I never think about but works here as the eye follows the tracks to the light in the distance
I think it may be a little too red so might tweak that, maybe a selective color or color balance adjustment could get it done easily
Side note: I think railroad tracks even abandoned can be a bit of a hot button subject. They remain private property so from your standing point you unlikely could ever use this image or one like it commercially. Combination really of the copyright issue and the promoting unsafe things, etc… (Not trying to get all righteous on this topic at all just something I discovered a year ago when I was all excited to photograph a train tressle in fall foliage)
Ha! I didn’t realize it was that comprehensive, I knew Tracks were not looked at favorably ( and I do always state these were scouted prior and determined defunct before shooting).
