Forgotten Tracks

[dbrooks1983]

These abandoned railroad tracks extend across a local river by means of an old wooden bridge. This photo seemed a little overexposed to me, but a couple people I've showed it to liked it. Let me know what you think about the exposure. It would have been nice having a subject at the other end of the tracks, but I don't trust the bridge enough.

Canon Rebel T1i
f-stop: f/5.6
Shutter: 1/500 sec
ISO: 400
Focal Length: 250

[SwissJon]

Exposure's ok.

I think I'd have focussed the camera on the tracks close to the camera. That would have made them the focal point of the picture, rather than the non-existant subject, with the focus making the distance melt into bokeh.

Just my 2p's worth.

[Nicole Hanna]

This is an instance in which personal taste is going to determine the answers you get, I think. I like the picture. I like the focus. I like that the tracks DO disappear into the bokeh at the center of the frame. To me, that implies a story, it implies distance, and what else are tracks representative of but travel from one point to another. I appreciate that the "other" point is where the focus is. The only nitpick is that I'd probably clone stamp the sign near the center of the frame out of the photo entirely. But everything else was lovely. The colors are just "drab" enough to suggest a kind of loneliness, which also adds to the story being told by the tracks. Therefore, I think the exposure is perfect.

[EOBeav]

Originally Posted by SwissJon

I think I'd have focussed the camera on the tracks close to the camera. That would have made them the focal point of the picture, rather than the non-existant subject, with the focus making the distance melt into bokeh.

+1

A smaller aperture would have helped you keep a lot more of that in focus, resulting in a better overall picture. Also, I would like those tracks to lead to something. As it is, they're just going to that patch of dark trees in the back and stopping.

[cesarderio]

I agree with focusing closer and letting the distance turn into bokeh

[dbrooks1983]

So here is another picture of the same tracks with the focus drawn in closer to the tracks. I have another version of this same pic, but in black & white. Is the focus in this version an improvement over the original?



Thanks everyone for the input!

[BexJarratt]

I like the story this second one tells. It says to me, "this is a narrow rickety bridge, there's a big drop both sides and the bank is a long way away!" The trees on both side look further away than in the first one because they are out of focus like the horizon.

[dbrooks1983]

Originally Posted by BexJarratt

I like the story this second one tells. It says to me, "this is a narrow rickety bridge, there's a big drop both sides and the bank is a long way away!" The trees on both side look further away than in the first one because they are out of focus like the horizon.

Ya this one definetly captures how long the bridge is...it reminds me of why I didn't have somebody standing at the other end! In the first picture, the bridge looks much shorter...Thanks for the comment!

[SwissJon]

Yeah, I like the second picture much more, for all the reasons given..

As always, photography is subjective, and everyone likes different things.. I'm glad it's that way.

I'm also glad we're living in the digital age where taking photos is free, it means you can photograph the near distance AND the far distance and keep everyone happy!

I think that second one might be a little over exposed, and it's a prime example of where an ND Grad would have been a good thing to have handy, because the sky is completely blown.. Oh well..

[taschrief]

+1 on the second photo. It is haunting.