Lonely wait

[IMG]http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/yy273/Davidtrout2/Lonelywait.jpg[/IMG]It started out as just a picture of a steam train but the lonely figure waiting on the far platform at Carlisle station caught my eye to make a different kind of image. Any C+C welcome.

I think this is one of the best steam engine shots I've seen for a long while.

Nice to see your photography is improving after the wedding

Nice shot, David, and great b&w conversion. I like the figure a lot (& the steam) - saves it from being just another, allbeit classy, train shot - and I like the juxtaposition with the train. However, there's something in my brain telling me I ought to like the whole shot more. The only explanation I can come up with is that it would be better if the train and figure were on opposite sides - due to our naturally reading a pic from left to right. But it's still a great capture.

BTW did you have a problem uploading up to now? I just saw the comment in your other post.

Actually I've looked again - maybe my niggle is that the train is a little sharp in the context of the rest of the photo. My eye wants to rest on the figure, but it is drawn to the train because of the clarity of the image there (and the sheer size of the train, of course). Maybe blurring the train a little would strengthen the shot? Just a thought - of course, it may not help at all, but I'd try it.

A lovely evocative image, and very nice BW conversion too. I agree about the lonely figure, it definitely adds something. I might have been tempted to make it look even more vintage by cloning out the electronic signboards to the right.

Thanks for your comments, very helpful. Dr Mhuni: If I were to flip the picture the train number would be reversed. I thought the distant figure being less sharp than the engine helps, he's a little bit ghostly.I had to move the figure a little to the left to improve composition. And yes I've had problems in the past, mainly due to my lack of technical knowledge which is why until now I've never entered a fortnightly competition. But our fellow member DOIK, who is a nehgbour, has helped me gain access via Photobucket.
Tim: You've got good eyesight to spot those electronic signs, but point taken.
Alan: In the disco picture the woman is more scarey than the friendly old Goths.

Oh I spotted those, what Tim failed to spot were the overhead Electrification cables

David, I cant see evidence that the figure has been moved so job well dont, but there is a suspect area on the right just above the engines buffer level*:

EDIT * on the platform

I really like the ghostly quality of the figure and for me it's the figure that's the main focal point, not the train - but with the train being larger and sharper it does dominate rather. I was just wondering if you could lessen this effect by slight blurring - though I'm by no means sure that blurring it would work, I'd just try.

Re. flipping I wasn't really suggesting this, more musing on why I didn't like the shot quite as much as I thought I should!

You have my sympathies with your technical complications - I'm pretty hopeless too when it comes to computing.

Looking forward to your fortnightly entries - I invariably enjoy your weekly ones.

Hah okay I give in I thought those were stays holding the platform roof up!!!

I must agree, lovely pic with great atmosphere

I agree - I think it's a wonderful shot, and I think a good conversion to B&W. Mind you I'm a bit of a sucker for big old machines, especially if they make noise and steam

Regards

Mat

Looks fantastic, nice one

Hope you don't mind David, but I had a go at the flip to see what Dr. Mhuni meant.

[IMG]http://i679.photobucket.com/albums/vv154/bforbes/LonelywaitFlip.jpg[/IMG]

Okay that's good Barrie but I don't know how you did it. I don't always subscribe to the view many camera judges have that everyone reads a picture left to right. I know I don't, sometimes it works and other times it just doesn't look right. I'm not convinced this picture is better reversed. Perhaps that's because I still see it the way it was when I took the photo.

I had not considered the left to right thing, until it was mentioned here. It's hard to decide where your eyes go naturally, when you’re thinking about it, but I could understand if they went left to right, being conditioned by reading text. You would have to ask a right to left text reader, if that holds true. I also believe what you say about the image not being "right" if it's not as you saw it originally. Either way yours is a good photograph.

Thinking about it again perhaps the problem we are all having with this picture is balance. It's asking a lot of that tiny figure on the far platform to counterbalance that massive great engine and to comand full attention as the main focal point.
david