Competition 341 :: Voting

[dan_atki]

http://www.railforums.co.uk/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=103

14 to choose from this week.

Votes in by 1900, next Sunday please .

 

[Swift-Deere]

Number 7 steam and a sunset...excellent

 

[D1001]

I've gone with 5 - cracking photo except for one teensy weensy little thing - there is no room for the train to move in to. It would have been even better if there was space to show where the train was travelling, otherwise it looks can look cramped, static and claustrophobic. Still the best picture there!

 

[Oswyntail]

Space? You want space? Go for 10, like me. Perhaps the "subject" is a tad small (and may mean that those who only look at the thumbnails may dismiss the pic), but this does convey such a lot to me, including a wealth of thought-provoking "unplugged" material.

 

[Stacey]

I liked 5 and 12 liking the viaduct gen in those but, I finally chose 5. Nice piccy

 

[Demps]

09 for me, even if it is taken form a damned bridge. Nice traction. I thought there would be more for this, i forgot to enter!

 

[Ferret]

Demps, what's wrong with shooting from overbridges?!

 

[Demps]

I guess people wouldnt understand that statement. I'm a guy who likes to get out there when doing rail photography, although im not intimately involved with the subject, its still pretty obvious to me That people take the lazy option (As is the same with the majority of so called landscape photographers), all i see is bridge shots, people pull up in their cars stand, then fire a burst off and then trundle home in the comfort of their automobile. Mybe sometimes they can be good shots, but the fact everyone else does it, or has that same shot, shatters any factor of a decent shot. For me its all about variety, hard work and doing different things, which is entirely more rewarding.

 

[GB]

A good picture is a good picture...whether its taken from a bridge, station, level crossing or from the lineside. Whether people get the same (or similar) shot is entirely irrelevant, particulary to this competition, niether does the amount of time or agro taken make any difference what so ever.

Reading some of your passed comments Im not sure what you actually expect.

 

[Demps]

niether does the amount of time or agro taken make any difference what so ever.

Wrong.

If you put effort into photography you get it back. Example: Landscape photographers, you get the ones which will pull up next to a lake, sit with the heaters on in their cars, wait till the sun is just under the horizon jump out and take the photograph. Then there is the photographer which got up at 0400, packed his bags had a cuppa, walked a few k's into the hills, after reading weather reports the previous few days, and hoping for mist, and for that sun to rise on that particular morning.

The difference in the photograph taken is more than substancial, the the underlining factor is that hes out there doing something different.

A good picture is a good picture...whether its taken from a bridge, station, level crossing or from the lineside. Whether people get the same (or similar) shot is entirely irrelevant

Back onto this topic, i will present the example of Colton junction, the photos never vary and are generally cr-ap, how many times can you have that same rape field in the background?

In my eyes and that of many other photographers, taking the same photograph as someone else, isnt what photography is about, and after all GB, isnt this a photography competition?

 

[Jordy]

Demps your attitude in the competition is really getting annoying, we welcome constructive criticism but you seem to just be here to stir things up. The competition is supposed to be fun, you are taking things a little too seriously! If this was a forum entirely for expert photographers maybe but the competition is supposed to be fun for everyone...

Please stop being so negative

 

[GB]

Then there is the photographer which got up at 0400, packed his bags had a cuppa, walked a few k's into the hills, after reading weather reports the previous few days, and hoping for mist, and for that sun to rise on that particular morning.

And how do you know that the photographer of picture 9 hasnt walked a few K's to get to that location or set out early to get the specific shot or train? To effectivly dismiss a picture becuase its been taken from a bridge is rediculous imo.

I could get up tommorow morning at the crack of dawn walk a couple of K's to my local line wait around for a couple of hours to get a shot of the RHTT coming through. I could also drive down there with 20 minutes to spare and get the same shot. Sure the first might mean alot more to me, but within the context of this competition where everthing is equal, I fail to see what difference it makes.

As for whether this is a "photography" competition, that is quite debatable.

 

[90019]

If you put effort into photography you get it back. Example: Landscape photographers, you get the ones which will pull up next to a lake, sit with the heaters on in their cars, wait till the sun is just under the horizon jump out and take the photograph. Then there is the photographer which got up at 0400, packed his bags had a cuppa, walked a few k's into the hills, after reading weather reports the previous few days, and hoping for mist, and for that sun to rise on that particular morning.

Interesting.

Well then, here are two photographs of sunsets, both taken with the same camera, one of whch took a lot of time and effort to get, the other didn't.

• Photo 1
• Photo 2

Which is which?
And why?

 

[D1001]

I find it frustrating when I put a lot of effort into getting a picture and it goes unnoticed by others. For some trains, I will plan the night before on my OS maps just where I want to go, based on the sun's direction, timings etc..., and on the day, get my filters set up, ISO/Tv settings worked out in advance so that I can get the best picture I can. I hate taking pictures on stations and bridges as any Tom, Dick and Harriet can do that (although I do when I feel lazy). I love finding unusual, almost unique locations (I do have the use of a car) and if I can get a good shot, then all the better. However, one of the marks of a good photographer is that they can bring a new dimension to a common subject - so a talented photographer could take a picture at Didcot station that makes everyone stop and look.

But, like the man said, this is maybe getting too serious. The photo of the preserved 37 could, for all I know, have been taken from a car park on the moors or the photographer could have been standing in the middle of a patch of brambles and nettles after a 2 mile hike. I don't really care - it's a pretty good picture - the lighting is good, the scenery is good, the subject is good, it's sharp, the colours are great etc... (it could do with space to move in to ...)

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe there are no professional photographers here? If there were, then Demps' comments would have more substance to them. As it is, I do wish people would take more time to look at a photo so that they could appreciate a bit of the skill, effort and dedication that image took to get and vote accordingly. It's depressing when a c-r-a-p picture of an interesting loco gets more votes than a good picture of a boring loco. But this is really a train picture competition, not a photography contest.

 

[Ferret]

I guess people wouldnt understand that statement. I'm a guy who likes to get out there when doing rail photography, although im not intimately involved with the subject, its still pretty obvious to me That people take the lazy option (As is the same with the majority of so called landscape photographers), all i see is bridge shots, people pull up in their cars stand, then fire a burst off and then trundle home in the comfort of their automobile. Mybe sometimes they can be good shots, but the fact everyone else does it, or has that same shot, shatters any factor of a decent shot. For me its all about variety, hard work and doing different things, which is entirely more rewarding.

I have to say that from where I'm stood, there aren't many potential lineside shots left to discover! I have days where I'll go out somewhere I'm unfamiliar with and have to find a shot for myself (which is quite good fun!) but I get home and find that somebody has done it long before I did.

I think a lot of people choose overbridges for the scene in the background and the height advantage - standing on the bridge makes all the difference to what you can see behind the train in the back of the fot. Take the shot at Wistanstow on the Marches line for instance - http://www.ferret.fotopic.net/p57917841.html

You've got the 37s as the main subject, and the backdrop of the hills is just gorgeous - one of my favourite spots on that line. However, head down into the field in the foreground and all you'll have from ground level is the train and nothing above it. In my eyes, that'd be an absolutely awful fot. I'm not sure fotting from bridges is a lazy option, it's just that 99 times out of 100 it produces the best results.

 

[Demps]

Demps your attitude in the competition is really getting annoying, we welcome constructive criticism but you seem to just be here to stir things up. The competition is supposed to be fun, you are taking things a little too seriously! If this was a forum entirely for expert photographers maybe but the competition is supposed to be fun for everyone...

Please stop being so negative

Look mate, i said one thing, 'even if it is taken from a damned bridge'

If other people want to query me on that, thats upto them, im defending my oppinion, as do others on this forum.


GB you just dont understand the whole concept of what im trying to say

The simple, and underlining factor is, bridge shots 90% of the time require no effort. thus repetitive photos, and hence my dislike towards the majority of photos taken from bridges.

I have to say that from where I'm stood, there aren't many potential lineside shots left to discover! I have days where I'll go out somewhere I'm unfamiliar with and have to find a shot for myself (which is quite good fun!) but I get home and find that somebody has done it long before I did.
.

I used to think this, but i sometimes get around york, north and south east and west. I've heard it so many times form rail photters that there is nowhere around these places... but all it took was the summer in 2007, and some leg work i have to say, to find some unique shots, completely unseen by the majority, this is still the case :thumb

Ferret, thats an outstanding photo btw.

 

[GB]

GB you just dont understand the whole concept of what im trying to say

The simple, and underlining factor is, bridge shots 90% of the time require no effort

...and you seem to not understand what Im trying to say. Perceived effort means diddly squat in a competition like this. (ie, the voters are none the wiser whether you have walked a million miles to get the picture or not)

Its the end result that matters just as 90019 proves in his examples.

In anycase, thats all I have to say on the matter.

 

[ChrisTheRef]

I'm gonna bring things back on topic by voting for number 10!

 

[me123]

Number four is a beautiful and well executed shot. I might not know much about photography, but I know what I like, and it's getting my vote.

 

[gingerheid]

I think it's the same as with art; people can argue what it is and isn't all they like, but you know what you like.

I like 5, 10 & 13, and 13 got my vote

 

[Demps]

...and you seem to not understand what Im trying to say. Perceived effort means diddly squat in a competition like this.

It does, because generally, bridge shots are dull (Same composition for one)

 

[Phoenix]

I guess people wouldnt understand that statement. I'm a guy who likes to get out there when doing rail photography, although im not intimately involved with the subject, its still pretty obvious to me That people take the lazy option (As is the same with the majority of so called landscape photographers), all i see is bridge shots, people pull up in their cars stand, then fire a burst off and then trundle home in the comfort of their automobile. Mybe sometimes they can be good shots, but the fact everyone else does it, or has that same shot, shatters any factor of a decent shot. For me its all about variety, hard work and doing different things, which is entirely more rewarding.

Well Ive gotta agree that where your coming from is definatly good cause I myself am I believer in innovation and getting out there and trying to be different Personally I belive there are two types of railway photographer.

1. Standard photographers = Those you define a successful shot by the amount of sun involved the cleaness of the shot and generaly strive for perfection and there rewards are many by the fact this is what the Magazines want.

2.Arty photographers = those who disregard the rules completley and always strive to deviate from the norm in order to turn heads with their images and show the railway from many perspectives the rewards of this are not as good but I believe the self satisfaction is miles better.

Any who clearly what your describing with your bridge rant is those who are standard problem is if there is a perfect shot that can be taken off a bridge why deny yourself of it because everyone else does it.

Generally I belive your attitude isn't all that bad but just chill out open your mind and remeber "It's a sunday evening competition" Even tampers are more important!

 

[almark]

Does this really need an arguement about an overbridge? Anyway,i like 9,presumably that is from a footbridge,it has what i personally like in a photo,not perfect (is this the one the fighting is over?) but better than many in this week's selection. Number 14 is how not to take a bridge shot really as it has that shadow in the bottom corner and it is overexposed,if it wasn't for that it wouldn't be all that bad. My second Fav is number 5 but for some reason i can't really say i like it all that much,if the loco was Blue i would probably vote for it,however the loco is getting a bit 'lost' in all that greenery if you ask me. There is a little bit too much that catches my eye before the loco,those are just my views however......

Cheers,
Mark

 

[Jordy]

Congrats to curly42 this week!

01 - 43034 The Black Horse
02 - 37401
03 - gingerheid
04 - 91107
05 - Ferret
06 - steve 46010
07 - almark
08 - mr_moo
09 - matt
10 - curly42
11 - Buffer68
12 - Daimler
13 - mumrar
14 - 90019

 

[mr_moo]

I got one vote! Yay! As a newbie to this (It's my second entry), I'll get there. I'm learning.
To whoever voted for me: Thanks!

Interesting to see what influences people's votes. I learned that I need to describe the photo better from my desiro competition. I submitted a photo of a desiro with an owl(?) stuck in the coupling, with it's wings flapping in the wind (Comp 340 - photo 3). It didn't get many votes and got no comments. I note that some people only look at the thumbnails to shortlist. Had I described it a bit better, I hope more people would have voted for me.

I've also learned that there does seems to be the divide here as Phoenix outlined above. I try to be a bit different, especially as I can take photos from lineside whilst at work on the track.

One other downside for me is that I'm not a 'pro' photographer. I use only a 'point and shoot' camera, although it is a good one with several options, fairly good shutter speed and good resolution. I can't get the lanscape photos or the over/underexposed ones that sometimes turn up. Still, I use what I can and keep my eye out for something good, especially from trackside. Sadly, I'm not going trackside near any level crossings this week - A photo of a train at a level crossing from inside the level crossing would have been quite good! Oh well...

To everyone on here: It's good fun, and thanks. I've found the people on here to be pretty nice people. Thanks!

 

[matt]

As the person who took photo 9 I chose that location as a) I was wearing a suit at the time so I couldn't really go walking through fields and b) I was fairly limited on time and c) I liked the location . Also did you vote Demps as photo 9 had no votes? (i'm not overly bothered just curious)

 

[gingerheid]

Yay I got a vote on my first entry in one of these competitions! When I saw the others I thought I'd be lucky if that happened, and I still think I am!

Of course, in the end I did vote even though it was against myself, because once I saw the others I (and I alone seemingly) thought 13 just deserved to win!