Pan Shot Rejection: Is it worth fighting for?

[AntD.]

Is this shot even worth fighting for? I believe so because it's not your usual cloudy day photo. It's a "luck" pan shot of an Ex. L&N SD40-2 leading a mixed local through a strong coastal thunderstorm.


http://www.railpictures.net/viewreje...&key=571647581


Opinions Please?


Thanks! Ant...

[Joe the Photog]

Hey, Anthony;

There's not enough blur, I don't believe, to get past the common/cloudy aspect of it. There's too much definition in the planks and the chain. A good shot though. I'm still trying to get my own pacing shots down myself.

[Dennis A. Livesey]

The hard stuff you did well. Good composition, and the front is sharp and yes, it's in the rain. All good.

You gotta get that awful sky in the upper left less bright. It takes the eye right to it and what's there? Glare.

If you bring it down too much, however, you mayget get bagged for over processing.

Need sharpening too.

Less tight also be good, more outside area needed.

[KevinM]

A few thoughts.....

• When starting to experiment with panning shots, I find that the best angle is dead-on broadside. The results from other angles like 3/4 wedge are less consistent.
• Picking a spot is really key. Vegitation works best for foreground and background elements because natural elements end up looking more pleasing when blurred.
• As Joe said, you will need a slower shutter speed and/or more telephoto to get the blur. With slow, tourist railroad steamers, I find that anything over 1/15th doesn't give enough blur. Faster diesel trains may be able to be panned successfully at higher shutter speeds. In this specific shot, the shutter speed is not slow enough.
• The others mentioned the sky. Almost any shot with a dull, featureless sky...or worse, a blown out sky, will not fly on RP. On days like that, you need to find locations that will allow you to get the sky completely out of the shot. Tall stands of woods work best. A secondary benefit of a dark, green background is the ability to expose for the train vs. balancing the train and the sky.

[AntD.]

Ok Guys,

Thanks for the opinions! It was worth an attempt, but would the following attached Non-Panned shot possibly work as one of the few "rain" shots that gets accepted on the DB? It's the same train, but more of a telephoto view....


Thanks!

-Ant

[Chris Z]

Looks like the thing that will kill this shot is foreground clutter.

Chris Z.

[cblaz]

Too much bright road for my tastes. It draws the eye away from the train.

- Chris

[Joe the Photog]

I do like the non pan beter, but the road and the poles in front of the second loco's trucks are distractions. It's still a good rainy day shot.

[AntD.]

Originally Posted by cblaz

Too much bright road for my tastes. It draws the eye away from the train.

- Chris

It's a dirt road with a good bit of standing water on it if that makes a difference?


Is the shot even worth trying?

[Chase55671]

Anthony,

I'd give up. Railpictures doesn't care that it's a former L&N SD40-2. Perhaps in 25-30 years when CSX no longer exists, it might be accepted.

Just common power under cloudy skies right now.

Chase

[nikos1]

I dont think Ant is marketing them on the historical value of the engines, Chase, rather the weather conditions are what makes it interesting. Thats the main problem with Folkston, too much crap on the platform side of the tracks, those utility markers really need to go. The boxes are just as annoying, which is why i prefer shooting from the other side but with this weather i would probably stay under the platform too.

For what its worth, Ants shot is much better than this accepted pan, though this was sent in last year when the site was slightly less picky

PhotoID: 236290 Photograph © Rob Schreiner

[asis80]

The utility markers go away and then all communications cease to exist on that line when someone decides to try dig through the ground to put in a drainage ditch cutting all fiber optics. OR something goes BOOM as a gas line is ruptured. Just a thought.

And there's nothing wrong with that Pan you have an issue with. The OP's Pan looks way too dark to me.


Ben