OMG, He's on the Wrong Side, What Will We Do?

[Hatchetman]

Take a tour of some of Mel Patrick's photos and you might be surprised. Or not. I wasn't.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/raildudemel/

[MagnumForce]

Surprised about what? That he is a god?

He would not present a dark side 3/4 wedge as art unless it really was art.

[JimThias]

Originally Posted by MagnumForce

Oh and just to bug you.

Originally Posted by MagnumForce

I like how the yellow matches so well in both shots.

[Mberry]

Originally Posted by JimThias

I like how the yellow matches so well in both shots.

Yeah, that happens:

My shot:

PhotoID: 469272 Photograph © Michael Berry

Nicolas Houde's shot a minute later:

PhotoID: 469192 Photograph © Nicolas Houde

[MagnumForce]

Nevermind, disregard

[Ween]

pwned:

PhotoID: 483109 Photograph © Chris Paulhamus

And not banned...

[coborn35]

Originally Posted by MagnumForce

Surprised about what? That he is a god?

He would not present a dark side 3/4 wedge as art unless it really was art.

You do realize all photographs are art...

[MagnumForce]

Sure they are...

[troy12n]

Been offline a couple days, why did they ban him?

[Harry Gaydosz]

I can't believe it took that long.

[hoydie17]

I don't subscribe to the belief that there are "rules" for railroad photography. Frankly, I've never heard something so asinine in my life.

There are "best practices" and "guidelines" but I have yet to come across a single person who says, "You MUST shoot this way, or else." Brent, I know what you mean, but it comes off sounding a little draconian. My biggest gripe with RP.net in its formative years was the seemingly rigid "standards" they set with very little wiggle room. Fortunately, as the years have gone on, the screeners have matured in their views to a certain extent and do look at photos with a bit more of an open mind than they did even 5 years ago. Is there room to grow? You betcha, but I've pretty much given up on them listening to my suggestions.

Just because a handful of guys made themselves an identity in railroad photography or art does not mean they wrote the bible that everyone has to abide by. "Art" in the case of railroad photography is a means of expression about how one sees a scene or a moment in time.

Unfortunately, many people have a very skewed sense of "expression" while others simply cannot bring themselves to see another person's photo the way the photographer did and that is what makes photography (and art) of any kind highly subjective.

I would wager that about 90% of the photos on RP.net are tremendously "un-exciting" and completely mundane. Many of the photos I see on RP.net barely evoke a yawn in most cases. Once in a while though, you see that picture that you think, "Damn, that's pretty badass, wish I'd have thought of that."

Strangely enough, it's the photos that pushed the envelope and in most cases went completely against the so-called "rules" that are among the best photos out there. If you're following rules, you're a conformist, not an artist.

[MagnumForce]

I think we have shown with the last few photos posted that rules are meant to be broken, but when you are shooting nothing more than a basic wedge shot which is what started this, then the rules matter a whole lot.

But this wedge shots should not be allowed that so many people profess because it gives a sameness to most shots needs to stop. There is a place in railroad photography, albeit an unexciting one, for a basic, well composed, light at your back 3/4 wedge.

[hoydie17]

Originally Posted by MagnumForce

I think we have shown with the last few photos posted that rules are meant to be broken, but when you are shooting nothing more than a basic wedge shot which is what started this, then the rules matter a whole lot.

But this wedge shots should not be allowed that so many people profess because it gives a sameness to most shots needs to stop. There is a place in railroad photography, albeit an unexciting one, for a basic, well composed, light at your back 3/4 wedge.

Truthfully, the vast majority of train photos are 3/4 wedgies... night, day, pouring down rain or nasty fog. Because even a single locomotive tends to be longer than it is tall, they naturally lend themselves to the wedgie composition. The only offset for that is if you're above the train, or at a great distance from it, then the wedge isn't always ideal.

I suppose my point of view is that one should consider that they don't need to have a portfolio on RP.net with 125 wedgies from the same grade crossing or station platform. Great job (insert name here), you nailed a nice morning sunlight shot at (insert location here)... pick one or maybe two of your favorites and post those to RP. It's like a moth attracted to light with some people though, as if they can't get a high enough image count on the site.

Really what I'm saying is, people shouldn't make the screeners do what they should do for themselves. Be selective about their own work and only upload their best stuff, not everything that meets RP's rather basic requirements.