Why do all my snow shots get rejected for "Cloudy/Common"

[Harrison Smith]

Take a look at:
http://www.railpictures.net/viewreje...24&key=2092599
http://www.railpictures.net/viewreje...56&key=8336930

I have had other Amtrak/snow shots rejected. Why does Railpictures.net have to be so picky?

Harrison Smith

[bigbassloyd]

Trying not to be mean, but snow is white, not gray. You should increase the exposure more. For the composition part on the first one, don't center the primary interest in the middle of the composition unless you have great supporting details on the sides. It also appears to be needing some leveling work. The second one is also an awkward composition and will probably be rejected for that if you fix the exposure and resubmit.

Loyd L.

[miningcamper1]

Why does Railpictures.net have to be so picky?

RP would not be RP if they were not picky! Just go back into the forum archives and see for yourself!

In the first I would also trim that one distracting weed considerably.

The second is like a moving roster shot. I honestly don't see it getting accepted.

[RobJor]

A better location would help, location appears very hemmed in leaving very little flexibility in composition and room for only engine and a car or two.

Bob

[Mberry]

You're likelier to get shots like these accepted if snow was falling at the time of your shot - just snow on the ground, combined with a common train/power is unlikely to get accepted. As Loyd mentioned, these shots need their exposure raised, though either way I don't see them getting on.

[JimThias]

Originally Posted by Harrison Smith

I have had other Amtrak/snow shots rejected. Why does Railpictures.net have to be so picky?

If they weren't so picky, there'd be a bunch shitty photos on this site. That's what flickr and rrpicarchives is for.

[bigbassloyd]

Originally Posted by JimThias

If they weren't so picky, there'd be a bunch shitty photos on this site. That's what flickr and rrpicarchives is for.

With that attitude, you would have loved hanging out with Doug Lilly, Bob Jordan, and me in Western Springs Sunday night.

Loyd L.

[miningcamper1]

Originally Posted by JimThias

If they weren't so picky, there'd be a bunch shitty photos on this site. That's what flickr and rrpicarchives is for.

Lots of pics on here can be better than they are. I download them just for practice. Often a single click can do the job.

[RobJor]

The coming at me shot was accepted which was nice, I was a little worried, but I liked the going away shot more, thought it had a chance but knew was uphill.

Bob

http://www.railpictures.net/viewreje...07&key=3551543

[bigbassloyd]

Originally Posted by RobJor

The coming at me shot was accepted which was nice, I was a little worried, but I liked the going away shot more, thought it had a chance but knew was uphill.

Bob

http://www.railpictures.net/viewreje...07&key=3551543

This one is quite soft which lessens the impact significantly. Your accepted one was far better technically, even though it's not your favorite.

Loyd L.

[Decapod401]

Originally Posted by RobJor

The coming at me shot was accepted which was nice, I was a little worried, but I liked the going away shot more, thought it had a chance but knew was uphill.

Bob

http://www.railpictures.net/viewreje...07&key=3551543

Thanks for letting us know that that rejection reason is still in play!

PhotoID: 683871 Photograph © Steve Schmollinger

PhotoID: 682000 Photograph © Steve Schmollinger

PhotoID: 681047 Photograph © Steve Schmollinger

[RobJor]

Originally Posted by Decapod401

Thanks for letting us know that that rejection reason is still in play!

On mine if wasn't so old I could have moved position and changed my shutter speed, checked focus and then have a sharp going away reject. Really thinking of getting a drone, heck with that standing in the cold shooting moving trains at night. With all the rail yards around Chicago I should be in the top 5 lickity split. (That's and old guy saying).

Bob
Oh, shouldn't give anyone ideas.

[bigbassloyd]

I was scared to death to fly my drone up there. Airspace restrictions out the wazoo, and that wind. I would like to attempt the grain facility at Ransom again though.

Loyd L.

[miningcamper1]

Originally Posted by Decapod401

Thanks for letting us know that...

...some photographers get, shall we say, more leeway?

[Grewup on the CW]

Since we are on the going away thing, here is one of mine rejected for that reason. I thought the fact it was Father's day weekend, Steam, I'm grabbing the shot from the rear of the train and the person on the bike was trying their best to out race us would warrant a pass but it didnt.... Looking back there is other stuff I see wrong with the pic but that was the rejection I got.

[JimThias]

Originally Posted by Grewup on the CW

Since we are on the going away thing, here is one of mine rejected for that reason. I thought the fact it was Father's day weekend, Steam, I'm grabbing the shot from the rear of the train and the person on the bike was trying their best to out race us would warrant a pass but it didnt.... Looking back there is other stuff I see wrong with the pic but that was the rejection I got.

Probably would have been accepted if it were Mother's Day.

[KevinM]

Originally Posted by bigbassloyd

I was scared to death to fly my drone up there. Airspace restrictions out the wazoo, and that wind. I would like to attempt the grain facility at Ransom again though.

Loyd L.

Yeah, attempting to use a drone near any major city is problematic. Large airports with commercial activity typically have Class B or Class C airspace, and it goes all the way to the ground within 5 nautical miles of the airport, although that can vary. To operate ANYTHING in that airspace (airplane, copter, blimp, balloon, drone), even close to the ground, requires communication with the responsible Radar Approach Control, a Mode C (altitude reporting) Transponder, and an ATC Clearance. You actually have to hear the words "Cleared into the Chicago Bravo Airspace, maintain (specified altitude), fly heading (specified heading)". No one gets to just wander in Bravo Airspace. Everybody is on a specific clearance and woe to thee who fails to comply with it. Charlie Airspace is less restrictive, but you still need communication with ATC prior to entering and you still need the transponder. Obviously, the vast majority of drones have no way to comply with these regulations. Possessing a current Sectional Aeronautical Chart for the area where you intend to fly will really help you understand the airspace situation and where you can and can't operate.

[miningcamper1]

Originally Posted by KevinM

Yeah, attempting to use a drone near any major city is problematic. Large airports with commercial activity typically have Class B or Class C airspace, and it goes all the way to the ground within 5 nautical miles of the airport, although that can vary. To operate ANYTHING in that airspace (airplane, copter, blimp, balloon, drone), even close to the ground, requires communication with the responsible Radar Approach Control, a Mode C (altitude reporting) Transponder, and an ATC Clearance. You actually have to hear the words "Cleared into the Chicago Bravo Airspace, maintain (specified altitude), fly heading (specified heading)". No one gets to just wander in Bravo Airspace. Everybody is on a specific clearance and woe to thee who fails to comply with it. Charlie Airspace is less restrictive, but you still need communication with ATC prior to entering and you still need the transponder. Obviously, the vast majority of drones have no way to comply with these regulations. Possessing a current Sectional Aeronautical Chart for the area where you intend to fly will really help you understand the airspace situation and where you can and can't operate.

Good information there. Do drone sellers share those restrictions with drone buyers?

[bigbassloyd]

Originally Posted by miningcamper1

Good information there. Do drone sellers share those restrictions with drone buyers?

Most UAVs will display a warning, and require an override by the user to fly in restricting locations. Any UAV running on AIRMAP software will be unable to leave the ground unless a key is provided to assure permission was granted.

Loyd L.

[KevinM]

Originally Posted by bigbassloyd

Most UAVs will display a warning, and require an override by the user to fly in restricting locations. Any UAV running on AIRMAP software will be unable to leave the ground unless a key is provided to assure permission was granted.

Loyd L.

I really applaud what the manufacturers are doing. Before the advent of some of these controls, there were some really scary YouTube videos posted of people flying at altitudes well above 400 AGL and in the clouds. The latter really scares the heck out of those of us who fly under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR), because we rely on Air Traffic Control (ATC) to avoid other aircraft when we can't see them and of course, when we are in the clouds, we can't see anything.

To me, the key thing to make drone flying safe is training. The world of aviation has its own procedures, rules and regulations and unfortunately, the general public (and the media) are virtually clueless about how it all works. It is a completely different world. As a driver, you wouldn't want a clueless person on the highway who didn't know a thing about the rules. The same is true about aviators. Before anyone would hand the me the keys to an airplane (yes, light aircraft do have keys), I had to prove to the Feds that I was capable of operating in the National Airspace System without hurting anybody or creating any kind of havoc. I had to take many hours of expensive training, and take both written and practical tests to prove that I had the knowledge and skill to fly. I think it only makes sense that drone operators should have to take some sort of basic course, so that they understand how they fit into the system, and what rules they are expected to follow. Unfortunately, the sort of "orientation" class that I speak of isn't something you can cover in a 10 minute briefing.

Good discussion, even if we've wandered way the heck off topic.