PC Voting Thread

[ottergoose]

Originally Posted by JimThias

Joe and anyone else who voted...can you explain why you thought this shot was worthy of a PCA? Without the ordinary looking girl sitting there, does this shot still get a PCA? Was that the deal breaker?

The contrast between the guy in the cab and the woman on the back is what I really liked about that photo.

I'm really humbled by the comments and PM's I've received from several of you regarding my recent shots... thank you.

[PLEzero]

Originally Posted by ottergoose

One for excellent use of clouds and cityscapes, the other for being so original and pleasing to look at.

Not as original as you think. John's was taken June 20 and uploaded on the 24th....

Taken June 12, uploaded June 20

PhotoID: 239975 Photograph © Paul Duda

[stevenmwelch]

Originally Posted by ottergoose

The contrast between the guy in the cab and the woman on the back is what I really liked about that photo.

[ottergoose]

Originally Posted by PLEzero

Not as original as you think. John's was taken June 20 and uploaded on the 24th....

Taken June 12, uploaded June 20

Well, pardon me! John Ryan's got some boat action in there too... as a guy who grew up in Minnesota, an included boat's an assured vote!

[travsirocz]

PhotoID: 241031 Photograph © Jean-Marc Frybourg

Here is my PCA vote for this weeks forum review.

I love the color depth and how the train curves out from the shadows. I also like how the size of the train is dwarfed by the mountain.

[ken45]

PhotoID: 241305 Photograph © Darren Megowan

This was my first nominee for this week. I love how Darren can find various angles that most visitors to Tehachapi miss. The train is draped all over the frame, and it has nice color...a PC in my book!

PhotoID: 241557 Photograph © Frank Keller

I love this one. It's pretty much perfect, and by adding the mountain in the background, it goes beyond the typical reflection shot. The color shows why I will occasionally push a roll of slide film through my old camera, the the consists contributes to the colorful scene. All in all, a beautifully executed shot that I will be disappointed if it doesn't win a PCA.

PhotoID: 241290 Photograph © Steve Carter

Steve Carter nabbed a vote with this shot that has a lot to look at. With the flowers in the lower left, the train taking up the center, and the mountain holding the upper right corner, this is a great example of a balanced composition. Including part of the town injects a little more interest and busyness into the scene, but doesn't take away from the main elements of the photo. A job well done by Steve.

PhotoID: 241528 Photograph © Fanie Kleynhans

I like scenery and sunset/sunrise shots. Fanie Kleynhans (sp?) had this very nice steam shot which reminds me of another shot done by I believe Alan John Crotty. I'm not sure just what it is about having the sun peeking through part of the locomotive that completes this shot, but it's an effect I really like. Well done!

[Joe the Photog]

Originally Posted by JimThias

Joe and anyone else who voted...can you explain why you thought this shot was worthy of a PCA? Without the ordinary looking girl sitting there, does this shot still get a PCA? Was that the deal breaker?

PhotoID: 238744 Photograph © Luke Sharrett

I like the shot because it shows a human side to railroading. It tells a story. It looks like the crew is taking a break, waiting for some reason. The girl, who in my opinion is far from ordinary, but of course beauty is in the eyes of the beer holder, to each their own, adds toit because she seems so out of place, like she was stocking shelves in a department store, walked out on the back dock to take a smoke break and suddenly was sitting on an end cab.

It's just different enough that I like it.


Joe

[travsirocz]

Ken,

Are we to choose PCA from last week which can still be changed or the week before which would be the PCA for this week? I may be a week behind.

[ken45]

Originally Posted by travsirocz

Ken,

Are we to choose PCA from last week which can still be changed or the week before which would be the PCA for this week? I may be a week behind.

I've been doing it for the last week (which can still be changed) but you can do it how you like. I prefer doing it for the last week since it allows people who may have totally missed one of the shots to still give it a PC vote. It also lends an air of mystery as to what photos might make the top 4 to receive the PCAs as opposed to the results having been posted already. There are no real hard and fast rules for this thread, as it's main purpose is to promote positive photo discussion on the forums, help inexperienced photographers to see what others like in a good photo, and give kudos to photographers who may not get one of the 4 PCAs but who have noteworthy shots in their own right.

[JimThias]

Originally Posted by travsirocz

Here is my PCA vote for this weeks forum review.

I love the color depth and how the train curves out from the shadows. I also like how the size of the train is dwarfed by the mountain.

I went with this one instead:

PhotoID: 241250 Photograph © Jean-Marc Frybourg

I love how that one shows more of the rock formation.

By the way, how do you view the pictures you have nominated for PCA? The only way I could figure out how to do it was to randomly nominate one to bring up the window showing my current nominations, and then de-nominate the photo before closing out. I checked what I thought were all the links on the front page and none of them take me to my PCA nominated pics.

Originally Posted by Joe the Photog

I like the shot because it shows a human side to railroading. It tells a story. It looks like the crew is taking a break, waiting for some reason. The girl, who in my opinion is far from ordinary, but of course beauty is in the eyes of the beer holder, to each their own, adds toit because she seems so out of place, like she was stocking shelves in a department store, walked out on the back dock to take a smoke break and suddenly was sitting on an end cab.

It's just different enough that I like it.

Fair enough. I guess if the girl was actually hot I might be inclined to like the photo. But as it is to me, it's just a cropped photo of a switcher cab with a female sitting on the back. I just have a feeling that without her, that picture gets largely ignored...even though it would be nearly exactly the same (cropping, subject, etc).

[travsirocz]

I find my PCA by nominating one just to bring the screen up. The other way is that I always leave a PCA comment for the photo, so I just go back into my comments.

[JimThias]

Originally Posted by travsirocz

I find my PCA by nominating one just to bring the screen up.

Well, that makes two of us then. Surely there MUST be a direct link to get to that screen without having to nominate a new picture to get there.

[ottergoose]

Originally Posted by JimThias

Well, that makes two of us then. Surely there MUST be a direct link to get to that screen without having to nominate a new picture to get there.

http://www.railpictures.net/members/...oplechoice.php

[travsirocz]

PhotoID: 241667 Photograph © Frank Keller

Love the colors and the way the dirt road flows along the tracks.

PhotoID: 241604 Photograph © Chris Kilroy

I like the composition of the train with the mountain in back to balance the photo.

PhotoID: 241557 Photograph © Frank Keller

The color and reflection are great in this one.

PhotoID: 241398 Photograph © Frank Keller

I like how the train comes up and around from the side of the photo.

[JimThias]

Originally Posted by ottergoose

http://www.railpictures.net/members/...oplechoice.php

Ok, so how'd you find that link?

[ottergoose]

Originally Posted by JimThias

Ok, so how'd you find that link?

I nominated a random photo, then I copied/pasted the URL for your convenience

[JimThias]

Originally Posted by ottergoose

I nominated a random photo, then I copied/pasted the URL for your convenience

Well that makes three of us then. What I want to know is if there is an actual path TO your PCA voted pics page? We shouldn't have to take some assbackwards way to get to them.

[ottergoose]

Originally Posted by JimThias

Well that makes three of us then. What I want to know is if there is an actual path TO your PCA voted pics page? We shouldn't have to take some assbackwards way to get to them.

Bookmark ( ) that page and you're good to go.

[JimThias]

Originally Posted by ottergoose

Bookmark ( ) that page and you're good to go.

That's not the fix to the problem. What I'm getting at is there SHOULD be a direct path instead of having to take a backway to get there.

[ottergoose]

Originally Posted by JimThias

That's not the fix to the problem. What I'm getting at is there SHOULD be a direct path instead of having to take a backway to get there.

I agree.

Maybe one of the Chris's can help us out with that....

[travsirocz]

The colors and the lighting are great. I also like how the train curves out of no where.

PhotoID: 242099 Photograph © Frank Keller

Love the sun rays and mist or fog in the air.

PhotoID: Photograph ©

The scenery and color are great in this one.

PhotoID: 241948 Photograph © Frank Keller

I like the clarity and the amount of detail of this photo.

PhotoID: 241825 Photograph © Sean Moran

[JRMDC]

Originally Posted by travsirocz

I like the clarity and the amount of detail of this photo.

Hmm, that looks familiar. It's a cool location!

PhotoID: 186708 Photograph © Chris Starnes

PhotoID: 228095 Photograph © Darren Megowan

[ken45]

I only had a couple of votes that I gave out this week. I was in Kansas most of the time, so photo hunting was kind of rushed.

PhotoID: 241943 Photograph © Frank Keller

I love this shot, even beyond the novelty that is a rotary snowplow. A couple of things I find most interesting about the shot. One is the composition. If you look at the composition, the right half of the photo is for all intents and purposes dead space, and yet it is absolutely integral to the photo. This photo could easily have been cropped tighter while still telling the story, but including so much of the flying snow causes your eye to do something very interesting: After looking at the meat of the photo, you can't help but have your eye zip along the path of the blown snow and out of the frame, almost as you would had you actually been there!

Secondly, I love the color of this shot. In fact, it is almost monochromatic with the purplish blue snow and clouds occupying 80% of the scene. Only the dark train and a spot of red in the sky injects any other color, and they stand out nicely against the overall color tone of the scene. Very cool shot.

PhotoID: 242291 Photograph © Brian Stephenson

This shot may seem like an odd choice from someone who is a huge fan of scenery and sunrise/sunset shots for his PC votes, but I really like this shot a lot, even if it is doubtful it ever wins a PCA. While now I typically shoot scenery, I also really like shots that convey geography. When I was in Kansas, I typically tried to shoot this way: get a train with some of the more noteworthy buildings or objects of a location, giving you a unique shot. Even though they are just wedgies, the additional objects add a lot to the scene. In fact, I could spend as much time looking through shots such as this as I could looking at scenic shots, so keep your chin up those of you who feel they get the short stick due to lack of great scenery, as there are other nice shots you can still get. This shot is just a classic example of what I'm talking about. A wedgie with most of the rest of the shot filled with interesting German buildings...very well done!

[chris crook]

My week 28 choices (week 28 of what? The year?)

PhotoID: 242394 Photograph © Steve Armitage

I like it. Sun dappled steamer against a dark sky. Real nice pop to the steam, love watery light.

PhotoID: 242487 Photograph © Matthew Hicks

How many times has a photo similar to this been rejected? The best out of brutal light, heat haze and clutter. But it all comes together to form an interesting photo.

PhotoID: Photograph ©

Just plain pretty. I don't know Tom Granville, but he must have good karma.

PhotoID: 242182 Photograph © Mitch Goldman

A neat shot, and going away, too. Timeless, without being contrived. Not a single stripy-hat engineer to be seen. Is it kind of flat? Or maybe it is just subtle?

More people should respond to this thread. It is interesting. The people who have replied seem to have fairly good tastes though

[travsirocz]

PhotoID: 242394 Photograph © Steve Armitage

PhotoID: 242487 Photograph © Matthew Hicks

PhotoID: Photograph ©

PhotoID: 242182 Photograph © Mitch Goldman

I took the spaces out from photoid