Composition Rule of Turds

[MassArt Images]

So where should I locate the engine that would please the screener? The nose is on the right lower third grid when I look at the image with grid lines.

https://www.railpictures.net/viewrej...97&key=6730426

[Micha01]

Hello Carl,

my suggest is, if you can, to include more of the train on the right, set the right headlight to the lower left grid and crop some of the trees and foliage in the left, also to crop the sky and a liile bit of the Ground. The Train would drive out of the picture, not into. I'm aware that reduces the mood of a sunny autumn day.

Good Luck
Micha

[KevinM]

Honestly, I am sort of OK with it, but if I were taking this shot, I'm not particularly liking the empty foreground space at the crossing and that you've dedicated so little of the frame to the train. The screener was probably wondering why you didn't let the train hit the left side third point and be content with the foliage above it and to the left of it. That's probably what I would have done with this. If you were bursting during this run-past, you might have a later frame that would match the composition the screener was expecting.

[Decapod401]

Originally Posted by MassArt Images

So where should I locate the engine that would please the screener? The nose is on the right lower third grid when I look at the image with grid lines.

https://www.railpictures.net/viewrej...97&key=6730426

Carl,

You are placing way too much emphasis on the rule of thirds, and not even considering the reason for the rejection - Composition (Balance). The ROT is a good guideline for placement of the locomotive pilot, but simply placing it at one of the grid intersections does not make the image balanced.

Think much more about the first sentence in the rejection reason: "The subject is awkwardly positioned in the frame." Your image is composed as a nice view of some fall foliage that happens to have a train in the corner. Generally, placing the engine in a ROT intersection with the train trailing off to the nearest edge is not a winning composition. That's the case with your image. Try to focus on a balanced scene when composing a photo, and the ROT will take care of itself.