Poor cropping, need suggestions

[joha107]

Both photos rejected for poor cropping, I have no plans to appeal. I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for why these are considered poorly cropped and what I might try in the future. Im guessing on the first one that there is too much sky perhaps? Second one I can sort of see why since the train is only occupying roughly half the frame.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewreject.php?id=132122
http://www.railpictures.net/viewreject.php?id=132127

[Ween]

For the first one, there is too much dead space on the left. I know you were trying to show the train trailing behind the engine, but you could afford to crop some off the left as the complete left-hand frame is nothing but trees. Maybe add a tad to the right to balance it out.

For the second one, I like the intent: showing the Cafe and people pausing to watch the passing train. Perhaps cut out the pickup truck on the right, kill some of the foreground dirt, and chop the sky a tad and it might just work...

[Robby]

Ween has it right on these two. The first shot would have worked if the trailing cars were autoracks or hoppers as they would have given some rail focus to the left side of the shot. Otherwise, it would have worked had you caught the power earlier in the curve and shown more locomotive body.

The second shot is spoiled by the pickup. Otherwise the motive is great.

Robby

[joha107]

Thanks for your help. The first shot was more or less a test to see if it was possible to do a curve shot at that location and I agree that it needs a better train.