Pointers wanted

If anyone can give me contructive pointers on these two pictures. I would like to make a good impression on RP's screeners and administrators if, and when I'm able to upload again to RP.net. Thank you.

Mod note:
I split this into its own topic, since critiquing photos can start threads of their own.

The top one, of the train on the bridge, if the location permitted being further back may have allowed of a reflection of the train in the water in the photo. Often a nice effect.

I noticed the top one and the bottom one are both a little washed out. Better color balance would be nice.

Thank you. I shot these shots on vivid. RP.net is no fan for washed out colors. I will admit that I have trouble knowing when colors are washed.

I notice a sizable amount of digital noise in the photos of MBTA trains, that graininess you can see in the sky (and elsewhere). There are programs that can process out some of that noise (one is called "noise ninja") but I've never used one. To eliminate that to begin with, I shoot with my camera set on the lowest ISO setting that still allows a reasonably fast shutter speed. What kind of camera do you have? Some are better with noise and ISO than others.

I've always had trouble with that silver paint on the Downeaster cab cars!!! You got it pretty close. Some of my pictures are overexposed due to that blinding shiny paint.

I shoot at ISO of 200, and this is the lowest on my camera, which is a D70. I don't mean to go off topic, but is noise ninja compatable with Picasa?

I'm going to be honest with you that I don't see any noise in any of the shots, but its probably overprocessing of some sort.

njt/mnrrbuff wrote:I shoot at ISO of 200, and this is the lowest on my camera, which is a D70. I don't mean to go off topic, but is noise ninja compatable with Picasa?

I'm going to be honest with you that I don't see any noise in any of the shots, but its probably overprocessing of some sort.

Yeah, it could be overprocessing or something. From my perspective it all sort of looks like "noise." But in any case I do see something and the photo screeners might object to it. I shoot at ISO 100 or 64 if it's bright enough (rarely is in the evenings when the sun is good). Totally different camera though, Fuji S5200.

Unfortunately I don't really know anything about noise ninja, I just know it exists. I would think that it is irrelevant whether or not you use Picasa. Edit the photo for noise in noise ninja, save it, and do everything else in the program of your choice.

Any tips for this shot?[attachment=0]DSC_0621-1.jpg[/attachment]

I shoot with a D40, so our cameras are fairly simular. To not confuse anyone else, some of this is in response to a PM from buff too.

First off, Google 'Sunny 16 Rule' and 'Rule of 1/3'. That will help you immensly. My camera never leaves ISO 200, unless I can't compensate for the darkness with shutter speed and aperture. Some guys say that you have to compliment your ISO with your shutter speed. I never have, and get by fine. I would rather not screw around with another editing process (noise) if possible. As far as the complimenting above, they say that if you are shooting @ 1/100 sec, you should use ISO 100 (1/200-ISO 200, 1/400-ISO 400, etc.) As far as your noise issue, could you be severely under exposing, and trying to fix it by brightening, and therefore bringing the noise out with it? You should be shooting with this in mind. I want to do as little post processing as possible.

Also remember shutter speed vs. aperture. Shutter speed is pretty obvious (amount of time of letting light into your camera). Aperture is the size of the opening in your lense (quantity of light). Higher aperture f number=smaller opening. So to keep proper exposure, you need to compensate the other when changing one, say moving from a low speed branch line to a high speed, double main, you'll probably want to speed your shutter up to at least 1/200 or 1/400. So in doing that, in order to let the same amount of light into your camera as you were on the branch line, you need to open your aperture up bigger (smaller f number). Below is a good rule of thumb starting point chart taken from the Sunny 16 Rule. Note 'SUNNY', and you will need to adapt on cloudy or darker times. Use your meter on your camera.
Speed f stop
1/50 22
1/100 16
1/200 11
1/400 8

You will note that the shutter speed increases by double each time. As well, the aperture (f) increases in size by double for each setting to allow x2 more light in since the shutter is open 1/2 as long. Each of the above lines will give you the same over-all exposure.

The MBTA photographs are too close-up for my liking - I like my images to show the location as much as the train.

RailBus63 wrote:The MBTA photographs are too close-up for my liking - I like my images to show the location as much as the train.

I agree, but different strokes for different folks. We like beer, he likes wine, but they're both good to drink. Etc., etc., etc. We still need to grasp the technical aspects before we decide what style we want to shoot.

To follow up with exposure:
Over exposed: when all or part of your photo "glows." Example, you shot a well car with ribbed containers, but you can't see the ribs b/c the container is too bright/"glowing". Buff, your 1026 (very minor on engineer side of front) and Amtrak photos are minor examples, with Amtrak being the worse of the 2. Your Amtrak photo also appears like you need to boost your contrast a bit after you bring your levels down. Shadows should be dark.

Too dark and under exposed are different.
Too dark: There is little or no light detail like in the time between sunny and dark, or some would also say a dreary, overcast day.
Under exposed: You have plenty of (proper) light definition, but your photo appears like you are looking at it through sunglasses. Either slow your shutter speed down (will cause blurring easier if subject is in motion), or open your aperture up more (smaller f number).

Buff,
What subjects do you not understand, or what is/was your more popular rejection reasons?

The quality of the image also has alot to do with which lens your using.

I have seen way too many wide angle images that the photographer let the train come to them, and by the time it gets there, the train connot be frozen with the shutter speed they are using.

If your using an 18-50mm lens, on a heavily traveled mainline, and your looking for a crisp image at a 3/4 angle, you'd better have the shutter speed "up".

I save the 18-50mm for portrait images. My most favorite lens is the 55-200mm.

Its also good to have a camera with a "shutter priority" mode. You control the shutter, the camera picks the appropriate aperture. The image should come out very decent.

People that only use the "program" mode are cheating themselves out of some good photography.

The Rat

My lens is 18-70mm.

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=299194

Case in point, the 6316 shows movement on the pilot.

Not enough shutter.

The Rat