Author Topic: Railpictures.net  (Read 5670 times)

Offline ssmith1627

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Railpictures.net
« on: February 04, 2009, 09:57:35 PM »
Apparently this picture wasn't worthy of their site either.    I submitted it today and the response was that it wasn't sharp enough (soft).   Sharpened it and resubmitted and now the response is that it lacks contrast.

The other problem is their file size / pixel limits degrade the image.  I started out with a 2.5MB file and the picture looks a lot better on my 1440 X 900 monitor than it does after I've resized it to fit their requirements.

I'm just an amateur.  I only started this a few months ago.   I'm certainly not taking any mind-blowing pictures but I do think I've gotten a few good ones over time.   Trying to please those guys however just takes the fun out of all this.     I think I'll stick to posting in my own album !

Thanks for listening to me rant......

Steve

« Last Edit: February 04, 2009, 10:00:06 PM by ssmith1627 »



Offline ssmith1627

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Re: Railpictures.net
« Reply #1 on: February 04, 2009, 10:13:36 PM »
Ok, I adjusted the contrast and brightness.   Is this a better image than the first one I posted ?   Worse ?

Appreciate the feedback.

Steve


Offline Gage O'Dell

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Re: Railpictures.net
« Reply #2 on: February 05, 2009, 01:29:53 AM »
This my own opinion but i like the 2nd pic best it has better contrast than the 1st and also the first is rotated just a little. But overall a good pic

Offline ssmith1627

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Re: Railpictures.net
« Reply #3 on: February 05, 2009, 09:23:12 AM »
Thanks for the response.  I appreciate that.

Offline Batman

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Re: Railpictures.net
« Reply #4 on: February 06, 2009, 09:11:48 PM »

i like the darker one ,  it that sevier yard ?

Offline billworsham

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Re: Railpictures.net
« Reply #5 on: February 06, 2009, 09:19:34 PM »
Yes, that is John Sevier Yard; the shot taken from the Rutledge Pike overpass, west end of the yard.

Offline ssmith1627

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Re: Railpictures.net
« Reply #6 on: February 06, 2009, 09:40:12 PM »
Yeah, I took that from the bridge.  I parked the car to the side there on Cement Plant Road and walked out on the bridge.   Odd feeling, hadn't done that before.  Plenty of room with a whole breakdown lane there but still lots of traffic, even on a Sunday.   Felt awfully conspicuous even though I wasn't doing anything wrong !

I had just missed the head end of 23G at Parker Road so I shot the tail of it there and shot it again on Sevier as well as 22A departing westbound.    Pretty good shots from up on the bridge in the afternoon with the sun at your back.   

I'll try to pay closer attention to contrast and brightness in my shots when editing.   Thanks for the feedback.

Steve

Offline JCagle

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Re: Railpictures.net
« Reply #7 on: February 08, 2009, 11:11:08 PM »
A lot of times the camera's automatic mode will lock on to the black of the engine and then cause the brightness to be off just a little bit. The same thing tends to happen with video as well. The camera is trying to balance the bright areas with the shadows to get a well exposed picture. It sees a black loco as a big shadow and therefore will compensate. The only ways to fix it are to develop an eye for it or use an automatic mode if your camera is so equipped. If you are comfortable with changing it in post processing then stick with it. You can always become proficient with manual exposures in the future (there's always something new to learn).
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Offline E.M. Bell

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Re: Railpictures.net
« Reply #8 on: February 08, 2009, 11:22:55 PM »
Jasons last sentence said it.  If your camera has manual settings that let you adjust shutter speed and aperture, use it!.  Once you learn how each setting can help/hurt your image, you will be a much better photographer. Start digging on the web and you will find a wealth of info that can help teach you, but the best was is just to go out and take pics (of anything) and play with it, see what works and what wont. YOU can take decent pictures in less than decent conditions by using manual, even when your camera cant when on auto. 

I have a Canon DSLR that has more bells, whistles and buttons than a person could use.  99% of the time, I shoot on total manual mode (and no wimpy auto-focus either)...I just dont like the camera to do my thinking for me.   
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Offline JCagle

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Re: Railpictures.net
« Reply #9 on: February 08, 2009, 11:45:45 PM »
When I first started shooting digital I shot in automatic mode all the time with auto focus. This didn't last too long because I started missing things in shots because the camera was always adjusting to a moving train. What really made me realize I could take full advantage of manual mode and focus is the fact that when I started shooting film I was using a Minolta 35mm that my dad let me use. This camera was very spartan in bells and whistles, but was a very top of the line camera in it's day. The controls weren't that ergonomically laid out and I was able to get good shots. The indicator for proper exposure was basically a needle and a hoop on arms in the side of the viewfinder. You had to adjust the exposure until the needle was in the hoop to get the exposure right.

My feeling for years has been that when you get a camera that has features you should learn to use them when you feel comfortable doing so or you have basically spent more money on a camera than you needed. There are tons of people that go out and buy a DSLR thinking it will make their photography better and they don't get instant results like they thought. I also know people that have decided they want to learn to use all of the tools that their high end point and shoot have to offer and they progress in their skills.

So many people think that taking pictures is a simple undertaking, and that all that is required is to just hit the shutter and that's it. That is true to an extent, but that is what differentiates snapshots from planned photos.  There is a lot that goes into taking a good picture. It gets a lot easier as you become more familiar with your camera and the more you do it, because you start doing things without thinking about them.

Like I have mentioned before we are here to help and we will do what we can to help as long as you ask!
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Offline ssmith1627

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Re: Railpictures.net
« Reply #10 on: February 09, 2009, 09:11:22 AM »
You guys have been great and the feedback is always helpful.

I agree with exploring the camera that you do have.   I have learned a lot with the help of this group.  And like I said once before -- I also learned how little I know.   

A lot goes into taking good pictures.  That much is clear.   I've got about 4 months in this now.  At first it was wow -- a train -- snap snap snap.   Then I learned to read some of the signals and where to watch at the yard to know a train was going a certain direction.  That helped me get in position out ahead of the train.  The scanner takes that to the next level as well.   But still -- now you're in position at some crossing and you know a train is coming.   The lighting can be all wrong.   Or it's just an ugly place from which to take pictures -- nothing special about it at all.   So you have to get to a place you actually want to photograph and then time it with the train(s).   Fun when it all comes together but certainly not easy.

Learning to use the camera and the photo editing software is the same sort of evolution.   Just try a little bit more and a little bit more.  Keep expanding the understanding over time. 

Each camera is certainly different.  My Finepix S5200 can take some nice shots.  The reviews say the noise levels aren't bad all the way up to ISO 1600 but I disagree.   I don't even like most that I take at ISO400 and I love most of the pics taken at IS064, the lowest setting.   The manual focus isn't easy to use at all and that one seems hard to overcome.  The resolution of the view finder isn't that great and it can be hard to see the LCD screen in bright sunlight.   I end up trying to snap as many pictures as I can to end up with a good one instead of one well planned shot.

Still plenty for me to learn.  I'd just rather pursue that here with this group than trying to please the guys at railpictures.  Too frustrating.

Steve


Offline JCagle

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Re: Railpictures.net
« Reply #11 on: February 09, 2009, 10:23:53 PM »
There seem to be a couple schools of thought when it comes to submitting to RP. There is one school that says upload every picture I ever took, and the other is upload quality stuff even if I don't have a ton. A lot of the people that submit everything get upset when pictures don't make it because they seem to feel that each picture accepted is a notch in their belt and that their picture count has something to do with their value as a railfan. I don't subscribe to that theory at all.  I have some stuff I submitted early on  in my railfanning  and photography days that I look back on and think why did I think that was so great.

I wouldn't worry about submitting to RP right now. I would work on developing a style that you like and that is comfortable to you. I usually find after a month or 2 has passed and I go back and look at pictures I am a little more critical than right after I take them.  As time passes you may find stuff you ant to give a shot to see if it makes it.

You a re definitely on the right path so far from what I have seen. I would definately recommend using as low of as ISO as possible to get better quality. You'll get the hang of editing, it just takes time and practice. For your particular camera the auto focus will proibally be the best way to go since it is not a DSLR where the lens setup makes it easy to adjust.
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Offline ssmith1627

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Re: Railpictures.net
« Reply #12 on: February 10, 2009, 08:59:46 AM »
I think that is a big difference.  It's a twist of the lens to give you the focus ?  Is that right ?  That would be a million times better than the way this camera is set up.  For $300 though, I'm very happy with the results. 

Thanks for taking the time to kick this all around with me.  It is much appreciated.

Steve

Offline JCagle

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Re: Railpictures.net
« Reply #13 on: February 10, 2009, 10:30:39 AM »
That is pretty much how it works. The zoom is controlled by twisting the barrel of the lens and the focus is controled by twisting the far end of the barrel. I can see how it could be hard to adjust on your camera.
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