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Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: HDR II (Advanced Editing VII)
Camera: Nikon D70
Lens: Voigtlander Nokton 58mm F1.4 SL II
Location: Cidu Station, Keelung, Taiwan
Date: Sep 8, 2009
Aperture: f8
ISO: 200
Shutter: 15s
Galleries: Transportation, High Dynamic Range (HDR)
Date Uploaded: Sep 13, 2009

 This photo was created from 6 captures shot at night. I hoped to creat some mysterious atmosphere and represent the metal texture of the trains. In my imagimation, it would be better if there were some fog and one or two passengers walking or standing on left side. And it may be more dramatic if these images were captured by a wide-angle lens with elevation angle, but I had no wide-angle lens to try it.(sigh)

generated HDR by Phtomatix, edited with levels, hue/saturation, shadow/highlight, selective color, and Topaz filter

Statistics
Place: 20 out of 155
Avg (all users): 6.5678
Avg (commenters): 8.1818
Avg (participants): 6.3294
Avg (non-participants): 6.7456
Views since voting: 2715
Views during voting: 450
Votes: 199
Comments: 17
Favorites: 3 (view)

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AuthorThread
 11/26/2009 11:26:48 PM
Very nice shot. You did an excellent job with the HDR. BTW, I was in Keelung in 1973 when I was in the service.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 11/23/2009 10:42:54 AM
I like this...to me is has great depth...I am trying to understand HDR and would like to do a picture using it...maybe someday...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/27/2009 12:38:37 AM
Originally posted by gg3rd:
Very nice composition (no pun intended...). Intriguing that no people is shown (even the conductor).


In my imagimation, it would be better if there were some fog and one or two passengers walking or standing on left side. But there is some different mood that no people is shown.
 09/27/2009 12:34:28 AM
Originally posted by jmsetzler:
The rear of the train seems to be the focus point of the image, and it is falling dead center in the frame. I'm also struggling with the lighting, and it may be that a selective desaturation was used in this image, but I'm not sure. The yellow cast behind the train just looks and feels strange to me when there is no other light with that tone in the scene.


Thanks for the critique!

For composition, I had the same concern as you. So I tried to crop
the left side. However, it looked boring without the left train and the ground, so I kept the left side finally.

I changed the color by using selective color to make it looks more "industrial". And the yellow cast front the train(this is the front of the train) was red before adjusting. My wife suggested me changing it to other color, and I found it looked more mysterious in yellow. There are at least three different color lights from different direction. The lighting was indeed strange(and mysterious to me) so that I wanted to take photos in this station.^^

Here is the original:
//www.flickr.com/photos/ldw406/3957906444/

Thanks for the critique again, you remind me that I should pay more attention on composition and lighting.

Message edited by author 2009-09-27 00:55:11.
 09/26/2009 11:51:43 PM
Originally posted by dd1989:
The only slight issue, what's the black spot on the light of the train on the left?


It should be white. I guess it turned into black when I adjusted the Hue/Saturation or selective color.
 09/23/2009 08:08:22 AM
Greetings from the Critique Club...

HDR is a subject that I'm not overly impressed with in the long run. MOST (but not all) of the HDR images I have seen simply don't look natural to me and they have a look of being over processed. I believe that the simple nature of these tools convince a lot of photographers that there is some overpowering need to make the photo have a processed rather than a natural appearance. My personal interests in photography are for a more natural appearance. I personally tend to not like a photograph when its main theme has become a processing technique rather than the normal elements of subject and composition.

That being said, your photograph scored rather well in this challenge with a score of 6.56. As I look at your image (and set aside the elements of HDR), I find myself looking around the scene trying to determine what part of it you found to be the most intriguing and what it is you wanted me, as the viewer, to see in this scene. The rear of the train seems to be the focus point of the image, and it is falling dead center in the frame. I'm also struggling with the lighting, and it may be that a selective desaturation was used in this image, but I'm not sure. The yellow cast behind the train just looks and feels strange to me when there is no other light with that tone in the scene.

I really do feel unqualified to offer reasonable critique on this image since I simply do not like the whole HDR concept for the most part...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
09/19/2009 02:25:07 PM
Gothic/industrial mood. The red lights are an important element. Wish they hadn't ended up middle center. Very good DOF. 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/17/2009 10:56:21 PM
I almost expect to see the Terminator in this scene. Pretty good and appropriate processing of the scene.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/17/2009 12:23:30 AM
One my favorites so far. The details and the DOF are great, so as the colors, composition and use of light. This shot has a misterious mood, it's really great.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/17/2009 12:22:20 AM
Very nice composition (no pun intended...). Intriguing that no people is shown (even the conductor).
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/16/2009 09:21:19 PM
Very interesting scenery, well done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/16/2009 08:55:04 PM
fantastic, I love this challenge. Almost all the photos I have rated above a 5. As will be yours. 7

P.S Love chrome in background!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/16/2009 09:11:22 AM
It's just a great photo. What more can I say?
10
:)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/15/2009 06:50:08 PM
love the richness of this
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/15/2009 02:11:30 PM
I shall be rating this challenge by the following criteria:

1 - Not HDR in my opinion

3 - HDR is way over-done, in my opinion

5 - A reasonable use of HDR, but not a very engaging photo, in my opinion

7 - A reasonable use of HDR, and an engaging photo, in my opinion

10 - A fantastic use of HDR, and an out of this world photo, in my opinion

Your photo receives:

5
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/15/2009 08:39:01 AM
Ohhh, this is really good!

I like the really metallic feel that the top half of the image has,which then blends down in to the yellowish lighting that is shining across the track, the two red lights on the rear of the train are a nice central focal point which leads your eyes down the track.

The only slight issue, what's the black spot on the light of the train on the left?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 09/14/2009 02:01:11 PM
Ooooh, I LOVE this one! LOVE IT! HDR did a fine job bringing out the glam in this photo!
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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