Train Bridge at Fredericksburg

[CLKunst]

Is this too centered? All input welcomed.

[Anbesol]

i think the angle is too centered, if anything....

[CLKunst]

*Sigh* I feel like that too a little, on the other hand it 's the only angle I could get at the time, I will have to do some reconnaissance. Does this look a little more inviting when including the curve of the river?

[GB1]

I like the first one better. The sky is a little bland but the bridge and the reflections are interesting. Seems like the typical summer sky in DC, with some haze and possible quick change to a thunderstorm. It could use something else, but I'm not sure what... perhaps a boat or ?

GB

[CLKunst]

...or maybe a CROCODILE?!?! Hahaha! Now that would be interesting!


AGAIN *Sigh*! There's a lovely paddle wheel steam boat just around the corner on the left!! :frown2: It never leaves the dock though as far as I know. The curve of the river is just enough to prevent one from seeing it from this spot. I agree that a train or even someone in a rowboat would have been all this needed to be more than "Hmmm. . .that's nice". I will have to do some more exploring in the area, I put myself in a small bit of jeopardy just to get these but I think I will just have to endeavor to persevere on this scene and find a better vantage. Luckily my best friend lives nearby and I will have more opportunities. As a sortie run though, I'd say it's a good start toward defining what I really want out of this scene. Thanks for the critique GB!

[jdugger]

I like the first as well. You could try cropping out the sky, thereby pulling the bridge up from center, increase the contrast and even buring in the bridge a little to give it some pop. But the hasiness works too.

[poker]

I would like something in between the first and second distance-wise. I like seeing more green in the shot with increased saturation.

I personally would prefer to reduce the haze.

IMO

[CLKunst]

Ok thanks JDugger and Manacsa!
Good suggestions here. If have one that is in between distance wise and I have re-cropped so that the bridge is higher in the frame. How about this? I'm not so very confident about the bright reflection in the water at the bottom of the image, and it still feels a little too neatly divided but I like the position of the bridge. Thoughts on this version?

[Chunk]

On this second shot, I like a square crop of the left side of the pic.
OTOH, I'm ok with a centered compositon on this subject too.

[poker]

Ok thanks JDugger and Manacsa!
Good suggestions here. If have one that is in between distance wise and I have re-cropped so that the bridge is higher in the frame. How about this? I'm not so very confident about the bright reflection in the water at the bottom of the image, and it still feels a little too neatly divided but I like the position of the bridge. Thoughts on this version?

SOLD! Love the warm tones and the bridge and reflection are in a good place for me. Good job!

[swmdrayfan]

Cindy, I agree with manacsa....this is much better.
John

[Lava Lamp]

Maybe a vertical crop?

[MarcusK]

The last image is a great improvement! But i would have to say that movement or the suggestion of movement (in my humble opinion) would do the trick!

If you could find a spot where the bridge is forming a diagonal, i think it would showcase more the effect of going from one place to another because of the perspective instead of a semi-profile shot of the bridge!

Don't know the location so can't really say what the possibilities are!

In any case though, the last option is really a very good job! :thumbsup:

[Seb]

I would like something in between the first and second distance-wise.

I'd say the same! I just feel like the first one lack context. The bridge is so zoomed in that the few remaining almost get distracting. The second one would probably works allright if printed as a 11x14 or so. I actually like the scene quite a lot composition wise but the lighting is flawed as it has been already said.

Seb

[mbignold]

For the second one the one thing I would suggest would be a tighter vertical crop on the bottom and maybe a little more slack at the top to balance it out. There is just too much water at the bottom. nice bridge!

[CLKunst]

Thanks much for all the input here! I think finding a more angled and safer vantage will be the primary mission of my next visit to Freds-burg at a better time of day. (One hour later and it would have been perfect.) But this scene has been taunting me for nearly two years, as I always seem to be on the way to doing something else. I have only been able to spot it so far from the car bridge shoulder about a quarter mile down stream. The shoulder is quite narrow and on the inside of a tight curve people regularly get wrong, i.e. not a fun place to be standing with a camera and your hazard lights on while traffic whips past! So heading off into the woods for a different take on it should be refreshing.

Lava, would you please demonstrate the vertical crop you suggested? I sliced it up a couple of different ways and am having trouble finding a comfort zone.

Thanks for all of the suggestions!

[yakkosmurf]

I prefer the first one. Mostly because it makes the structure of the bridge seem larger and more impressive. The engineer in me is what makes that one better. The refelction is very nicce. The circular shaped supports of the bridge really give an illusion of a ring when you first look at the picture. Nicely done.