Its missing something... Please help

[aardwolf204]

This started out as a quick color correction job in photoshop but quickly turned into an experiment with many layers and the threshold tool. I like it but I feel like its missing something... What is it? I feel like its on the fence between interesting and typical. Thoughts?

Sorry about the low res and quality, hard to keep under 100K

[Steven M. Anthony]

Don't take this the wrong way... But what do you think this image has got? By that, i mean, What were you trying to get across here? I'm starting by asking you (as oppoesed to what I would do with this image to make ME happy) because I want to know what YOU were trying to accomplish. Then maybe I can help you figure out what is missing, or what could be done to strengthen the image in terms of what you wanted to say with it.

[aardwolf204]

I'm not quite sure what its got. I was playing with photoshop and tried the threshold on this one and there were certain thresholds I liked for various parts of the picture so I divided it up into layers, train, wheels and track, ground, trees, people, and brought out as much detail as I could in each area. After that I liked how it looked antique but decided to single out the girl and give her some color. Does it look really amateur? I'm starting to think this was just an excersise in photoshop.

aside from the fx and all, hows the composition? Being my second shoot with a "real" camera I think I learned a valueable lesson. I had mere seconds from the time the train pulled into the station and left to get my shots so naturally I was concerned with just getting a lot of shots and not really thinking about them much. Next time I'll scope the place out ahead of time and try to get some iteresting patterns or frames or something. Maybe I should start with landscape, more time to think.

[aardwolf204]

Original...........

[poke]

For me... the effect is a bit harsh. If I were doing it, I would have gone for a smoother slightly softer contrast. Its also got a big black area in the middle, which I think detracts from the photo. I would also have tried to bring the girl out a bit more, you can almost miss her in the first glance.

I do like the feeling that the DOF has been made smaller, also the ice / snow look of it is cool.

But as Steven said, it really depends on what your trying to achieve.

[Steven M. Anthony]

I'm not quite sure what its got. I was playing with photoshop and tried the threshold on this one and there were certain thresholds I liked for various parts of the picture so I divided it up into layers, train, wheels and track, ground, trees, people, and brought out as much detail as I could in each area. After that I liked how it looked antique but decided to single out the girl and give her some color. Does it look really amateur? I'm starting to think this was just an excersise in photoshop.

aside from the fx and all, hows the composition? Being my second shoot with a "real" camera I think I learned a valueable lesson. I had mere seconds from the time the train pulled into the station and left to get my shots so naturally I was concerned with just getting a lot of shots and not really thinking about them much. Next time I'll scope the place out ahead of time and try to get some iteresting patterns or frames or something. Maybe I should start with landscape, more time to think.

I think part of your problem is that you were just playing around and found a cool technique--but you are lacking a meaning that goes with it. This happens to me sometimes when I figure out how to do something new. It's hard to force fit meaning into a technique. Now that you know the technique, something might strike you one day as being a perfect fit for the emotion that technique evoked inyou.

Aside from its softness, I like the composition. I'd like a clearer view (seems a bit hazy) of the woman's face--the one you selected for color in the fx version. She seems to have a great expression of apprehension on her face--like she is anticipating her trip on the train with mixed emotions.

[aardwolf204]

She seems to have a great expression of apprehension on her face--like she is anticipating her trip on the train with mixed emotions.
I thought the same thing but couldnt put it into those words. Its much clearer on the original version, I'll play with it a little. Thanks for the kind words of advice, I'll keep this technique in mind. Now if only the sun didnt go down at 5 I could spend more day shooting.