Need constructive criticism

I kind of feel stuck. Here's a shot that I kind of like, what could I have done different or better.

The image

I like the shot and the editing. However, I feel the composition could be improved by some cropping.

Note: I made the crop off the top to remove as much of the sky as possible (not needed and unattractive anyways) and I sized up the right side in order to remove elements that were cut off and cluttered the right side.

This new crop is a bit cleaner compositionally and brings more focus to the person in the image, which is what this image is all about.

Anyways, food for thought, hope you don't mind my edit.

Thanks for taking the time to edit and post. Any viewpoint different from mine is a good one at this point.

I like the processing but would prefer more DOF personally.

For me more DOF would work better and while I like the direction the PP is going I think it needs a little more to make it look like an aged photo rather than just B&W to create more mood.

I don't like Todd's crop. The original is better. I would have focused on the man, since he appears to be the subject of the photo. I like the idea, but I would have also tried a wider lens, and a few steps to the left. Lots of train on the right side, and nothing interesting.

Since the guy is looking down to the right, I'd place him in the upper left of the frame. Here's my take on it with a split tone sharpened and grain added for an old look.

I like the old look but you might try and put up a layer of noise, water stains and such to give it a more antique feel.

Couple of aged attempts.

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crbinson wrote in post #18118315
I like the processing but would prefer more DOF personally.

Iscariotau wrote in post #18118468
For me more DOF would work better and while I like the direction the PP is going I think it needs a little more to make it look like an aged photo rather than just B&W to create more mood.

Thanks for the replies guys. The guy was standing around while I was photographing a pile of spare train parts to the left of the photo. I saw him move and snapped this shot in a hurry. More depth of field would have been nice, my hurried position also wasn't ideal.

I can try some additional post processing. Does a newly printed aged photo really look aged?

Bassat wrote in post #18118527
I don't like Todd's crop. The original is better. I would have focused on the man, since he appears to be the subject of the photo. I like the idea, but I would have also tried a wider lens, and a few steps to the left. Lots of train on the right side, and nothing interesting.

I blew the focus and the position in my rush. I was disappointed that I focused on the train rather than the man. F8 would have been better as well. There was plenty of light for that. I also moved too far trying to eliminate the junk pile from the frame.

Dave, QBX and GJL thanks for the ideas, and thanks for taking the time to make alternative edits.

I like the shot but, for me, i think i would have put the conductor in focus. Just MHO.

Unfortunately none of the versions work for me as the problems are not with the style of the image but with it's composition. We have all had image like this. Rushing to catch a split second opportunity we miss focus or chop a hand off and once captured it can't be undone by any amount of PP. It's a shame because it has the makings of a cracking shot.

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Dan Marchant wrote in post #18273467
Unfortunately none of the versions work for me as the problems are not with the style of the image but with it's composition. We have all had image like this. Rushing to catch a split second opportunity we miss focus or chop a hand off and once captured it can't be undone by any amount of PP. It's a shame because it has the makings of a cracking shot.

Dan, you have me curious!

If this had the makings of a cracking shot, what is it that you think kept it from being so, inasmuch as composition is concerned? If this moment would have lasted forever, and you would have been able to position yourself anywhere you wanted, and frame the shot any way you wanted to, what would you have done, and why?

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