When is closer better?
Vermont Rail System’s freight 263 climbs at Mt. Holly, Vermont.
Working from a selection of photos I exposed on Wednesday June 7, 2017, I’ve picked these two similar views as a composition comparison,
Both were exposed digitally using my FujiFilm X-T1 with 90mm f2.0 fixed telephoto.
Red diesels and lush green scenery under an azure sky make for a pleasant railroad setting. So, which view do you like better?
Number 2 is the stronger image. The green foliage makes a good framing prop but too much of it is not very interesting to look at.
Opening up a half stop not only improved the engines but the foliage as well.
I prefer the first picture, Brian. To me the colors, like the tree, sky and loco are more vivid, and not a little bit “washed out”, as they are in the second one.
Dave
Brian I prefer version #2. Details of the equipment are much easier to observe but then again, I am very near sighted.
With the uneducated eye, it would seem that opening up the aperture even as little as a half a stop as noted, did lighten the red color a little and it would seem everything else, like blue sky and the green trees. Likely, a whole stop or more would’ve been too much and left the photo looking “bleached out”.
Plus, even though judging from the location of the little bush to the right of the front of the locomotive, even while seeming closer to the camera the photo was taken in rapid succession to the other 2, that change lessened the effect of the shadow on the left side of the nose in the bottom photo.
To me, it would be like either changing the “contrast” or using a “warm” setting of the color on your late model LED or LCD TV.
Nice comparison. I’ll make a note….