Railfest 2004 - pictures from Sunday now on line

At the risk of being a grumpy old sod, bring back black and white film and manual cameras. Point and click cameras and point and click computer processing seems guaranteed to produce locos with empty black spaces under the footplate. I don't see why I have to be polite just because someone wants to display their wares - they are offered for sale. First lesson is to find out how your camera weights the light level across the viewfinder. Second lesson is to see what happens when you override the auto-expose.

Heads for the air-raid shelter.

Ken.

We've been here before Ken

People are just used to lower standards nowadays. Some of my online pictures ain't prize winners but I do keep the really bad ones to my self.

BTW have not looked at the fotopic gallery to which this thread refers, I'm avoiding railfest pics because they are all pretty much the same, so my comments do not necessarily relate to those pictures.

Marcus Dawson

-- Personal Site -

Part of the - network Over 200 Locations and still rising.

Have you got some pictures online, so we can see how it should be done?

Regards,

Stuart.

They were good enough for me!!!! Anyone seen any video of railfest posted? Even if it is shaky, the audios not in stereo, and the lighting isn't just right? Rob

Where's your online portfolio then?

--

*** *** Updating regularly throughout 2004 Rich Mackin (rich-at-richmackin-co-uk)

Many present-day digital cameras do not have an exposure (or focus) override. One is expected to adjust the contrast, etc. in post- processing. I have a digital, but I use the trusty semi-automatic 35mm when I want to control the focusing and exposure.

To the benefit of fotopic, not the photographer, I believe.

"Ken Parkes" wrote

Because it makes you sound like an ignorant tw*t if you're not polite, but then if the cap fits?

John.

He was polite, just not complimentary. Or are we only allowed to say "nice" things about other people and what they try tto sell us?

"Piccadilly Pilot" wrote

You know what I meant! There are pleasant ways of saying things and just downright insensitive ones.

John.

He made a technical appraisal of the shots and described them in appropriate terms. The only bit one could quibble about is the "trainspotting online" comment but that is nothing more than a personal opinion.

In a different context, a number of people make disparaging comments about Voyagers. Well, they are snumerous people's work, should nothing be said about them?

"Piccadilly Pilot" wrote

To get back on topic I think the Bachmann Voyager is very nice. :-)

John.

LOL

Even if it is the photographer and not the site trying to sell them to you, if you don't think them to be of good enough quality to meet what ever standards you have then you just don't buy them do you. Thats not rocket science. You get a full preview of the image, so you know what you will get in return.

[snip]

And don't forget to wash your thermos out.

I thought the technical appraisal was a bit silly in this context (although people can say what they like, of course!) - these were a selection of photos, presumably taken between clambering in loco cabs, riding on miniature railways and buying GBRf mugs, etc., presumably intended to give non-attendees a flavour of what was to be seen at Railfest. The layout of the show made photography difficult - there was little room between the exhibits, and lots of people around (which is quite as it should be; as many locos to see as possible, and I was pleased to see hands-on access available to so many of them).

If a selection of lineside pictures had been presented, a technical appraisal might have gone down better.

Regards,

Stuart.

It was my impression that the comments stemmed from the fact that the shots were being offered for sale rather than simply for people to look at and, as you say, gain a flavour of the exhibits. Of course, no one is forced to actually buy any of them.

"Piccadilly Pilot" wrote

That's how Fotopic is funded. You get free web space in return for Fotopic being able to sell prints of your images.

John.

"John Turner" wrote

Can I re-phrase that and say *I believe that's how Fotopic is funded*.

John.