Curmudgeon Loc: SE Arizona

I like this one as I have your other posts.

The Steampunk people, their culture(?) are intriguing to me. I love the costumes and their ability to project that arrogant and aloof attitude. If I am not careful your photography skill gets lost in the processing.

With this caveat, I have no artistic eye, I just know what I like, Let's talk a little about the image. First the moon I didn't even see it until somebody mentioned it. I really don't care if it is there or not The only thing I would change is I would take, I think her name is "Trixie", off the engine. The 18th century setting at first glance, makes the image look like a typical 1890s railroad station, then you look closer and you are trapped by the image.

magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

I feel much the same about the moon. I tried a steampunk air balloon in the sky but felt it grabbed too much attention so opted for a moon instead. I’ve printed with it and that’s probably how I’ll leave it. If you refer to the lady hanging off the smoke box ladder, that’s Belinda, wife of Jack, the guy on extreme right looking upwards. You can see them as a couple in different garb immediately in front of the carriage. They’re looking lovingly at each other - that’s real, they can’t help themselves! Nicest people you could wish to meet. How could I tear her down??
If, on the other hand you refer to the lady pointing a lamp our way and standing next to the driver, that’s Gail - also known as Gabrielle, an alternative model (not sure what that means but it looks very interesting on her card!). If it’s the lady standing up on the coals, that’s Pena. She’s a real friend, so has to stay. She also appears looking up to Belinda, just in front of the big drive wheel. They’re all so nice, every time I removed one to make my job easier they crept back in somehow. By the way, I think Trixi is actually called Tixi. She appears twice too - getting into the carriage in one outfit, and upstairs next to Ben, her husband, in another. They’re in the front compartment from memory. Oh, the other thing I should say, steampunks love story telling, which may be rubbing off a bit!
Many thanks for commenting, I do appreciate it, and thanks for bearing with me on this.

pfrancke Loc: cold Maine

this is awesome - moon is fine in my book, it fits in, does not over power.. I'd like to see more visual contrast between the people up front and the train which is more in the distance - so whether by atmospheric perspective or dulling the color on the lit train car.. or by having the car be a less contrasting color.. anyway, for me car is pulled too much forward into the image. I understand fully throwing time at it and wondering if it was worth it - so long as YOU like it, it was worth it. Even if YOU don't like it, and if you got something out of it, it was worth it. What you gonna do, sit on the couch and watch TV!??

Congrats on a super nice piece - it might sit for a day, or a month, or three years, but if you are like me, you won't be able to keep your hands off of it an dyou will return to it for more fun.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Priceless! The new motto for pp addicts 🤗

magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

Hi Piet and thanks for your comments. I struggled with the carriage colours and contrast and have been in several directions. I think there is often a problem with overlays - in this case the smoke - not acting in the way one might wish. It’s the same with any texture layer. It can take some time to find the right combinations of texture/blend mode - and the HSL of the subject being treated has a huge effect. I will be looking again for sure.
With regard to position, again, I went back and forth with it, and up and down! For me, the thing that really needs some attention is the length of the tender. It should be longer and hence push the carriage back. It could possibly be done with this composition but I suspect not for a while. I do need to move on now to some other ideas using other people. I have quite a bank of them and some more to shoot too. These folk love being in front of a camera, and they also like to see some end results - no pressure there then, and not much settee time!
Thanks again for the critique, it’s much appreciated.

magnetoman Loc: Purbeck, Dorset, UK

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