Mini Challenge #166 - Winners, HMs, and Comments for All!
billseye
Registered Users Posts: 847 Major grins
It's been another fun challenge. Lot's of cool stuff. It was a feel good one for me - haven't spent so much time remembering my grandfather in ages.
I've got a comment for each participant. Plus some HM's and the winners. Scroll on down for the particulars..
MakerofToys
I like the atmosphere of this shot. Lots of different light sources, yet the points of exposure all work pretty well. The title works to focus my attention on the steam, too! Nice.
DonRicklin
This is a poignant depiction of the fall of the iron horse and the industrial age. Tells a story, well.
juanheredia
Wow. This is either really eerie, or really creepy. Either way I like it. The red rays coming off the light are a nice touch.
grandmaR
What I like most about this shot is the way ALMOST everyone is looking out the windows. There's the guy in the foreground with a big grin... then a few rows back is the guy looking like he'd rather be anywhere but on this train. Fun shot!
sdways01
I really like the way the fall colors are mirrored in the train. What a gorgeous ride that must be!
kentwaller
This is such a cliche... but not quite. The strangeness of seeing the centered tracks and then the offset tunnel is quirky and creates a sense of double-take when first looking at the shot. Nicely seen, and as usual, technically terrific, too!
Cambyses
Nicely executed minature shot. The toning is effective as is the composition. Had me looking for a bit to confirm it was a minature. Nice!
brancaleone
I like the atmosphere created by the steam... and the posture and attire of the engineer really caught my attention, too! Looks like a trip up the coast to Santa Cruz might be in the card for me...
ShootingStar
Hilarious story with this photo. Thanks for sharing it. Love the idea of a rusty High Tech Back-up System that has to be unburied from a dank, damp storage room!
PedalGirl
Not bad for a fresh shot to meet the Mini Challenge. This works surprisingly well. There's subtle motion artifacts, nice lines and the hint of window reflection that all comes together with just the right touch of noise/grain. Love that iPhone!
sapphire73
This is nicely done. Good comp, good color, interesting subject. If I hadn't seen who it was from, I might have been thinking it was Don Ricklin, one of the Rust Junkies from the "Other Cool Shots" forum. You outta play with the saturation and color sliders... looks like that rust could sing!
superduckz
The long exposure has created a sense of stillness on the water that is contradicted by the blur of the train. The image is static and active at the same time. Nice catch!
HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order)
KevXman:
I don't remember when/where I've seen this before. I do remember really liking it when I saw it. The blue toning works remarkable well and the motion blur is just right. AND... Coltrane! Definitely bonus points for Coltrane!!!
CHANDLERJA:
I've seen (and admired) this shot a time or two in the minis. It's striking and sad, with the mood amplified by the toning. Fits the theme (Steel Rail Still Ain't Heard the News) well, too.
TravelnLass
Another really effective mood here. The early morning light and steam creates a sense of desolation. Even the two-car train and the physical posture of the subject in the center convey desolation to me.
TonyCooper
Nice! This is a very effective use of high contrast B&W! What I really like, in addition to the processing is the way you've centered the main track precisely in the frame - yet the effect of the arc'ed lines at the lower right and the off-center second rails to the left creates an ambiguousness in the composition that works really well.
richtersl
The close-up, fill the frame approach works really well with this subject. I like the restraint in color saturation here. It conveys the aura of deterioration effectively.
WhatSheSaw
I jumped back and forth between choosing this one and the third one you posted (Winter's Coming). They're so different from one another. Ultimately, this one kept me coming back for more. The reflections give a sense of double exposure. It's very dream-like and spontaneous, but the composition of the different subjects works like it was set up. Nicely done!
THIRD PLACE - TIE: DsrtVW
This one ...and the next one... tie for third. Both of them have an effective, prominent display of the Union Pacific logo. This was Grandpa Leo's employer. I saw this logo and pictures like these every time I visited him as a child and into adulthood. There were always U.P. photo calendars at Christmas. SO many memories with these. I really like the lighting on the logo of DsrtVW's shot above. Nicely done!
THIRD PLACE - TIE: bristlecone
This absolutely could have been on a U.P. calendar. Plus, the secondary recollections of Kodak slides Grandpa had of his road trips all over the southwest. I wish I could find the box they're in.
SECOND PLACE: Alans Grin
There's such atmosphere in this shot! I can hear the sounds and smell the smells. The processing is so effective in evoking the mood. Nice work!
FIRST PLACE: Earache
So much to like in this shot! The symmetry works well to express the repetition. The lighting (tonemapping?) is really well done, too. I also really like that there's something to look at all the way down the line until you finally land on the silhouetted subject.
So Eric.. the Mini Challenge baton is passed to you. Looking forward to MC 167!
I've got a comment for each participant. Plus some HM's and the winners. Scroll on down for the particulars..
MakerofToys
I like the atmosphere of this shot. Lots of different light sources, yet the points of exposure all work pretty well. The title works to focus my attention on the steam, too! Nice.
DonRicklin
This is a poignant depiction of the fall of the iron horse and the industrial age. Tells a story, well.
juanheredia
Wow. This is either really eerie, or really creepy. Either way I like it. The red rays coming off the light are a nice touch.
grandmaR
What I like most about this shot is the way ALMOST everyone is looking out the windows. There's the guy in the foreground with a big grin... then a few rows back is the guy looking like he'd rather be anywhere but on this train. Fun shot!
sdways01
I really like the way the fall colors are mirrored in the train. What a gorgeous ride that must be!
kentwaller
This is such a cliche... but not quite. The strangeness of seeing the centered tracks and then the offset tunnel is quirky and creates a sense of double-take when first looking at the shot. Nicely seen, and as usual, technically terrific, too!
Cambyses
Nicely executed minature shot. The toning is effective as is the composition. Had me looking for a bit to confirm it was a minature. Nice!
brancaleone
I like the atmosphere created by the steam... and the posture and attire of the engineer really caught my attention, too! Looks like a trip up the coast to Santa Cruz might be in the card for me...
ShootingStar
Hilarious story with this photo. Thanks for sharing it. Love the idea of a rusty High Tech Back-up System that has to be unburied from a dank, damp storage room!
PedalGirl
Not bad for a fresh shot to meet the Mini Challenge. This works surprisingly well. There's subtle motion artifacts, nice lines and the hint of window reflection that all comes together with just the right touch of noise/grain. Love that iPhone!
sapphire73
This is nicely done. Good comp, good color, interesting subject. If I hadn't seen who it was from, I might have been thinking it was Don Ricklin, one of the Rust Junkies from the "Other Cool Shots" forum. You outta play with the saturation and color sliders... looks like that rust could sing!
superduckz
The long exposure has created a sense of stillness on the water that is contradicted by the blur of the train. The image is static and active at the same time. Nice catch!
HONORABLE MENTIONS (in no particular order)
KevXman:
I don't remember when/where I've seen this before. I do remember really liking it when I saw it. The blue toning works remarkable well and the motion blur is just right. AND... Coltrane! Definitely bonus points for Coltrane!!!
CHANDLERJA:
I've seen (and admired) this shot a time or two in the minis. It's striking and sad, with the mood amplified by the toning. Fits the theme (Steel Rail Still Ain't Heard the News) well, too.
TravelnLass
Another really effective mood here. The early morning light and steam creates a sense of desolation. Even the two-car train and the physical posture of the subject in the center convey desolation to me.
TonyCooper
Nice! This is a very effective use of high contrast B&W! What I really like, in addition to the processing is the way you've centered the main track precisely in the frame - yet the effect of the arc'ed lines at the lower right and the off-center second rails to the left creates an ambiguousness in the composition that works really well.
richtersl
The close-up, fill the frame approach works really well with this subject. I like the restraint in color saturation here. It conveys the aura of deterioration effectively.
WhatSheSaw
I jumped back and forth between choosing this one and the third one you posted (Winter's Coming). They're so different from one another. Ultimately, this one kept me coming back for more. The reflections give a sense of double exposure. It's very dream-like and spontaneous, but the composition of the different subjects works like it was set up. Nicely done!
THIRD PLACE - TIE: DsrtVW
This one ...and the next one... tie for third. Both of them have an effective, prominent display of the Union Pacific logo. This was Grandpa Leo's employer. I saw this logo and pictures like these every time I visited him as a child and into adulthood. There were always U.P. photo calendars at Christmas. SO many memories with these. I really like the lighting on the logo of DsrtVW's shot above. Nicely done!
THIRD PLACE - TIE: bristlecone
This absolutely could have been on a U.P. calendar. Plus, the secondary recollections of Kodak slides Grandpa had of his road trips all over the southwest. I wish I could find the box they're in.
SECOND PLACE: Alans Grin
There's such atmosphere in this shot! I can hear the sounds and smell the smells. The processing is so effective in evoking the mood. Nice work!
FIRST PLACE: Earache
So much to like in this shot! The symmetry works well to express the repetition. The lighting (tonemapping?) is really well done, too. I also really like that there's something to look at all the way down the line until you finally land on the silhouetted subject.
So Eric.. the Mini Challenge baton is passed to you. Looking forward to MC 167!
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Comments
— Kevin
My Site, My Book
- and congratulations all the other participants - what wonderful photos!!! - I missed this one...
TravelwaysPhotos.com ...... Facebook
VegasGreatAttractions.com
Travelways.com
Some fine images submitted - as always, I'm fascinated to see the people, places, and scenes that reflect the vision and experiences of the participants - nice work folks!
Bill - you always do such a fine job at conducting a MC, that I'm happy, but scared to follow you
I have a theme in-mind and I will get MC #167 up, ASAP.
And thanks for the HM, Bill.
http://lrichters.smugmug.com
Eric, is that by chance the mail car displayed at the Sacramento RR Museum?
-Len
Len, this one is on display at the Pacific Southwest Railway Museum - http://www.sdrm.org/ in Campo, CA
It's a great place to visit, but boy, it is out-of-the-way. Campo is a two-horse, wide-spot-in-the-road (historic Hwy 94) town, located just spittin' distance from Mexico in East San Diego County.
I do recommend it though, if you happen by that way.
Thank you Bill, for the honorable mention!!
http://snaptx.smugmug.com/
Light is everything in life and photography.
Oh wow! No kidding about the out-of-way comment! Would love to see it (sounds like my kind of place), just don't get down that way very much. Nice to know.