Critique This One?

I like it, Joseph. I like my photos a little on the dark side, but perhaps you could lighten it up a little without blowing out the window? Otherwise I like it.

I like it also, Joseph. Just personal taste, but I would clone out/remove the Exit sign and flood lights by it. I'm know they had those items back in '74, but it seems to detract from the "atmosphere" of the scene, at least for me.

first clone the light and the exit sign out. next the window is blown, but its wire glass and out of period. i'd replace it. i'd much rather see chunks of the room instead of the whole thing, unless you had more dramatic lighting. the door on the right has a closer on it, i'd clone that out as well.


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

oh back in 74... though i think that adding machine is much older than that. i'd set it up to be more period of around 1940 which is about what everything is in that room.

---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

The wall calendar is from 1972.

I'm on a tablet at the moment, so the green box preview is small when looking for details. :)

I'm no expert but I'm with Mike, it looks older than 1974, or even 1972 which is what the calendar says, (I guess you'd have to fix that too). I think it would be more interesting if it was somehow given the feel of an old photo, right now it screams "modern photo of a museum diorama".

I personally would crop out that corner of the ceiling showing...just my preference.

Thanks for the critiquing. That exit sign has bothered me to no end. I didn't want to mention it myself, but am glad I wasn't the only one. When I tried to clone it out, I never got to the point where I couldn't see remnants, so I put it on the back burner. Will have to revisit when I get my computer back

Concerning the Exit sign and flood lights, from just eyeballing it, you might be able to crop the top of the image to just at the bottom corner of the ceiling crown moulding. Doing that will however cutoff part of the large item (radio?) sitting on top of the pigeon hole shelf on the left side of the image though.

I agree - the exit sign bothers me

Yupp, exit sign jumped me right off.

Very nice image Joseph. If you would like me to try cloning out the sign and ceiling light I would be glad to give it a go (no charge). I have done a few exit signs and lights in architecture shots recently. Then you would have mine and yours to pick from! If you are so inclined PM me.

Does anyone else find the light reflected off the floor distracting or is that just me?

Is it somewhere you can go back and shoot at a different time of day, or is it one of those small rr museums that's open on the availability of volunteers?

If you ask me, it lacks feeling. Study Mike Savads interiors and his lightnig appeal. Or is it ment as a documentary shot?

I agree with the exit sign and some of the ceiling being cropped out or cloned. The stick in the left hand side behind the adding machine draws my eye away from the composition as well. I think I would crop it out so just the adding machine shows.

Okay, I will try to be a bit more critique-like:

Although the photograph appears to be of good quality, the subject of the photograph is mundane and uninteresting. There is not any aspect of the image that appeals to a first-time viewer in a universally moving way. There is no outstanding play of light and shadow, ... no notable interplay of colors, ... no unique treatment to arouse a mood, ... generally, no sensational force behind it. The image is pedestrian, at best, perhaps a keepsake for the photographer , ... more personally meaningful than publically captivating.

Of course, I am just ONE critic. (^_^)

Robert,

Most of your critique is subjective and that's fine. I understand a shot like this is going to have a limited appeal to folks who like old time railroading.

It would be kinda silly to only load shots that might have a wide appeal, would it not?

Yes, Joseph C.H., ... subjective, .... as in related to the subject, I guess, which doesn't do anything for me, I'm afraid.

This says nothing of the photo's quality, however. Technically, I think that it is okay. Composition is good. There are some leading lines that are pretty clear to me too.

To answer your question about loading only shots with potentially wide appeal, ... well, ... not so silly, I think, .. if your goal was to HAVE the broadest appeal and the most potential sales opportunities. Of course, our definitions of "broad appeal" might be different, and so we would have to clarify this a little, maybe, to avoid misunderstandings.

I love to see old places that look like someone just left. I can feel the presence of those long past!

Keep it, show it, sell it!

The phone, typewriter, calculator, and kerosene lanterns were not 1970's. The IBM Correcting Selectric was introduced approx 1973 and the IBM Selectrics were widely used in the 1960's. Rotary phones were widely used in the 1960's. The calculator is very antiquated... no idea the circa. The kerosene lantern.. well, my grandmother used one in the late 1940's-early 1950's because they did not have electricity. The lanterns were used as a decorative item or for emergency purposes after electricity arrived. Nice image, Joseph, but affixing a date of 1974 doesn't work for me.

I agree with Mike... circa should be 1940s-1950s. With all due respect, someone in the workforce in the 1960's and1970's or earlier would not find this image to accurately portray a 1974 setting.

Why not 1974? The assumption is being made the technology in the office kept up with the times. More than likely it didn't. The reality is that budgets, and sometimes certain procedures and documentation, dictate that a particular technology be used for many years, even well after it's been replaced by other things. I work for a bank, and 6 years ago when I started here, they still had a couple of old, 80's typewriters that were used for a specific purpose.

In addition to the exit sign, I'd do a perspective correction and straighten that left side. You'll lose the corner of the desk but it'll be visually less skewed. It makes me feel like I'm standing on something slanted.

And one more thought. I really like this. I'm not as big a rail fan as you are, but I used to model railroad. I could see this hanging in someone's layout or work room.

Concurring with Chuck concerning keeping up with technology. The office my wife works in still has a typewriter (electric) for certain forms, and the school where I worked just 3 yrs ago, also still has an electric typewriter for some uses.

Have never understood why it's thought that every single place should be outfitted like it's NASA.

Btw, Joseph, still a good find and nostalgic image.

Apparently this depot is a museum, now. So, I'm guessing that is why there is a hodge-podge of items particular to various time periods on display. Joseph, please correct me if I'm wrong.