Members your views please

Not sure if it is a genuine "one shot" pic or an image cleverly made from two or more images. The depth of field is quite remarkable across the whole image which suggests a slow shutter speed and a small aperture, and that's odd considering the train is (presumably) moving and thus requiring a reasonably fast shutter speed. Despite the possible technical wizardry, it is the kind of imaginative picture that appeals and far more interesting than the usual stuff we see.

Steve

 

"Bloody excellent" were my first two words on seeing this picture. Not worried if it's one shot or a composite as clearly a lot of imagination went into creating it. A nice piece of "thinking outside the box" by the photographer.

 

Full marks to the photographer.A great image even if its the result of two seperate shots.
Stephen

 

Given the flash on the interior view it could suggest a composite of both interior and exterior views; that says it reflects Ed Hurst in his self description as a "Photographic Artist" who uses photographs to create one image - as I suspect has been done in this case.

If defined as an image I have no problems with either the composition; the imagination that conceived it; the effort that created it or the final result. I would - however - be wary of calling this a photograph i.e an image taken by one camera at one time as I find difficulty in reconciling the slow speed used to get the large depth of field from the items on the kitchen table and the higher speed needed to freeze the movement of the moving train outside.

Tempted to consider this a stitch up.

 

:rip:

 

I do like Robins work, he tends to include items into the scene that most of us try and avoid. Modern trains, stations, etc And since I was not around when steam was king I can appeciate these images more. Having an image like the one mentioned above is a bit of photography play. Or photo journalism perhaps! Down to imagination really. An over active one perhaps but still always good to see some fun images from time to time. I have to say having these images published in rail magazines can open up a can of worms where photographers are showing off their photoshop skills which is detracting from the real reason for the photography in the first place. Someone who I admire, and many others, is O Winston Link who can pull this stunt off without Photoshop. Perfect depth of field, exposure, lighting, composition and playful foregrounds... all on film, One shot! Fantastic stuff.

I have seen a lot of Robins work and there are cases where it looks like he is trying to re-create these scenes.
For me, this image needs a little boy sitting at the table, looking over his shoulder at the noise coming from outside (the steam train) with a fork in his hand and tomato sauce all over his face. .
It is nice to see pictures like this but there is a risk it can get a bit boring after a while if done too much.

 

Couldn't have put it bettrer myself !

 

Nice picture of the breakfast, could have done better with the train though.

 

But even the great O Winston Link "faked it." His night shot of the drive in cinema had the image on the cinema screen printed in from a separate negative.

 

"It is nice to see pictures like this but there is a risk it can get a bit boring after a while if done too much".

Agree on both counts. From feedback on some of my work, it's clear that anything that could possibly be construed as distorting history is likely to receive a critical response so I always ensure that everything is clearly labelled. That way people can choose to disregard or enjoy it for what it is.

 

Rubbish! Only one egg and no black pudding.

 

Love it! Would look great on my wall, but doubt Mrs S would agree. Great idea superbly executed - we need more talent like Robin's to get steam into the mainstream galleries and publications.

 

Utter rubbish.

If you're going to a juxtaposition at least make it relevant to your subject.

 

I disagree. I reminds me strongly of a visit to my German penfriend back in 1969. His family's apartment overlooked the line from Aachen into Belgium.
Freights were banked by steam and every morning I'd be entertained by Class 50 2-10-0s or Class 55 0-8-0s giving it their all as I ate my breakfast. I could quite easily have taken a similar picture except I had neither the know how nor imagination in those days. I would be interested to know why you think the elements of the picture are not relevant to each other.
Technically a juxtaposition uses contrasting elements.

 

The use of juxtapositions in railway photography has always revolved around railways, railwaymen and the work involved. Look at some of Gifford's work and you'll know what I mean. You can immediately relate to and identify to the contrasting elements going in the picture. They appeal to what we can see that is different yet understand what is the same; a cooked breakfast and a steam train from a kitchen window is not a successful combination of relevant objects. It could have been taken by anyone, anywhere, at anytime. This is not a mark of railway photography, more an experiment that has little relevance to the main subject.

Edit: A few years ago I took a picture of a steam engine through a bird**** stain on a window. Good photograph? Yes, good juxtaposition? No.

 

Surely the fact that there are 2 disparate objects is part of the images's success. It not only appeals to those who appreciate the disparateness but also those who loke railway photography or quirky photography or simply those who appreciate the different way of seeing everyday objects. My only comment to anyone who cannot see the quality of the image - or its humour or appeal - is simply make sure you spend your remaining days in a bungalow.

 

All the above is your opinion of course - to which you have every right - but not fact as you seem to wish to portray it.
In my opinion just because railway juxtapositions have always been done a certain way then it does not mean that an alternative approach should not be tried or be less valid as a photograph. I would argue that O Winston Link did not always follow the "rules" of juxtaposition as you see them as many of his images contained disparate elements. e.g. the drive in cinema, youngsters paddling in a river, the young lad filling a bucket of water, the water mill, the gas station shot, the old couple watching the train from their porch and others. These all work for me because they portray the railways in the context of every day life for ordinary people. The "breakfast shot" is a scene that would have been repeated in countless households over the years without a second thought by the people involved but in this image the photographer has sought to record the "ordinary" as it relates to the railway as opposed to simply recording the railway itself and that is why I like it. Breaking the mould just as Gifford broke the mould in his way.