Train Noir, 2011
by HawkinsT

Comment by CraigD:
I really like the effect of the line in the image that separates the over from the under exposure.

The Burnout Pier, Hastings
by HawkinsT

Comment by varlyte79:
pitty, but tje main subject here is the horizont, not the building, which is even impossible to recognise

Laura and Goliath
by HawkinsT

Comment by Melethia:
Great back story - and congrats on the almost 6/"tiny violin" score, too! Really a unique and enjoyable photograph. Gotta watch for those French guys - just check out that jagar fellow, for instance... :)

Train Noir, 2011
by HawkinsT

Comment by CrazyDiamond:
I love the silvery-brown tone in this. Great use of over-exposure.

Laura and Goliath
by HawkinsT

Comment by HawkinsT:
Thanks for the comments, a lot of the feedback is very helpful. This image is actually a crop from a fisheye lens with the subject originally centred in the image and the pole on the right hand side - the cropped left side of the image was just empty space with a rather distorted horizon.

That crows-nest-giraffe-feeder-basketball-hoop is actually a signal beacon in case the French invade =). One has stood on this site for hundreds of years and there is a network of these stretching several hundred miles. I believe between the furthest one being lit and the signal reaching naval high command would take around 45 minutes, so in the days before the telephone, pretty effective.

A couple of other photos of the beacon (the first one gives a better idea of where it is in relation to the town):
//www.flickr.com/photos/hawkinst/5735278040/in/photostream
//www.flickr.com/photos/hawkinst/5735276746/in/photostream

Message edited by author 2011-08-11 23:28:11.

The Burnout Pier, Hastings
by HawkinsT

Comment by adigitalromance:
Very interesting processing and crop. Works well here.

Train Noir, 2011
by HawkinsT

Comment by Silent-Shooter:
Composition wise - Its pretty good but may have benefitted more by having the vanishing point on a thirds line and not in the middle of the picture but that is a minor point. The far left side seems pretty empty compared to the busy right hand side and feels slightly unbalanced.
Technique - good use of slow shutter speed. Some items are sharp and clear and others are blury drawing the eye in down the length of the train and under the bridge.
PP - The vignette in the 3 corners adds interest and I am wondering if a vignette in the top left could have added to the picture? The slightly sepia tone is nice for this image but I wonder if the voters wanted a pure B&W shot to fit the challenge theme?
Overall - I didnt take the challenge description too literally but I suspect that there isnt enough of a "human" factor (protagonist dies, etc as per challenge description) in this image to make it film noir enough for the average voter. I like this shot and would probably have given it a 6 (I'm not voting). Hope that helps!

The Burnout Pier, Hastings
by HawkinsT

Comment by d00g3n:
I can see this framed in a coffee shop in Morrow Bay.

The Burnout Pier, Hastings
by HawkinsT

Comment by Franka:
Like: The area, the board, how you got the sky, the water and the sand.
Dislike: The dock is a little far away.

Is that a bird in the water?

The Burnout Pier, Hastings
by HawkinsT

Comment by tanguera:
This looks like a turn-of-the-previous-century image.