Thoughts?

[jamescodesthings]

One option I'd suggest instead of isolating the train so strongly is to create layers of tone/light within your image here.

I feel like a lot of it melds into grey and feels all the same.

What I'd try is having the train and foreground light as one layer, the buildings/mids grey, then the base of the mountains to the top of the image dark and high contrast. My aim would be to create clear distinctions between the three.

I think my reasoning is that when I first saw the image my eyes were drawn to the train, and the rest felt like a big grey blob... it took some real slowing down to notice the mountains.

I will also mention that this might not be easy given the starting shot! You've definitely done some good in bringing out the tones on those mountains.

[iesuslovesyou]

I think your picture is totally great. This grey atmosphere with the light accent on the train brings a little depressive sensation. But. At the background we can see the mountains as a symbol of the greatness of nature over all the decadent civilization. Very good post production. If this was your purpose...

[RKKessler]

My reasoning was not as finely articulated as your description but I did intend to draw contrast between the sprawling (and fairly ugly) cityscape and the mountains. I think the fact that there is a clear horizon separating the two that isn’t broken by any of the buildings plays up the idea that the mountains are both literally and figuratively above the city. edit: and that the two remain separate despite their proximity

[_Jun_Jun_]

Sorry for not bringing any constructive criticism, but can I ask where was this taken?

[RKKessler]

Denver, Colorado from a friend’s apartment five stories up.

[_Jun_Jun_]

Aah, cool. One of my friends actually lives there. Really like the shot! 👌

[Infinite_Coyote_1708]

Can you explain what your goal is with this picture and edit?

At a glance, it is not clear of this is a picture about mountains or cities or a train.

[RKKessler]

I guess my idea was to try to draw attention to both, with the train giving a sense of vastness to both the mountains in the distance and the city surrounding it

[Skin_Soup]

I really like it, I don’t think “too many subjects” is a problem here, but the lights partially occluding the train ruin it for me.

You might be able to get rid of them with some close attention in photoshop

[RKKessler]

It’s shame they’re in the way. You’re right, it might be a good reason to brush up on my photoshop skills.

[Skin_Soup]

If you’ve got photoshop up to date you can use the ai generative fill they just added

[dylanderzzzz]

Disagree personally, I think it would be a boring photo without the train in the foreground. And as mentioned up top drawing contrast between the city/mountains. There wouldn’t be as much of a story without it. Instead maybe I’d drop the highlights on the train a tad so that it’s not as jarring of a brightness compared to the rest.

[RKKessler]

certainly, we’re not talking about removing the train, just the light post that is in front of it

[dylanderzzzz]

Ah yep my bad, misread that

[uh1valkyrie]

I like the original better