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This is a great series! I really like this photo as one of the best because it shows the people standing still and calm on the train and the hustle and bustle of those on the outside rushing to catch it. How fun!

This is one of the best of your train folder. Your is a great way to tell the story.

hi. please critique this photo. i am interested in what you think

about when you see it. does the composition add to or distract from

a possible message? thanks.

I think the composition is perfect. The calmness of the inside of the train juxtaposed by the rush outside. If you lost the blur of the young woman walking by, the photo would really lose something. Great picture - I wouldn't change a thing.

I looked at your "trains" folder, it's good but it seems you are trying too much to stay out of the way and out of the face of the passengers. Try to catch a stare, an expression on the face, emotion, people embracing, etc. People are always moving in the subway, but your pictures are just too static.

I don't know what's your intended message here, but I think it's just fine. The attitude of the man in the left, with his portfolio and searching something in his movil phone, and the people outside the train, shows exactly what happens in the sub.

yep. i found a used 1-n a few months ago. the trains/subway's in japan aren't so dangerous ^_^

thanks for the comment on getting more facial expression. it's true that i'm being too shy. i'd like to capture the expression, or lack of it, without people noticing, and i haven't been succesfull so far. i guess i need to use a longer lens. i've tried a bit but have been unsucesfull so far. one idea i've had...bring a friend along and pretend to shoot pictures of him while actually shooting other people. most people dont' know enough about cameras to figure out lenses and angles, etc. anyway, i appreciate all comments because, as you can tell, this is an ongoing series i'm working on.

As one who lived five years in Tokyo (until last summer) I would like to say that I like your trains presantation. It's Great.

 

What about some Shinkansen ?

David, I like a lot this one. For me is the best in your folder. Regarding about shyness and using a long focal lens to take pictures I don't think it is a good idea. You will be far from the subject and this is obvious once you see the image. It is far better using a little and inobstrusive camera with a short lens. I use a Ricoh GR-1 (with a 28 as a lens) and the images are beautiful. The Canon EOS-1 is a marvellous camera, but not the best suited to take candids (big, noisy, so far for being unobstrusive). That's the reason people use rangefinders for this kind of photography. If you don't want to pay a lot you can use also a classic rangefinder like the Canonet or the Olympus SP ($100 or cheaper). They are silent, tiny cameras, the optics are superb and if they are stonen is not a big loss. Trust me, you will see how your photography improves. And, forget about using a friend as a excuse. People notice this.

thanks for the advice on rangefinders. i've looked for a cheap one but not too hard. i'll check out the ones you mentioned. i do agree that long lenses ruin most candid shots. another idea i had that won't work quite yet but may be usable when technology gets better: there are cell phones with digital cameras on them, but the quality isn't good enough. once they get better, i can pretend that i'm surfing my e-mail just like everyone else while i'm actually taking pictures. it'll be a while (if ever) before cell phones can take acceptable pictures, and they'd never make me give up real film, but i'd be kinda cool.