'Seeing Off the Overnight Transcontinental Train'

The caption (title) adequately describes the scene recently at Kyiv,

Ukraine's huge main train station. Your ratings, critiques, and

observations are invited and most welcome. If you rate harshly, very

critically, or wish to make a remark, please submit a helpful and

constructive comment; please share your photographic knowledge to help

improve my photography. Thanks! Enjoy! john

The hand that held the camera was burdened by carrying a heavy sack and the other hand was not free, so all adjustments had to be made with free fingers of the left hand, not otherwise available, and fingers of the hand holding the sack, including setting focus point, zooming and releasing the shutter, while standing so burdened.  There was no one capable of carrying those things near me or available to me, and anyone who sets anything down in a European train station in a crowd, may best kiss them goodbye.

I did no kissing AND got the photo.

;~))

john

John (Crosley)

An excellent composition with impeccable timing. Greatly pleasing use of light and tone that well serves the composition and this gentleman. Given the facts of the situation (as explained by you), a fine example of your well honed instincts in the decisive moment.

Nice moment, interesting look!

John

Nicely caught, even without the physical and security burdens of travel, this is a classic documentary capture. I guess because of this, for me, it makes it a more edgy image. Fine DOF and range finding provide wonderful detail where it matters.

I like how you have captured the atmosphere of one of the diminishing European railway stations where you can still get cigarette smoke and attitude in your face.

Many thanks for posting this one (of my favourites)

Hope you are well. Regards Doug

Thanks for the encouraging comment.

I personally think this is one of the best of the best of my recent captures.

It took four previous tries just aiming my camera at the group including this man with his face turned.

Then someone passed by, the camera went down, I readjusted my focus point to where his left (facing us) eye would be if he turned, and he turned.

I caught the exact expression (and I did NOT call to him).

Life's sometimes good!

Thanks again for the encouragement.

john

John (Crosley)

Oh, thank you so much.

I just managed to anticipate his possible turn with my focus point where I thought his eye might be IF he turned.

When he did, I fired, and got focus dead on at ISO 2500, and still got the eye in pretty good focus, considering high ISO and any movement artifacts.

It does not to my mind look like an ISO 2500 capture, to tell the truth.

Thanks also for the exclamation point -- it speaks volumes from you.

john

John (Crosley)

You hit the nail on the head:  'cigarette smoke and attitude in your face' -- I don't believe I ever could have written that so well; I am sure I will quote you in the future, if it's no problem.

Thanks also for the technical approval; for me the expression was everything and having it technically acceptable was 'icing on the cake' as in low light I get many possibly GREAT captures that have to be discarded or worked on excessively (not this), to make them viewable.

I'm happy with this one, for sure.

Thanks for nice words of approval and a thoughtful critique.

john

John (Crosley)

I was so pleased with this capture, I tried to show this man, but the hubbub was great, and unlike many, many Ukrainians, his photo analytic skills were more minimal (many Ukrainians are exceptional critics of good photography), so I let it pass, victim of circumstances, sorry he could not have a better understanding of how he was STAR of my photo.

john

John (Crosley)