Through the Cut

One of the curses I find about returning to a location to photograph subjects, is I have a number of shots already lined up in my head.  And I will get that photograph at any cost.  And this is one set-up that I had in mind.
I wanted to get the length of a train measured by some landscape.  And that was all I saw.
Too bad.
I didn't notice any of the imperfections until I finished the stack process.  Most of the source photos are out of focus to begin with and I didn't see this coming.

In case it doesn't show up. but the right quarter of the image has some green thing that is too close to the lens and is out of focus.  Badly.  There are a few other 'imperfections' that need some tending to as well.  Most notably, there are what look to be green colored bag ties on the left and right trying to blend into the trees.  Easy fixes, but the green focus mess on the right is a problem.
I tried to delete the trees, clone over the trees and even replace the trees.  Note for next time, just make sure the shot is clear of this sort of thing.  Probably would have been a lot easier and less time consuming.
But like the bull headed idea to get this shot, I will do something reasonable with it to save it.
The first thing to do was figure out how much of the right I could save.  There is a slight out of focus area that if cleaned up would get some breathing room.  Some creative cropping may do the rest.

ISO 100, f/6.3, 1.6 sec, 50 mm

14 shot focus stack

But the story can't end here.  While this might be an OK shot, it still isn't doing it for me.  The club will go back to the DMRRC in a few months and I'll come up with something else.  What I did learn this year, is a prime lens is a must.  I have to keep on that track.  One of the issues is that minimum focus is a foot.  Doesn't sound like much. but when working in tight quarters, every inch counts.  Enough about next time.
Still trying to save this one.
I'd like to do something sketchy.  I came up with this, and just a hint of color.

The 6187 in the keystone had to stay sharp, after that everything else was negotiable.  Looks more sketchy as a screen saver on my monitors.