The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
And another handheld focus stack. I love the windows in this place!
Specific Feedback
All comments welcome! Wish I had timed it to avoid the shadow but there was too much to explore. I didn’t try to lighten it but could play with it.
Technical Details
The ISO was because I had been shooting in a building and was too excited to notice it was a little brighter outside. Or something like that. (Too many long days and very, very short nights, and at 8000 ft. I was feeling great but maybe not paying enough attention.) Shadows and Highlights in LR; into PS for NR, focus stacking and some perspective correction. Nothing heroic.
To me, this is a great photo, not only because of the wooden barn behind, but the juxtaposition of the wooden window frames and wall and then the hint of the room inside versus the barn outside. I took a copy of your photo and converted it to mono. I prefer it that way, perhaps because the interior of the room is more visible.
I do not mind the shadow at all - it encouraged me to peek inside and then I saw all sorts of things.
So many stories in this one - The irregular window reflections, interior peeling paint, the mugs and a small clock at 7 min past 12, the boxes. Did they leave in a hurry or were they just too tired to take all their possessions?
Thanks, @Rob_Sykes! I always love the aged wood and usually-brown landscape against the stark blue high-elevation skies and hadn’t thought of B/W for this one but I tried it and I like it – thanks for the idea! I did a slight punch of the interior detail while I was at it. Posted above.
I’ve wondered why so much was left. There were several stages of people leaving, and it’s a long road to anywhere – maybe they could only take what they could carry. There may have been some staging when the Bodie Historical Society was formed, but I’ve never asked. People are only allowed in the buildings on special tours or workshops and only with a docent. There is a strict don’t touch anything policy; photo backpacks left outside and jackets zipped to avoid brushing against anything.
I do like the B&W version here, Diane. The color is excellent, but the extra interior detail mixed with the reflection makes the B&W work better for me. I don’t know if that would hold if you brought the interior up in the color version as well.
As to stuff being left, the people leaving were probably too broke to afford to move more than themselves! Nome was a real eye opener to me on that subject. All kinds of mining equipment left around and a half finished railroad. When they went bust, there was no way they could afford to ship that stuff elsewhere.
Thanks, @Dennis_Plank – don’t know why I didn’t do that for the color version when I did it for the B/W. Now posted above for the color and I think it is a good improvement! Thanks for the nudge!
A wonderful composition, @Diane_Miller. The deep color of the color version and the dark portion of the B&W version appeal to me.
For the color version, did you try a polarizer to reduce the reflection and make the interior space of the building room the subject, with the reflected old building a secondary subject? I frankly don’t know if it would work but worth exploring.
For the B&W, my personal preference would darken the sky all the way down to the reflected building. That may take a little more local work than global adjustments allow.
Thanks, @Matt_Lancaster – your reply popped up on email as I had a spare moment and I tried it, and like it! I just did a quick global Selective Color and darkened Blues. Also fixed the far UL corner which was bugging me. Then redid the B/W from that version but with much less darkening of blues and a masked Tonal Contrast adjustment.
I didn’t use a polarizer, but it would have been a good idea. I was shooting fast and handholding, trying to keep up with a workshop group. We were moving between buildings where we had interior access with a docent and I couldn’t afford the light loss of a polarizer or the hassle of tripod limitations inside. This was a grab shot between interiors and I didn’t get back to it later for a more careful shot. (That has happened before…)
OHHH, so much to love about this image, Diane! I do like the slightly more contrasty/revised images. Very small nit: my eye keeps searching for the top corner of the window, although the reflections really dominate the attention. Nicely seen and done!
