Weekly Challenge
Reclaimed by Nature
6/28/26 - 7/4/26
Critique Style: Standard
The photographer is looking for thoughtful feedback on the image as a whole, especially around the areas noted below.
Feedback Focus: Artistic / Expressive
About This Image
I’m getting ready for a show next month and going through the archives. Found this one that seemed appropriate for this week’s Weekly Challenge. I processed it a long time ago, but still like what I did.
Feedback Requested
I wanted a melancholy mood and to make the vegetation seem overwhelming. To that end, I’m pretty sure I brought the black point up to soften the darks and didn’t make the vegetation really contrasty (so it felt more massive). Any comments welcome.
Technical Details
Camera: SONY ILCE-7RM3
Lens: FE 24-105mm F4 G OSS
Focal length: 37mm
Shutter speed: 1/100s
Aperture: f/9
ISO: 400
Visual Notes
Bravo! This is excellent in my opinion. There is no crop that I could see to improve this. I particularly like the bright stump in front to the house. The amount of house compared to the rest to the image is optimal. Zoom In and the message is lost. I’m sure this will be a great addition to your gallery. Do you print your own work?
[A1] eye drawn to this
[A2] eye drawn
Thanks, @Igor_Doncov! You’re right about that lighter patch (A2); I processed this probably 5 years ago and wasn’t being that picky about edge patrol.
I do print my own work, on an Epson P800. I enjoy having my own prints, although the printing itself isn’t the most fun thing to do. I probably won’t put this one in my show. I’m sharing the bill with a driftwood artist from the coast (I know that sounds hokey, but her stuff really is very artistic), so I’m going to show more of my abstract-ish and composite stuff that’s in color.
This is terrific, Bonnie. The scattered highlights give it a lot of sparkle. I agree with Igor about the stump.
The house looks very dull. I’m cheering for nature to complete its takeover.
Well done.
This is fantastic!!! Good catches by Igor. I definitely get a creepy feeling and love the way you placed the house in the frame. My only thought might be a subtle dark vignette to add a bit more mystery…
And good luck with your show!!!
Thanks, @Don_Peters and @Diane_Miller. It’s a creepy house just because it’s so run down - I imagine lots of rats carrying hantavirus!
Very nice, Bonnie. I like your B&W treatment in this image. The dominance of the tree on the right and the vegetation on the left seemingly peeling the roof off really convey the idea of nature reclaiming this place.
Should sell for close to a million in Seattle.
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Isolated old houses like this get me thinking about how life was and what happened. In Montana, direlects like this can be found many miles from the nearest neighbot!!! This one was well build with it’s bricks.
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Dang, I thought I had already commented… guess not.
This is wonderful! Certainly fitting of the challenge. What a great “nature” story in the sense that nature is taking over this one.
I love the toning here and great job with your decision to soften the darks and make the vegetation more “massive” or whole; had you allowed more contrast there, more separation of the vegetation and less impact… good job on seeing and processing that.
No nits or suggestions really, although I can’t argue Igor’s little distractions, but they’re very minor.
Well done Bonnie. Best of luck with your gallery showing!
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