Critique Style Requested: Standard
The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
This was taken during a photography tour to North Dakota last summer. The trip was very disappointing in many ways, including half the group (myself included) coming down with COVID. I didn’t return with many photos I liked. This was one of the few.
Any feedback is great.
1/400 sec at f13, ISO 320
Chris, what a remarkable story. There are several here; the unknown history of this home, a bale of abandoned hay , and a successful picture despite COVID. And, most importantly, you are still standing. The depth of field is spot on. I like the placement of the horizon. You included the hay, which strengthens the composition. I see a lot of drama here. I took the liberty of working with it in PS. I darkened the sky. Cropped a bit off both sides. And darkened the grass at the bottom of the picture. This is just how I see your story. It can be told in many ways. It is a great picture. You don’t have to apologize for it. I am glad you can treasure it. I am uploading the image and two screenshots
@Barbara_Djordjevic Thanks,Barbara. I like what you’ve done. Did you do it in Photoshop? I can’t seem to get the hang of PS.
Chris, I love old places like this. Soon it will be gone entirely, most likely, either fall down on it’s own, or be torn down. When I see a place like this I think there are probably many memories, stories to be told of the family that lived there. I also like what Barbara did. I too don’t seem to be up to speed with PS, but I believe you can do pretty much the same in in LR, if you use it. Selecting the subject, and add or subject to it if you don’t get all that you want selected, and then you can also inverse that selection for another mask to work the sky. I really like what you have here. Sorry to hear that the trip ended with COVID. My brother just got it for the first time and so we had to cancel our trip up to Virginia to see him. He seems to have a mild case so far.
Yes, Chris, I did. Photoshop is a step-by-step learning challenge but it was worth the effort.
I’m sorry you were getting sick when you were in such a place to take photos. That is the pits! But, I love this photo. The isolation one feels, and oh if walls could talk! I always wonder if a family was raised in these old homes, and what conversations went on. They built them strong, for it to be standing is amazing. And, in good shape. I think the one hay bale also lends itself to the “isolation” feeling. I really really love this shot.
I quite like the color and tonality of this, as is. The light is flat which adds to the mood of the old, abandoned house. The (sort of) recent hay bale lets us know there’s still people around, using the land, but not living there.
Compositionally, I could see trimming a bit off the left - maybe a 5x7 ratio of the right side, but I wouldn’t change anything else.
What do you use for processing? Scrolling through your portfolio here, I’d say whatever you’re doing (either in the field or processing) is working quite well. Your portfolio is impressive - your photos are quite well seen!
@Bonnie_Lampley Thank you for your wonderful comments. I use LR for processing and I’m very encouraged by your comments on my editing and portfolio. Helps my self-confidence coming from such a good photographer as yourself.
Thanks for your feedback. I also always wonder what the stories are that are contained in these old buildings.
Thank you for your comments. Hope your brother is doing well.
I love this image. However, I think it would be better with the bale of hay.
Chris, the cloudy sky, soft light and near centering of the house add well to the calm, nostalgia of this view. Given the size of the house, this was a very prosperous farm/ranch in it’s day. The hay bale is a good statement that the land is still valued.
Hi Chris,
I really only do wildlife photography and I have no formal art training of any kind, so I’m not qualified to offer any suggestions. That said… Wow, my eyes find this image arresting! There’s an almost-but-not-quite painterly quality to it that grabs me as much as the composition and lighting. You had me the moment I laid eyes on it, but it’s taken me a while to think about how to reply.
I do think that Barbara Djordjevic’s suggestions on crop and curves make the image ‘pop’ just a bit more while keeping the overall feelings of isolation and perhaps melancholy.
I won’t ever say that getting a shot is worth getting COVID, but I sure think you came home with a beautiful image! Best regards – Michael
This is a very good image that I like a lot. My only suggestion is to darken the sky a tad at the top for the mood of the image as well as composition-wise to have a stop at the top.
Hi Chris, 
This is a well composed image!
The balance is perfect in my view and the clouds are great for setting the mood.
The exposure looks good to me and I really like the juxtaposition of the old house and the hay, it shows that the land is still being used as intended even though the house has long passed it’s intended purpose.
The stories that house could tell!!
Well done, Chris!!
