Springtime Barn

[PRSearls]

This is a companion structure to "Old Shed" posted earlier. Despite the flat lighting from this POV, it still portrays a beautiful Spring day here in Midwestern USA. This old barn, which is in pretty good condition, has seen many seasons come and go as it lives out its retirement.

Paul S

[gaijin]

I've just read a post from someone complaining that a lot of people look at photos here but don't leave any comments and others don't back up their opinions in any way. Well I've mostly been in the 1st category, mainly because I'm unconvinced that my opinions and the value system I seem to base them on make my opinions worth sharing. Today I'll share them a little, but they may, of course, be disregarded totally!

I don't think the photo is very interesting. The barn seems to me quite banal with nothing photographic to say for itself. It is surrounded by trees that don't seem to me to add any structure to the photo. The colours are pretty, however, and underline the Springness of the scene, but the colours alone don't really do enough as far as I'm concerned to make this photo interesting I'm afraid. There needs to be something that stands out, something that says look at me. Here I don't think there is.

I'm sorry - that's pretty negative, and I don't really know what to say regarding how to make this photo more interesting (for me). Perhaps getting away from the whole scene and concentrating on some details.

[Geoff F]

I think there are two ways to look at shots like this.

As a technical exercise, it has worked well. Colours, focus and exposure are all excellent. And obviously not an easy shot to get everything correct.

Also a good historical reference point.

Would I purchase it to hang on my wall? Well probably not. But then, I only hang less than 1% of my own photos on my walls.

But this scene was still worth photographing.

[PRSearls]

I appreciate the comments. Sometimes the emotional impact of the scene is not conveyed by the image; this is a failure of the photographer (me) not being creative enough through lighting, composition or technical competence. I experimented with boosting the saturation and it looked like a cheap postcard. I think better lighting would improve this shot and perhaps I may get a second chance to reshoot it. Severe weather arriving tonight and tomorrow.

Paul S

[Geoff F]

Don't change anything with your camera settings or processing, Paul. They are fine.

It is, I think, just a case of a scene which lacks 'impact' and you have done what you could with it.

I was wondering about changing to a landscape ratio, perhaps 5 x 4 and showing more on the left side. But there could be a good reason for not doing that. Maybe shooting from a lower angle?

You have a 'nice' sky there, although nothing dramatic, could there be a fraction too much sky? Perhaps a landscape ratio with a good rainbow in the background.

Or photograph for the foliage and leave the barn in the background?

There is absolutely nothing wrong with your photographic or processing technique here. Just a case of a scene which lacks 'zip'; at least from a conventional angle.