|
Kurt LaRue
{K:5067} 3/16/2006
|
Hi Steve. I really appreciate your taking the time to leave an insightful critique and send your own interpretation.
The relative brightness of the door is due to the remnants of white paint. Apparently someone awhile back decided to paint just the door and not the rest of the structure, so it really is much brighter than the rest. I had to take several spot meter readings to arrive at this exposure.
I actually like the brightness of the door as it increases the overall dynamic range of the photo. I guess that's just my preference for higher contrast images.
Your version does look cleaner and well balanced, with the woods in the B/G cloned out.
An 11x14 print of this image is actually hanging in a local art gallery right now and I'm just thrilled that it was accepted for the show! Best wishes, Kurt
|
|
|
Steve Aronoff
{K:18393} 3/15/2006
|
A really nice photo, Kurt. The compsition, clarity and crispness of the black and white is very nice. There are two things that I think could stand adjustment. One is the tonal balance. The door of the barn is, in my opinion, too bright relative to the rest of the photo. This is particularly so given that the wood appears to be the same as for the rest of the barn. I thought maybe it was because the boards were vertical, but there are vertical boards above the door that are not so hot. The second thing I think would help would be to reduce the height of the foliage to the left of barn to bring the height of the background there more in line with the height of the background on the right. I've attached a rough alteration to illustrate my point. It's really nice to see that you are taking such care to perfect your photo. It's certainly well worth the time and effort. Steve
|
rough alteration |
|
|
Kurt LaRue
{K:5067} 3/11/2006
|
Hi Hugo. You're not the only one who's mentioned wanting to see more landscape, but as I told the others, I had to crop very carefully (and rather tight) to keep from including other houses,etc. that would have distracted from the image and the feeling of isolation. Thanks for your valuable input, as always. Best wishes, Kurt
|
|
|
Kurt LaRue
{K:5067} 3/11/2006
|
Hi Roman. Thank you for your comment. And welcome to UseFilm. I hope to see more of your work in the future. Best wishes, Kurt
|
|
|
Kurt LaRue
{K:5067} 3/11/2006
|
Hi Chris. You're not wrong, there are some digital artifacts in some of the darker areas. That's one of the things I don't like about digital. If I'd had black and white film with me that day I could've shot with a deep red filter and not had to use any PS. Several critiques mention leaving more space around the structure. I don't disagree with that, but the problem was several distracting elements (other buildings, cars, etc.) just outside the frame. Thanks for your comments. Best wishes, Kurt
|
|
|
Kurt LaRue
{K:5067} 3/11/2006
|
Hello, Rebecca. Thank you for your comments on this image. I had to keep this one tight to keep out some distracting elements just outside the frame. I wanted to emphasize a feeling of isolation and slow, lonely decay. I like your black and white work, BTW. Best wishes, Kurt
|
|
|
Kurt LaRue
{K:5067} 3/11/2006
|
Hello, Mike. Thank you for taking the time to view this image and leave helpful comments on it. My hope is to have a large format film camera within a year and to revisit this site to capture it again on 4X5 film. If it's still standing, that is... Best wishes, Kurt
|
|
|
Kurt LaRue
{K:5067} 3/11/2006
|
Hi Giuseppe. Thank you very much for your constructive comments on this image. My intent here was to show this old barn "growing" out of the farmland in which it is located. Others seem to feel that I should have shown even more of the surrounding landscape! I enjoy hearing what other photographers think about images and what they would do differently. Best wishes, Kurt
|
|
|
Kurt LaRue
{K:5067} 3/11/2006
|
Hi Roland. Thanks for the encouraging remarks. I think the clouds really do make this image work. My earlier post of the same structure was taken on a clear day and it looks quite dull compared to this shot. Best wishes, Kurt
|
|
|
Kurt LaRue
{K:5067} 3/11/2006
|
Hi Gökhan. Thank you for the very nice comment. Best wishes, Kurt
|
|
|
Kurt LaRue
{K:5067} 3/11/2006
|
Hi Michalis. I was really attracted to the texture and tones of this decaying old structure. Thanks for the comments. Best wishes, Kurt
|
|
|
Kurt LaRue
{K:5067} 3/11/2006
|
Hi Doyle. Thanks for looking and taking the time to comment. I really appreciate that. Best wishes, Kurt
|
|
|
Kurt LaRue
{K:5067} 3/11/2006
|
Hi Rashed. Thanks again for your positive comments. Nice to hear them! Best wishes, Kurt
|
|
|
Kurt LaRue
{K:5067} 3/11/2006
|
Hi Jonas. Thank you for the positive comments. Best wishes, Kurt
|
|
|
Hugo de Wolf
{K:185110} 3/10/2006
|
Hi Kurt, Your barn photos are getting better and better.... I like the trimetric type of three points perspective in this one, and I think the tonal range in the B&W is spot on. Also, the fragmented sky works nicely here.
The only thing I would've considered is to take a few steps back, and include a bit of the surrounding landscape in the composition. From what I've seen in a few of your other photos, I think a reference to the landscape would only emphasise the atmosphere in this image.
Other than that, there's not much to nitpick about. I think you've handled this shot very well!
Cheers,
Hugo
|
|
|
RoMilNYC (Roman M.)
{K:66} 3/10/2006
|
Excellent image!
|
|
|
Chris Hunter
{K:25634} 3/10/2006
|
I could be wrong, but it seems the effects of darkening the sky are visible, espically around the apex of the roof.
Overall I find the angle of the building and the sky pleasing and they fit together nicely. I am mainly concerned w/ how the house sits in the photo in relation to the sky. I think a little wider view, pulled back slighlty from the building to show more sky would emphasize the structure more, and allow the eye to wander around the frame alittle more freely. Now, you have no choice to view the house as being almost 100% dominant.
Regards, Chris
|
|
|
Rebecca Teitzel
{K:425} 3/10/2006
|
absolutly wonderful! awesome tones. i love the view - making it lower makes it seem very dooming and empty. theres something about it i cannot quite put my finger on though - mabey its how the barn takes up the whole photo - that there should be some outside face so that its not in your face so much.
|
|
|
no longer a member
{K:10557} 3/9/2006
|
Great shot of this old building. I like the skew of this old shack as it rises to the cloudy sky. It kind of gives me a haunting feeling. Great angle of perspective and great lighting.
Many compliments, Mike
|
|
|
Giuseppe Guadagno
{K:34002} 3/9/2006
|
Kurt, it seem to me that you want to comunicate the image of an old, dilapidated hut. But the photographer ability and the inpressive host of small, low clouds give strenth, beauty and dignity to the wood little house. You made this miracle by means of the excellent angle, the perfectily contolled contrasts, the mood gray but cheered by the front highlights. For this reason I would leave out the spoiling, muddled ground at the base of the hut you have made bright. An excellent work, for me. Cheers.
Giuseppe
|
|
|
Roland Lacson
{K:12214} 3/9/2006
|
Excellent perspective & the dramatic clouds just adds impact to the shot. The conversion to b&w (Grayscale) really worked well here. Contrast & tones is absolutely right on the money, well done & executed Kurt, regards.
|
|
|
Gökhan KARAMAN
{K:8878} 3/9/2006
|
wonderfull black and white image and good architecture image...
|
|
|
Michalis P.S.
{K:10136} 3/9/2006
|
Great shot! Tones are very nice and smooth. The texture of the walls of the house are great, as well as the sky. Well done, Michalis
|
|
|
Doyle D. Chastain
{K:101119} 3/9/2006
|
The sky with the angle of perspective make this a great B&W shot. Very well done. --- Regards, Doyle I
|
|
|
Rashed Abdulla
{K:163889} 3/9/2006
|
a very powerful b/w image , great perspective , details and contrast , all of the best .
|
|
|
Jonas Amund Jensen
{K:204} 3/9/2006
|
Beautiful shot! Great contrast and really nice B&W conversion... Love the Clouds!!
|
|