The Country

Images gathered from around a house in the country. This is a place that I visit frequently. The photo opportunities here are not very evident, which I see as a challenge to ones artistic sensibility. I feel motivated to use this place as a theme for a series of photos, but for the moment I don't have a fully formed concept about how to approach this project. I know Jim Collum's "Homeland" is a great source for reference and inspiration, but I certainly don't want to copycat Jim's work (needless to say, I can't anyway ). I'm at a stage of drawing rough ideas and evaluating the real potential of this idea as a future project.

I'd like to make the whole thing as natural as the digital format allows.The only PP these images have is a little sharpening, other than the necessary file conversion from RAW to jpeg, of course.

Ruben,

These are a remarkable start to a rich series in color. I am so happy to see this. Of course, I do have ideas as to what might have more impact but so what! I want to see what come forth without perturbation. This is good enough to sit back and enjoy. Only after a substantial body of work is shared I'd want to be able to come back and only then make suggestions if any at all. It's not important to be be utterly complete in each of the works. The are starting a movement in assembling for us a community of ideas about the country. Let these elements assemble.

Jim Collum's work is entirely different but you both have in common an ability to get yourself working on an idea and delivering many ramifications in how it might be followed.

Good job! Let's have more!

Asher

Ruben Alfu said:

Images gathered from around a house in the country. This is a place that I visit frequently. The photo opportunities here are not very evident, which I see as a challenge to ones artistic sensibility.

Click to expand...

Hi Ruben,

You're right, there is beauty everywhere, we just need to get sensitized enough to see it.

I like your third image best:

Ruben Alfu : The Country 3​

Click to expand...

Cheers,
Bart

Hi Ruben,
This is a project that may have great potential!
The fact you are able to visit the site often certainly has its benefits.
Visit often, ponder and observe what's happening around you.
I'm inclined to believe there will be more photographic opportunities than you predicted.
As for this initial offering - I genuinely like the third image (and I bet it would look equally well in B&W).

These are great photos. I really like the natural feel that you have with these because of the processing like you explained above. I love the shallow depth of field with the chicken. It really makes it stand out. That is so hard to do with live animals. Great job. Although my small criticism would be that the focus seems to be a bit off on the chicken, but the photo is so great I don't think it really matters.

The shovels really stand out too! I can see that as a poster on an office wall. I think that is a great photo that would sell well.

It is a great set. Thanks for sharing.

Asher, Bart, John and Joe, I´ve read and re-read your posts. Your guidance and support is highly valuable, thanks so much for looking and taking the time to comment! I´ll keep you posted with the progress on this project.

Shots from this weekend. The surroundings of this house can be explored further, however, I think that in the long run it will be more appropriate and convenient to include any rural area in this project.
As, in the first group, these photos have no post processing, these are straight jpegs from the RAW file. In this set no artificial light was used.

A couple more...

Inspiring,

Asher