Review: From Farms and Barns Series

Again, the question of what it is possible to include in a composition. Are the buildings in the left rear distracting or helpful? The partially revealed cart to the right?

I'm not even sure you need much more than a very tight crop to the top, left and right sides of the structure..and even that may be too much.

To be truthful - - - with a little bit of observance of the background elements when you were taking the photo, a slight shift in your camera position may have improved the impact of your image where you wouldn't have to be trying to justify why elements that are in the background are there. (please don't take this as being mean - trying to offer a constructive opinion)

As an example, from my viewpoint - a small shift of your camera to the left, would have eliminated the little bit of the cart in the background and and reveal a bit more of the buildings in the background by allowing a little separation between the barn and those buildings - - - or if you wanted to have the cart be an important element, a small shift of the camera to the right would feature the cart and probably hide the buildings in the background as well as the fence door resting on the left side of the barn. Such small shifts wouldn't have affected the perspective on your barn and vine that are the focus.

At least that would probably be how I would approach this scene while using the elements that you deem essential.


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Doug, you're dealing with an undoubtedly interesting subject. But I do agree with Chris and Robert here. Sure, if you feel like breaking the rules, go ahead! It is your photography and nobody else's so you make the rules. But by doing so I think you should add something extra to the picture. In this case the odd buildings or the severed farming machine don't give us anything we don't already know. It is still countryside. It is still a barn. Where would you like to take this picture?

doug anderson said:

Again, the question of what it is possible to include in a composition. Are the buildings in the left rear distracting or helpful? The partially revealed cart to the right?

Click to expand...

Doug,

Ultimately, it has to be answered by what vibrates the most for you. That's where esthetics and framing aligns for artist. If this is for Crime Scene, Real Estate or Insurance or other client specified photography, different rules might apply. For art, you must choose what moves you and then we either "get it" or move on.

Now if you are asking, How one might make this picture more impressive?", then that's a different question and a fun one to address.



Asher

Doug, As you are showing us this image, I can only presume that you really liked it and I keep wondering what attracted you to this particular photo. When I look at it, the little cart behind doesn't really pull my eye. Sure, an inch to the right and we wouldn't see it in the viewfinder at all, but would that make the image good enough?

What attracts my eye?: The tangle of vines in front of the barn, but it seems out of focus (this may be a resizing issue, I'm not sure). The second thing that may interest me, would be the door that is held open with a plank. I like that.

I don't think the composition is particularly weak, but because of the very prominent dried vines not being in focus without any reason that I can see for a need for it (sometimes we want that blur, of course) it doesn't come across as a strong image to me.

As Asher says, if this is just a recording of this place on that day or for real estate purposes, then it would be fine. If it was this place that you wanted us to get a feeling for, I would suggest going back and redoing the shoot and try to get across what attracted you to it in the first place.

Thanks, Maggie. I'll increase the DOF next time to get the brush in focus.

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