bw stone barn

[wanderella]

i really like old barns/farms in black and white....yet, i keep missing the mark....looking for a moody scene and getting totally undramatic....i shot this yesterday....and it was midday (i know, the worst time)...but that's the where and when of it.....any help on how to get that black and white drama would be greatly appreciated.....i'm probably just gonna have to get up really early or get out real late...sacrafice home life for my art (insert sarcastic drama here)....thanks all.......canon rebel 450d, 1/125, f14, 55mm, wb daylight

[Carolyn Lee]

Really great shot - I love old barns as well. I know very little in the area of camera critique, but my thought was - have you tried playing with computer software ie photoshop elements, paintnet etc. It is really amazing what these programs can do. I know there are a few free downloads as well. Hope to see more shots of barns from you

[wanderella]

thanks carolyn....i have photoshop 5.5 but i am not that profecient....color and hue saturation is about all i can do...which i mostly over-do....so i don't really know how to enhance a black and white photo...but i do appreciate and value your input and will keep trying with the photoshop...thanks

[renegade1]

Hi. I really like the shot. I am focusing my photography on Black & White. Can i suggess that maybe, and this is just my opinion, that you move round to the right a bit more and possibly lie down. Possibly get some long grass in the foreground. The barn needs more of a 3/4 view. Look for a flower of a bush that you could place in the foregroun corner. Thanks for shring your photo.

[wanderella]

great ideas....thanks so much.....

[PaulBlythe]

A lovely old building and a nice photo ... Like Renegade suggested some foreground interest, photograph from lower down and show more of the right-side of the building.

With photoshop, try and learn about Layers, Levels, Shadows/Highlights and the Dodge & Burn tools. A lot to take in but they'll help you get that moody look your after, even if the lighting isn't just right

[kgb224]

Stunning capture of This Old Barn.

[wanderella]

thanks everyone...great info....glad yall like it.....

[leviathan]

I think you have a fantastic subject close to home to work with! What a great opportunity! I like the mood you were trying to capture with the B&W. And the old barn certainly lends itself to the capturing of that mood. I am personally not a fan of how the image is framed. There is a lot of grass in the foreground that does not add anything to the aesthetic value of the image. Also, I think your subject is framed too tightly. If you go for a wider angle with the barn in the lower left third of the image, shot in the early morning or late afternoon, you could get some beautiful shadows and colors in the sky. Finally, I'm not sure what kind of post-processing you did, but it looks like the image was given some sort of impressionistic tweak, of which I am not a fan. I could be wrong though. Keep shooting!

[wanderella]

thanks.....i knew it would look better in early morning or evening light....i just happen to spot driving by mid day....it is on my agenda to get back by in the evening, it has been mostly cloudy in the evenings this week (in an uninteresting way).....can't remember what i did in pp....not much i'm sure, cause i don't know much.....but i have taken notes and hopefully will get a better shot here soon....thanks....glad you find it as interesting as i have.....