Orchard and barn

[DanPBrown]

Taken yesterday in Hollis NH. We've experienced some horrible weather as evidenced by the clouds.
Dan
http://www.danbrownphotography.com

[RSL]

Dan, I really like it. In the sixties I did dozens of these on the Colorado prairies. I recorded a whole generation of abandoned ranch houses and barns that no longer exist. A lot of that was done in the winter. I'd really like to see this in a 12 inch wide version. The image is small enough that I can't tell how much detail you've captured inside the doors of the barn. There should be some detail there -- maybe at about zone 1 or 2. My only criticism is that it looks as if you used a wide angle lens for this shot - unless the horizon actually was curved like that. If it wasn't, the picture probably could stand a bit of perspective correction in Photoshop. These are minor criticisms, though. I love the way the barn plays off against the clouds.

[DanPBrown]

Dan, I really like it. In the sixties I did dozens of these on the Colorado prairies. I recorded a whole generation of abandoned ranch houses and barns that no longer exist. A lot of that was done in the winter. I'd really like to see this in a 12 inch wide version. The image is small enough that I can't tell how much detail you've captured inside the doors of the barn. There should be some detail there -- maybe at about zone 1 or 2. My only criticism is that it looks as if you used a wide angle lens for this shot - unless the horizon actually was curved like that. If it wasn't, the picture probably could stand a bit of perspective correction in Photoshop. These are minor criticisms, though. I love the way the barn plays off against the clouds.

Thanks. It was shot with a 28mm lens. The horizon is true, there is a hill behind the barn. I'll post a crop of the barn so that you see more detail.
That must have been fun photographing the barns in the 60s.
Dan

[Peter McLennan]

"horrible weather" for most people, but by the looks of it, perfect weather for photography.

Two of my favourite words are from Ansel Adams: "Clearing Storm"

Lovely image, and difficult to capture well.

[jasonrandolph]

You couldn't have planned a better sky for a backdrop!  Nice job.

[DanPBrown]

Thanks for the replies. Here is another version. This one is a panoramic image, about 13 images and 76 megapixels. Which do you prefer?
Dan
http://www.danbrownphotograpy.com

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

I like the new one. The sky is spectacular, and the barn looks straighter. I think the wide angle lens gave a bit too much convergence for my taste in the first version.

Eric

[jule]

Gee, I like the second version way better. It has a sense of drama and personally i don't mind the seemingly blown out area above the barn. I love the diagonal lines created by the cloud lines and the shadow of the barn.

Julie

[wolfnowl]

I'd be tempted to dodge the sun just a little, but I like the sense of 'space' embodied by the second one.  It was a lonely prairie when that barn was built, or so the image suggests.

Mike.

[Jeremy Roussak]

Thanks for the replies. Here is another version. This one is a panoramic image, about 13 images and 76 megapixels. Which do you prefer?
Dan

The first was good but the second is much better.

Jeremy

[DanPBrown]

Thanks for the input all. I'll eventually remove the first from my website and keep the second. Believe it or not there is very little blown out in the sky in my original Prophoto rgb color space photo. It is mainly directly around the sun where highlights were blown. This is an exposure blended image to increase dynamic range.
Dan
http://www.danbrownphotography.com

[RSL]

Dan, The pano is splendid. It looks like a cross between Ansel Adams and Walker Evans. Bravo! It also helps that you can see the terrain back there and the rise of the hill.

[walter.sk]

Thanks for the replies. Here is another version. This one is a panoramic image, about 13 images and 76 megapixels. Which do you prefer?
Dan
http://www.danbrownphotograpy.com

I like the second much better.  In the first, you have a picture of the barn and a background of dramatic clouds.  However, in the second, the lines of the clouds and the path produced by the light draw the eye toward the barn, making a much more dynamic composition in which the clouds and house conspire to produce greater drama.  Also, because of being a little further into the picture the smallness of the barn compared to the vastness of the powerful clouds makes the barn seem more vulnerable to nature.

[DanPBrown]

It's hard to see at this scale but in the second photo near the horizon to the left of the barn modern homes can be seen. They are small and could be easily cloned out but I decided that they should stay. This orchard and barn are in jeopardy of being lost to housing and the few visible homes on the horizon are like vultures just waiting to pounce.
Dan
http://www.danbrownphotography.com