Plastic Bucket

[Dave (Isle of Skye)]

I have driven past and photographed this scene quite a few times now and even though I have taken several, so-so shots of it, I never seemed able to get anything that really hit the spot for me. Then one day as we were driving past this scene yet again, I noticed that the farmer had left one of his plastic feed buckets, outside of the door to the old stone building and suddenly, the composition seemed to work for me - don't know why, it just did.

Now normally, I would avoid using such an obvious modern artefact as a plastic bucket, as the focal point of my shot (or should that be artifact Slobodan?), but for some reason and to my mind at least, this time with the plastic bucket included, it seemed to work..

Anyhoo, hope you like 

Dave

[RMW]

Dave,
Well done in every way, for me.
I applaud your including the bucket as the focal point and forgoing the temptations of nostalgia.
Richard

[francois]

I'm not bothered at all by the bucket. This is a beautiful shot and not an easy one with this wall.
Well done.

[David Eckels]

You mean flower pot, no?  I like the composition very much, and your story. Funny how we can go by the same things many times and then in a moment, something stands out and brings it all together. Well done!

[Dave (Isle of Skye)]

Thanks everyone 

You mean flower pot, no?  I like the composition very much, and your story. Funny how we can go by the same things many times and then in a moment, something stands out and brings it all together. Well done!

Yes the same scene, but under different lighting conditions, or weather, or in this case, with a white plastic bucket in it and my whole perspective and the way I saw the scene, changed in an instant and the shot became obvious to me.

Sorry David, but it is indeed a plastic feed (or supplement) bucket that they use to feed the sheep. We even once saw a sheep with one stuck firmly onto its head and wandering around aimlessly, as it continually bumped into various objects, while the rest of the flock crowded around looking on with both fear and bemusement, as they tried to work out what this bucket headed shaped monster could possibly be, and how it had suddenly appeared in their midst.

Although I do see where you get the idea of a plant pot from, as it does look a lot like it has that sort of shape, although it would be a very, very big plant pot if it was 

Thanks again guys..

Dave

[Mark Nadler]

I don't think I would have thought of this composition.  Nice one.

mark

[Paulo Bizarro]

Even without the bucket, it is a very strong composition, with a strong visual line/lead into the house.

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

I like it just the way it is.
(I won't kick the bucket.)

[Dave (Isle of Skye)]

I like it just the way it is.
(I won't kick the bucket.)

Oh dear Eric, very droll - but I like it 

Dave

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

Is this one of those cases when a touch of color (say, yellow?) is warranted in a black & white photograph?

[Slobodan Blagojevic]

I like it just the way it is.
(I won't kick the bucket.)

A photo like this should be on every photographer's bucket list

[Dave (Isle of Skye)]

A photo like this should be on every photographer's bucket list

Groan... 

Eric's bucket joke worked quite well I thought, but this one 'pails' in comparison - 

Is this one of those cases when a touch of color (say, yellow?) is warranted in a black & white photograph?

I do have the colour version, but to be honest, it was all very green with the occasional bit of brownish grey. So even though I agree with you Slobodan, that some colour, or even full colour might normally be a good option for this type of shot, the colour palette within it seemed a little uninspiring to me, so I took it through Silver-Efex-Pro instead.

Dave