Poll: Barn: window or not: C&C welcome as well

[tbob]

Please vote as I need a good sample of opinions. Feel free to critique and comment as well.

I am in a bit of a quandary whether or not to clone out the window in this old barn.

My wife says it grabs her attention excessively and is a major distraction. I don't see it that way and quite like it. I usually trust her judgement as she is more artistic than me. In this rare instance I do not concur

Since we cannot resolve this I would like some feelings either way. Don't worry, no marital (or is it martial?) discord will ensue if either of us has to give way

[pnodrog]

Hi Trevor I voted for the window to stay before I read your message or I even noticed the second version. Having read and viewed it all I have not changed my mind but it may be better if the window highlight was reduced a little. You could try cloning over it with a bit of sky with the transparency set at 5-10% and the blend mode as darken.

[escaladieu]

I'm with your wife on this one !

[John 2]

I'm with your wife on this one !

I'm afraid, so am I. There are some beautifully subtle tones in the comp but the window definitely distracts from them for me.

[Snowy55]

I think the image is better without it Trevor. To me it jusy seems to better suit the look and feel.

[tbob]

Hi Trevor I voted for the window to stay before I read your message or I even noticed the second version. Having read and viewed it all I have not changed my mind but it may be better if the window highlight was reduced a little. You could try cloning over it with a bit of sky with the transparency set at 5-10% and the blend mode as darken.

I will put you down in the "window goes" category because even if you somewhat like it it still needs to be lessened. Therefor, by my logic, it is a negative element. Chuck out my vote as well (done so I could see the poll) and my wife is leading quite handsomely. You would think after 35 years I would have learned to always follow her advice.

[Brownbear]

I voted to keep the window, likely because it draws my eye to the barn. Beautiful image!

[tbob]

Thanks John, Jeff and Barry. I have a closer shot with the barn more prominent and will revisit that one as well. It is the one that started this whole discussion

C'est la vie; or c'est la view

[tbob]

I voted to keep the window, likely because it draws my eye to the barn. Beautiful image!

Thanks Christina Both for the vote and for the compliment. As you are female; does your vote count as three like it does in my household?

[flashback]

You have this wonderful landscape of abandonment, isolation and big sky with great warm colors. That to me is what draws the viewer into the image. That white rectangle becomes the focus of the image and to no great purpose. I voted to remove it.
Also, viewing it in lightbox really shows off this image. I might suggest cropping about 2/3's off of the bottom. There appears to be a V, or chevron of shadow or a path (?) in the immediate foreground that draws my eye out of the image. Great pic though.

P.s. and maybe adjust the horizon a bit, it appears to tilt down on the left

[Brownbear]

I adore the idea of my vote counting as 3, simply because I'm female... with or without the thing in the window the image is beautiful.

Thanks Christina Both for the vote and for the compliment. As you are female; does your vote count as three like it does in my household?

[tbob]

You have this wonderful landscape of abandonment, isolation and big sky with great warm colors. That to me is what draws the viewer into the image. That white rectangle becomes the focus of the image and to no great purpose. I voted to remove it.
Also, viewing it in lightbox really shows off this image. I might suggest cropping about 2/3's off of the bottom. There appears to be a V, or chevron of shadow or a path (?) in the immediate foreground that draws my eye out of the image. Great pic though.

P.s. and maybe adjust the horizon a bit, it appears to tilt down on the left

I did adjust the tilt a bit after posting this. In the heat of the moment, during our discussion, I did not completely finish the processing before posting. Too rushed

The chevron, and the crop are definite possibilities for amendment. i will try the amendments

[Manfred M]

Trevor - let me take the middle road here. I do find the window draws my attention too much, but without it the image loses a bit of its spark. I would be tempted to just tone it down a bit, so that you don't have it screaming out quite as much, yet not leaving a black hole with no life if you clone it out.

[chauncey]

A couple things to consider...if you're a SOOTC kinda guy, leave it, but it does pull the eye.
But I gotta ask...why is the window even there as there isn't a matching one on opposite side.

Listen to the wifey person and dump it.

[tbob]

Trevor - let me take the middle road here. I do find the window draws my attention too much, but without it the image loses a bit of its spark. I would be tempted to just tone it down a bit, so that you don't have it screaming out quite as much, yet not leaving a black hole with no life if you clone it out.

Paul and you are in agreement here about the toning down. It may very well be the way the image has to go. I really don't like the black hole aspect of cloning it out and it is too attention grabbing as is. Compromise; the story of my life.

[tbob]

But I gotta ask...why is the window even there as there isn't a matching one on opposite side.

I really don't know. It is a port for getting things in and out of the barn. I have seen literally hundreds of old barns and this is the first one I have seen with this particular structure. It is slightly too small for a human to comfortably climb through and larger than the more common small port to stick a grain auger in and fill an interior granary. Farmers are famous for their creativity and amendment of objects to suite their particular needs.

If pushed, I suspect it is a port to get a grain auger in. A guess only though. I may have to get inside and check if there is a granary inside under the window. My interest is piqued.

[Black Pearl]

I'd keep it, its meant to be there and while I don't mind a bit of artistic licence from time to time theres no real reason to remove it.