Unused and Unloved

[PRSearls]

Here is a local barn that is now the home for rodents, bats and ivy. This is a color IR image with a Glamour Glow filter applied. Suggestions and comments welcome.

Paul S

[FootLoose]

Very nice, Paul. I'm just wondering about the field in the b/g right. That grey colour doesn't feel quite right to me.

[JBW]

Lovely shot. But I see a place used and loved by you and beings of all sorts

[IzzieK]

Just asking...could a regular IR with high key treatment be more desirable in this situation more? Then just put some structure in the clouds. What do you think? My mind is getting a lot of exercise thinking...

[James G]

Hi Paul,
this is an interesting photograph, I love images of derelict buildings. That said, I'm afraid it is too washed out for me. I think that the natural 'drama' available in the scene has been lost. I agree with Izzie, regarding the sky, but I also would go a bit further.
The barn has lost much what was probably a dark and neglected look, and developing the contrast available in the clouds could have added atmosphere, complementing the general air of neglect .

I do think the image has lots of potential, particularly using IR, but I would have been looking to bring out the textures and tones of the barn itself along with the the drama of those clouds.

[bnnrcn]

I like the painterly look of the image, just a bit more structure on the clouds might help

[PRSearls]

Thank you all for your suggestions for improvement and comments. I've reworked the image into B&W with these in mind. Is this better? I am not trying to get a grunge look. I want it to look reasonably realistic. I have other views of this barn I may post later. It's a nice B&W subject if you like old agricultural scenes. Sadly, there are not many old barns like this remaining around here. They've been torn down or collapsed.

[James G]

Paul, I think this works much better. The textures of the clouds, the barn roof, foliage, even the plowed field all combine to show the dereliction. I know you want to avoid a grungy look, I'm not keen on it myself, but you could take this a bit further if you wanted, without overcooking it!
And I do agree about the loss of 'good' derelict buildings... over here in the UK they seem to be disappearing rapidly

[IzzieK]

This is what I am looking for...with the onset of civilization, the old farms and farmhouses and barns are slowly disappearing...someday they will only be a memory to be seen in pictures.

[bnnrcn]

B&W works better for me Paul

[wrench]

I like the B&W image better. Both images seem really bright to me, but maybe I just prefer a darker look. I really love the detail of the barn roof in the B&W conversion and the texture in the image overall really appeals to me.

There are some derelict mining ruins here in Utah and I think your pictures have inspired me to go explore some of those this weekend!

Edit: Actually, the more I look at the B&W, I wouldn't change a thing. I do prefer a darker look to my images, but I think that would ruin this one.

[PRSearls]

Thank you for the comments. I'm beginning to prefer B&W over color IR although the conversion (by LifePixel) I purchased does both. I've done little B&W in the digital age. Most of my B&W experience occurred back in the 1970's when I was shooting with a Linhof and 4x5 sheet film. Ansel Adams was my photographic hero and got me interested in landscape photography. Photoshop is lots easier than wet processing in a darkroom. I think Ansel would have loved PS for all the control it gives.

[mugge]

Paul, I prefer B&W. In this case I do think colour works. I especially like the washed out colours, and the very understated clouds works for me. Quite often we want to create strong images for some reasons with clearly differentiated aspects hence the second version. I have seen that before. The first version is different. Just my two cents worth.
Cheers Ole