Almost There

[Rainforest]

I shot this old school house or grange hall today... I would love to hear your PP comments and suggestions.

I tried some further adjustments this morning - I think they helped.
#2 is today

2.

1.

[Shadowman]

Hi Susan,

I like the pattern from the missing door frame but would prefer a bit more detail in the shadows even if there isn't much to see. Also, the exterior walls look a bit dull, perhaps this was your intent but the darks are very dull and not enough light spots to hold my attention.

[Rainforest]

Thanks John, I know it needs something! - it was so washed out and I want to keep that feeling to some degree and yet more pop would be nice... just not sure how to get there without going overboard with the clarity. I may have to go back and reshoot at another time of day. Thanks again.

[Wavelength]

I very much liked this treatment...yet i feel it would be more captivating to keep the away from centre

[Rainforest]

I very much liked this treatment...yet i feel it would be more captivating to keep the away from centre

I will think about that Nandakumar - I really worked this shot and this worked out best this time. It is a very small building and as you can see it was mid day. I'm looking forward to going back in different light when I can maneuver a bit more and will keep your thoughts in mind. :-) Thank you.

[IzzieK]

Just curious...but do you always have to shoot aperture priority? I think I understand what Nandy meant about the missing central door in the location...

[Jim A]

Some shots do suit centre setting, Susan, but I do no think this is one of them. I would crop off from the left so as to keep the yellow flower in the image. Also a crop off the top, about 50%, so as to leave in the missing panel. Then I would use a feathered vignette, but reasonably strong (usually I say "subtle", but not here). You could end up with a strongish image.

[Rainforest]

Just curious...but do you always have to shoot aperture priority? I think I understand what Nandy meant about the missing central door in the location...

Hi Izzie, I don't always shoot in Aperture priority but use it a lot. I'm curious why you ask? :-)

[Rainforest]

Some shots do suit centre setting, Susan, but I do no think this is one of them. I would crop off from the left so as to keep the yellow flower in the image. Also a crop off the top, about 50%, so as to leave in the missing panel. Then I would use a feathered vignette, but reasonably strong (usually I say "subtle", but not here). You could end up with a strongish image.

Hi Jim, Thanks for taking a look and commenting. I tried everything but dead center and then felt well perhaps this is OK here. I'm now getting excited to go back here and reshoot with plenty of new ideas.
I appreciate your thoughts. :-)

[AlwaysOnAuto]

I like #2 better than #1.
I also like the way there is a frame work around the door that looks like it was also framed like another roof line.

[IzzieK]

Hi Izzie, I don't always shoot in Aperture priority but use it a lot. I'm curious why you ask? :-)

Because I do not know when to use Aperture Priority. In air shows, I use Shutter Priority and that was about it. And that is only once a year...or two...Most of the time I shoot Manual because it is what I was used to in the old film days. Now I feel old saying that!!!! Last time we went to the circus and lose many shots because I was trying to use Aperture Priority and/or Shutter Priority and realized I didn't bring extra batteries. I can't make heads nor tails of it, so I reverted to Manual and my camera worked! I felt dumb afterwards. Well, at least I had half an hour of shoot then before I finally run out of juice. Hubby wanted to go back home but I made do with what I had and went home.

[pnodrog]

What a great building. I find the vegetation a distraction. There is much going on with the textures and shapes of the building that I would be interested in seeing a photograph without any vegetation at all. If you feel you need a minor point of interest you could try having something like a rusty rake or an old sack/broom etc leaning or hanging near the door. Certainly worth a revisit.

[Rainforest]

What a great building. I find the vegetation a distraction. There is much going on with the textures and shapes of the building that I would be interested in seeing a photograph without any vegetation at all. If you feel you need a minor point of interest you could try having something like a rusty rake or an old sack/broom etc leaning or hanging near the door. Certainly worth a revisit.

What a good idea Paul - I have plenty of old tools. I'm not sure I can get around the vegetation however and I actually like the overgrown story it tells too. I would have preferred a bit more but the rest was in really harsh sunlight. Thanks much for your comments and idea.

[Rainforest]

I like #2 better than #1.
I also like the way there is a frame work around the door that looks like it was also framed like another roof line.

Thanks Alan for taking a peek.

[Rainforest]

Because I do not know when to use Aperture Priority. In air shows, I use Shutter Priority and that was about it. And that is only once a year...or two...Most of the time I shoot Manual because it is what I was used to in the old film days. Now I feel old saying that!!!! Last time we went to the circus and lose many shots because I was trying to use Aperture Priority and/or Shutter Priority and realized I didn't bring extra batteries. I can't make heads nor tails of it, so I reverted to Manual and my camera worked! I felt dumb afterwards. Well, at least I had half an hour of shoot then before I finally run out of juice. Hubby wanted to go back home but I made do with what I had and went home.

The old saying is it all depends on what you are shooting and your vision. I would add that getting your dials set up the way you like is key - then it's just a flick to change your DOF in A mode or shutter speed in S. In A mode you set the aperture, in S mode you set the shutter speed, in P mode Aperture and shutter are set automatically. Try shooting in one mode for a whole week and see how it feels
I went on a foray once without a battery in my camera - haven't done that since and always! take two now.

[IzzieK]

My Dear Susan...
I have been there about shooting A mode for a week. Every now and then I go out shooting with one lens for a week, for a month too, get to know my camera. I know my camera in and out but bugger if I know if I will ever learn how to know WHEN to shoot in Aperture Priority. I know what it can do and it is very enticing to be able to use it the way the instructions says what it does. But my brain is manual and very old school, my coconut just doesn't want to sync with the instructions. I always revert to manual when I get frustrated because of time constraint and found out later on I have juice constraint too, so too late to experiment at the time.

As for batteries, I have 5 of them, 6 or 7 I think if I find all of them in my little studio across my den here. But at the time I put out 4 and put it in a ziplock bag, Everything around here are that can fit in ziplock bags goes in ziplock bags ready to pick up at a moment's notice if I have an opportunity to shoot. I picked up the wrong bag at the time because I was in a hurry that morning we went to the botanical garden for the Chinese Cultural Event. I should had the whole backpack ready the night before just as I always have it before any shoot.

Thank you so much for your response. I appreciate it very much.

[Rainforest]

Wish my coconut worked as fast in manual. ;-) Isn't this a great hobby - the learning curve is endless.. I certainly hope my email wasn't insulting. Anyway, the ziplocks are an awesome tip - can't believe I haven't hit on that before. Thanks! and best to you Izzie, Susan

[IzzieK]

Wish my coconut worked as fast in manual. ;-) Isn't this a great hobby - the learning curve is endless.. I certainly hope my email wasn't insulting. Anyway, the ziplocks are an awesome tip - can't believe I haven't hit on that before. Thanks! and best to you Izzie, Susan

Oh no! I've had worst and I love harsher critiques because that is how I learn even if I do not like re-editing, have to do it because I have the means. Sometimes time is the constraint, but I might have some this week IF it rains again...have to amuse myself somehow and re-editing is the pain. LOL I have not done much photography because of our failed trip to Reno from Missouri where everything just went wrong. I just lost that inspiration. Now I am re-starting all over again, I need the reminders. Thanks. It's not a perfect world. I call myself professional amateur when it comes to photography because there is so much to learn while you forget some. What do we call that? -- focus. Need to focus. Or maybe I am just old. Period.