Critique And Opinions Please

Hi Rebecca - Since it's Texas - I would love to see an old time Sepia effect. Borders burned out / Lomo - rather like the old Wanted posters. I think it would be rather befitting considering how quickly we are losing our small town history.

Hi Rebecca, I love these old buildings! This is a beauty with the sign still intact! I don't know much about photography but the pole on the left distracts me...I would clone it out.

PS - I think I should have made it clear that this building is in upstate South Carolina - not Texas!
Misleading name, isn't it!

Rebecca

Val, is it the pole, or the old light fixture protruding out to the right? That used to be over the gas pumps. Doesn't mean it has to stay.

Rebecca

Good catch. Due to circumstances I've missed buildings like this only to have them gone the next time I was near.

The beauty of buildings like this is in the details. overall the lighting is a bit flat. I'm not sure what you use to process or if you shoot in RAW or now, but in Lightroom I can apply an HDR type effect, not to make it garish, but to make look grungier and bring out the detail. You could also try a split tone look, which usually requires a bit of experimentation. Personally I like the pole, it adds to the decrepitness of the scene.

I like the pole. I wonder if the bit of road surface on the left could go. Would you consider darkening the background to isolate the building more - or perhaps just increasing the contrast a little. You have captured a really atmospheric scene.

Oh I like the pole and the light ...just not there.

Thanks for all the input! Chuck, I did shoot in raw, and in the process I added texture filters, but I don't think it is saying what I want it to say, so that's why I'm asking for suggestions. There are several older buildings in this area of SC which are close to falling down and I would like to document them, as I am able. I like the HDR idea, just enough as you said.

Barbara, darkening the background may also help, or as you say, increasing the contrast.

Great suggestions!

Rebecca

the lighting and angle makes it a snap shot. its hard to say what to do because there is little color in there. i guess make it a black and white. if there were fall trees i'd add that. but as a whole it's not that interesting. i'd probably use it for textures, and probably only the windows. can you get a shot of the inside through the window?

---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

First, count me on the side of the pole! I'm not a huge fan of cloning things out that were there in the shot. The flatness of the shot does not bother me, though it may could use a boost in contrast. What one person may call a snap shot, someone else may think of it as documenting what was there is a relatively straight forward photojournalistic manner. When this building is gone, someone will find it on the web and wish they had taken their own shot. They may decide to buy yours since they can't go out and get it themself anymore.

I agree with sepia or B&W to add some interest. I probably would have shot the pole. ;)

A new gallery perhaps? It will be fun to see what you do. Sorry I picked on the pole. I see a lot of these buildings driving around. I always wonder why? Sounds like a fun project...in good weather :)

OK, how's this looking?

i still feel the same. its like adding make up to a corpse, increasing colors and contrast won't improve it much.


---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

quote - "but I don't think it is saying what I want it to say"
We often try to convey a "feel" or emotional connection to the subject through our photography. If you haven't an emotional connection (yet) to the subject, then maybe
spend more time with it (if possible to revisit).

Because you stated the above remark I presume you do have some amount of "personal" connection. You have all the technical skills to make this "speak" to your soul.

When I'm "stuck" I will make dozens of variations and look at them all together as small thumbnails and one will stand out right away.

As photographers we have to slow down sometimes before "clicking" that shutter. Spend quality time with our subjects "looking" at - "seeing" it's story. Then using your
camera to capture an image (sometimes hundreds) that best Reflects/replicates your emotional connection.

My first impression:
The light is too flat to evoke emotions (make me feel what you felt when making this image) make me care about this old building's predicament.
....if possible, reshoot it early am or eveningtime with long shadows and include the weather/atmosphere
- try using a wide angle up very close to "allow" the viewer a look at the building's own "texture".
- play with the natural light using your chosen camera angles or maybe filters.
- I realize that a lot can be done in post with digital filters / textures and even post HDR ....but nothing (IMHO) will "fix" a weak composition.

The first thing I do when approaching this type of subject is spend time walking around it (when possible) for several minutes or even hours BEFORE setting up the tripod.
I want an "intimate" capture.
I think this lacks intimacy. I don't "feel" much for this old building. Sorry. It has a story to tell but I'm not hearing it.I know it's difficult to tell a story with only one image.
--Ken.

Ken, you have nailed it for me. I stood across the road (the building sits at an intersection of the road in front of it and a main road, so I was actually across 2 roads). Everytime we passed there, I always felt sad for the building. It was an overcast day when I took the photos which did not help. I wanted to express my bittersweet feelings about it, and I see I need to make a deeper acquaintance with it.

There is not a personal connection with this particular building, but it reminds me very much of the country store my grandfather ran in the middle of a tiny village. When he was no longer able to run his business, it was closed up and looked so sad and forlorn. I want to say that about this building. I have not taken many photos of architecture, so thank you for the time you took to put me on the right path. I have no problem expressing my feelings in photos about other things, but this is a new direction.

Thank you!!!!

Rebecca