Hidden Mill

[Chunk]

I'd like to get your opinions of this shot. It's the full frame that I shot. Do you like it all, having the tree in front of the mill? I think it would be improved by a crop. What would you suggest in that way? Feel free to make changes. Thanks.

[mattp]

Personally I'm finding there's just too much going on with the branches to let me settle on the mill as a focal point, its just too well camoflaged.

At the moment this photo looks to me like something that has been brought back from location scouting for a film, as if its just been put on the table and someone has said "This is the creepy mill where the kids'll end up after the car breaks down, we'll first see it from here, and then slow zoom through the tree in to the top window where we'll see the axe being methodically sharpened by the crazy woman..."

[Overbeyond]

I'd like to get your opinions of this shot. It's the full frame that I shot. Do you like it all, having the tree in front of the mill? I think it would be improved by a crop. What would you suggest in that way? Feel free to make changes. Thanks.

This is the shot to take if there were no more opportunities available. It does'nt really work for me.
But you did get a great one as well, which I saw on another thread.
Tom

[gahspidy]

To tell you, I find appeal with this, and I have tried lots of crops but they take away from more than they enhance. It is busy with all the branches going on through the image but still, I like the feel of this and the lighting. I did try converting to b&w and find I like it better that way as it really brings attention and interest to the dark trunks coming out of the ground.

[Chunk]

To tell you, I find appeal with this, and I have tried lots of crops but they take away from more than they enhance. It is busy with all the branches going on through the image but still, I like the feel of this and the lighting. I did try converting to b&w and find I like it better that way as it really brings attention and interest to the dark trunks coming out of the ground.

Thanks mattp and Overbeyond for your opinions and time. I know the other views are better for a picture of the mill but I guess what I was trying to get was more the mill's environs rather than having the mill as the subject.

Gary, you hit the mark with your b&w suggestion. I hadn't considered that and it works pretty well. I did this one with 50% red and 50%green in the channel mixer method and thought that the green channel of a split to RGB was good too. Any crops I try seem to result in the mill becoming the subject again.

[Todd Patten]

No. No. No! Just my opinion but BW is all wrong for this image! If you thought it was camo'd before, when you go BW it's almost hidden.

This is a nice image that could use a little more golden tone on the shack to make it stand out from the browns of the tree. Admittedly, there is a lot going on, but I think all it needs is more golden sunlight. Well, and maybe a more "widescreen" aspect ratio.

[gahspidy]

Yes, good job. I like it. Funny thing is when try cropping it, like you said, the mill becomes more THE subject and then the branches in front become more distracting. But as it is, it's about the mill behind the scene in a sort of hidden way as your title suggests.

[Chunk]

Admittedly, there is a lot going on, but I think all it needs is more golden sunlight. Well, and maybe a more "widescreen" aspect ratio.

Thanks Todd. Something like this, then? I agree that does a nice job of highlighting the mill. I'm glad I posted this shot - i almost didn't.

[Todd Patten]

Yeah. Not bad. I think it may have been cool if you had captured that shot at that "special moment" when the sun breaks through the clouds and shines in an area, or when the sun is just above the horizon.

I also can't help but to wonder what it would be like if you did a slight g-blur on the outer 1/3 of the image. For me, this image is about mystery and nostalgia. It may enhance the "mood". Shoot, sepia may do that too.

I wouldn't give up on this one at all.