On the Oregon Trail

[JETA]

These barns were built by emigrants who came in on the Oregon Trail nestled in the Blue Mountains.

[Greg McCary]

Nice work on the both. One of my favorite subjects. Print them up.

[OmahaAdam]

between the two I like the first much more. It just makes me want to jump right in the photo and explore the hills.

The second one though doesn't work as well, IMO. It took me a bit of staring it down to figure out that *thing* that didn't quite grab me. The foreground is nice and the barn is a great subject. However the ship mast looking item, while interesting in itself, is a bit distracting and the mountains in the distance are in focus enough to be more than just the background but they're cut off by the barn.

Adam

[Herriot]

Great results on both although it might have been an idea to post them separately for full effect.

Love the composition of the first and the colours and textures really stand out.

[Frog]

No critique but that first shot shows what some maintenance will do to make a building last.

[Addies Granddaddy]

Julie, nice composition in the top one. It should stand on it's own. A real winner.
John

[gahspidy]

I love these subjects as well. I think these are both very good, with my fav being the second. I like the perspective and angle of the barn and the color treatment is effective.
I was not sure about the inclusion of the sliver of sky in the first but I think you did right by leaving it in.

[JETA]

Great results on both although it might have been an idea to post them separately for full effect.

Love the composition of the first and the colours and textures really stand out.

Thank you. I will do them separately next time.

[JETA]

between the two I like the first much more. It just makes me want to jump right in the photo and explore the hills.

The second one though doesn't work as well, IMO. It took me a bit of staring it down to figure out that *thing* that didn't quite grab me. The foreground is nice and the barn is a great subject. However the ship mast looking item, while interesting in itself, is a bit distracting and the mountains in the distance are in focus enough to be more than just the background but they're cut off by the barn.

Adam

So you think a wider aperture? The thing to the left is a piece of farm equipment. Maybe I should clone it out.

[Liz]

Both of these shots look good to me. The first one is excellent just as it is IMO. The composition is good, colors are excellent and it's a hanger!

I like the 2nd shot and what you did with it. The only critique I would give is that I think it's just a little too close - and (as you mentioned) a wider angle might work better. I would like to see more background as well as foreground. It's a very nice subject - and a good shot that could be better.

Good work - which lens did you use?

Liz

[JETA]

Both of these shots look good to me. The first one is excellent just as it is IMO. The composition is good, colors are excellent and it's a hanger!

I like the 2nd shot and what you did with it. The only critique I would give is that I think it's just a little too close - and (as you mentioned) a wider angle might work better. I would like to see more background as well as foreground. It's a very nice subject - and a good shot that could be better.

Good work - which lens did you use?

Liz

Thanks Liz! I'm going to look through my shots, because I think I do have one that has more background.

That's your lens! I just love it!

[readingr]

Julie,

I really like both pics but the treatment you gave the second one makes it stand out for me. I agree that it is a little close but it still works for me. However, if that is a ships mast then I'd be worried if I was the skipper of the boat. I also like the patch work on the roof.

One more thing - it looks as if there could be a touch more detail in the sky which you may want to consider pulling out if you want to.

Roger

[Wild Wassa]

"So you think a wider aperture? The thing to the left is a piece of farm equipment. Maybe I should clone it out."

That's a shame. I thought that it was a lake waterfront, fallen on hard times, like so many traditional waterfronts. On the left it looks like a boat, with the mast, the shrouds and the spreaders. I wondered if the boat(?), was aground because she was abandoned. The lake may have receeded or the industry that supported the vessel was no longer viable. That is what waterfront life is like now, for so many. Your photograph has allowed a huge room for imagination.

I think the mast(?) is like the fence posts in their similar orientation. The diagonals conflict perfectly with the parallels which are repetitious and form the main elements of the overall design. The shingles look radical ... 'repetition with variation', is always a strong play in design.

It was good to have seen the second photograph as it is. It is beautifully executed, congratulations. The lighting couldn't be more sympathetic to your subject. The size of the objects is in perfect proportion to each other and the way the darker elements stand off the background, gives the image real depth.

Also, your selection of a toned image actually works rather than looking a bit twee, like toned images so often do.

A wonderful image, thanks for posting it.

Warren.

[OmahaAdam]

So you think a wider aperture? The thing to the left is a piece of farm equipment. Maybe I should clone it out.

Opening up the aperture would sure put the mountainside in the land of bokeh, but you could also try shifting your feet to the left and balance the mountain on the left with the barn on the right.

[JETA]

Opening up the aperture would sure put the mountainside in the land of bokeh, but you could also try shifting your feet to the left and balance the mountain on the left with the barn on the right.

OK. Thanks. I'll be back in the area in August with more time on my hands to shoot. I think I threw myself off because I had it set in my head to do landscapes and kept my aperture small.

[MB1]

The color works for me bigtime. Red and green really work well together and you have a perfect amount of sky in the frame.

The second image seems cluttered what with that mast looking thing and the in focus hills in the background being cut up by the barn. Plus the sky is really nasty/washed out looking.

The color image is money!