RichieC Loc: Adirondacks

ON the way to work.... -6°f (-21c) below zero, on my knees in the snow in dress work clothes, tripod on shortest setting. ... waiting for sunrise to hit- and still get to work on time LOL. D800e, Zeiss Distagon 25mm, ISO100, f11, 1/125. And this is "just" the low res jpeg version. I'll pump up the sun patches hitting the snow a bit, burn in the clouds and sky when I get home in lightroom.

I have titled it "Laying Down to Rest"

I see this too often in upstate NY, much too often, as the government has seen fit to put small dairy farmers out of business in the North East- first by setting the price of milk way out in the midwest- where farms are plenty and people not, making the price artificially low, then by a program called the "whole herd buyout"- which many farmers used to cash in their chips- leaving their mows full of hay and barns no longer heated by animal heat, left to heave and rot in the cold and wet . Meanwhile, NY now imports milk and free stall farms that are disgusting and borderline cruelty to animals, produce our milk and meat. Some cows never get to put their feet on grass... ever ( The happy cows of California come to mind- what a joke that is). I find it profoundly sad to see a structure that could have stood for 100 more years or even more , simply crumble- never to see their like again. There you go- the story behind.

A month ago, this barn was proud.

Have at it- don't be shy- show me.. I may not agree, but we all learn.

Laying Down to Rest ©

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Bob Yankle Loc: Burlington, NC

This is the most aptly titled Topic I have seen to date. It is well photographed, sharp, and with good color balance throughout. If it were mine, though, I would crop out a good portion of the snow (and weeds) in the foreground, and do whatever it takes to get rid of the cast-off tires under the tree to the left, and the power line just above the horizon on the right.

Danilo Loc: Las Vegas

I'll make the counterpoint:
I think the foreground "sets the stage" for the subject in this photo...creates the atmosphere. I like to feeling of c-c-cold the blue tones provide. There's very little about this photo I would change...perhaps if there were a good way to raise the horizon line a little, but that's almost getting too picky.
I give it... :thumbup: :thumbup:

Nightski

Nicely composed. The old tree adds to the story of the old barn. The morning sun playing on the end still standing and then across the snow is nice. Well worth the wait in your dress slacks. You have so much great detail. I think the tones in the barn wood could be brought out a little more. May be crop a 1/2" off the bottom. I don't know… it is nice that the foreground weed has room, but it would bring the horizon down a bit.

RichieC Loc: Adirondacks

Thanks all, I wish I had the time to wait just a bit longer... like Ansel would have LOL. AS it was I sat there idling to keep warn for 25 minutes..then climbed the fence and foot zoomed in. Nobody lives there, but I see furnace smoke out of the chimney- just no footprints.

There has been much discussion on not messing with an image, I an NOT of that school. I have the original- you can't get to that copy LOL- feel free.

I think the wire should come off, it leads one off frame, and without it, it will increase the isolation. But the tires & Old overgrown apple tree, and the warped hay wagon and the bleak foreground is helping tell the story IMHO. That was my intent when kneeling...but I will see... However, once again, I am open to all things.

AS I mentioned, I will adjust the splotches of sunshine in light room at home using the NEF- can't even open D800 NEF's here- too new!

Bob Yankle Loc: Burlington, NC

Cropped some of the snow off the bottom and a bit of the right side. Got rid of the wire and the old tires. Played with light balance to highlight the morning sun, upped the structure throughout.

Variant on Laying Down to Rest

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JohnnyT789 Loc: Conyers,Georgia

I think the old tires helps show the decline of this property so I left them in. I cropped some from the left side and the bottom also tried removing the wires. Then ran it thru color efex4s contrast filter.

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