Feature Photo
The Story Behind the Photo
Abandoned farmstead, Bruce Peninsula, Ontario
December 30, 2005This old farmhouse is located near my place and I often stop for a photo or two if the light is right when I'm driving by. I've got a handful of nice shots in different conditions, including some with cows standing next to the abandoned house. But my favorite shot so far came the other day - during cold, blustery conditions which so few photographers take advantage of. The house and tree stood in stark contrast to the snowy ground and overcast sky. To me, the scene evoked feelings of isolation and nostalgia. It was a perfect candidate for a black & white photo.
I spent quite a bit of time walking around on the road - looking for the right angle to best isolate the building and tree against the sky, and also to balance the two in a strong composition. Once I found the ideal spot, I locked down my tripod and bracketed a few shots. It's a contrasty scene, so I chose an exposure that would leave some detail in the house, but still keep the snow and sky white.
Back at home, after downloaded the images and picking out the best exposure, I converted it to black & white (grayscale). To my pleasant surprise, the photo turned out better than I'd envisioned. It's the last photo I made in 2005, and it makes me nostalgic to look at it, and think back about a great year of photography!
Happy shooting!
Technicals:
Canon EOS 1DS mark 2, EF 70-200f2.8 IS (at 115mm); ISO 200;
Exposure: 1/125s @ f/20
Cable Release and Mirror Lock-Up
RAW file capture, converted with BreezeBrowser Pro, then changed to black & white in Photoshop.
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