Ideas Needed - This is not quite right.

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I stopped this weekend to shoot an old abandoned farm house. This old house has probably sat empty since the '30s 0r '40s. At one time there was a fence arounf the house property. Now all that remains is the old gate - the fence is long gone. I found it interesting that the chain that forms the latch was still secured.

I believe there is some potential for a powerful image - there is a stark and lonely despair about the place and I didn't quite capture it. Should I come back when there is more contrast to the scene? Frame it differently? Or just skip it - it's just an old gate. What do you think?

gate_to_nowhere_1_small.jpg
 
I played a little with the composition & contrast, see below. Problem is the light is very flat. Maybe do something in the evening or early morning ? Might be a good location for portraits, too.
 
I'm certainly not qualified to say if there's anything wrong with it, but it's the sort of subject that I too would go for.
Closer and lower, getting it to occupy part of the sky, from a lower viewpoint. A dramatic sky, maybe late in the day with some fairly hard light on it.....
Just my ideas......

Dave
 
I'd suggest a wider lens if you have one, show how alone the gate is in this big, empty expanse of barren land. Closer with a wider lens, if possible.
 
Just some ideas. Try it in color. Try it towards the end of the day or in the morning on a sunny day. Try to use a shallower depth of field. Move the horizon line away from the top of the door. Try a vertical shot. Try to move the door away from the center of the frame.
 
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Thanks for the feedback. It's interesting, this picture was taken in late evening; it's just that it was very overcast and flat light. I only had a 50mm lens. I was unable to back up any more due to clutter and obstructions.

I will go back with some other lens options when the light is more favorable. I'm just glad someone else thinks there is a good image waiting to happen.
 
I second the suggestion to revisit the subject in better light. For me, this kind of photography especially is really all about the light; good light will make a mediocre subject into a great photo. "Bad" light can turn a photo of an amazing subject into an uninteresting picture.

With so much sky visible I might try to wait until after a storm when there are clouds breaking up to shoot this subject. Early or late day light when the sun is low in the sky will also produce nicer light that can add a lot to this subject, both visually and psychologically.

Finally, consider getting a little closer to your subject. Move around it, check it out from all angles. Perhaps consider a wider or longer lens, but I'd caution you against choosing a focal length just for the wow factor it could provide. I'll bet in the end the best shot will come from the relatively normal lens you used for the shot above. I look forward to seeing what you come up with from this subject; I'd also like to see some more shots of the property- the house you mention and it's surroundings sound interesting, and the one shot you've shown us so far has real potential. Keep us posted!
 
This was another image from the property. Again, I was constrained by a lack of room. I couldn't get more into the shot with the lens I had. I liked the tones in this one better.

p441173686-4.jpg
 
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Lots of good suggestions above. The only thing I would add is since you were impressed enough by the chain on the gate, why not make sure it is prominent? That may be what you are missing about the photo.
 
I kind of disagree with the wider closer opinion. I want to see the gate in relation to the farmhouse with no fence. To me what is interesting is that the gate still stands even though the fence is long gone. That it still stands alone as the portal to the farmhouse. There's a lot of potential for arousing emotions in that little storyline. It could get cliche, but that's the challenge. There's opportunity for showing humor and pathos and sentimentality. I think color would work better and maybe try for low directional sunset or sunrise-colored light towards the gate and the farmhouse.

good idea for a thread.



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I took this image of the house a while back. I have been thinking for a while how to best tell this story with images. I am begining to think I will have to have a series of images presented together.

p813116189-4.jpg
 
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I do not have any additional suggestions but did want to express my appreciation for this thread. Nice to see such a dialogue.

-Randy
 
A very interesting gate indeed. I love to shoot stuff like this as well; things that are being re-claimed by the landscape. For my money, I would try some shots with a wide angle lens close up to the gate; form the perspective of going through it or about to un-latch it, trying to catch that feel but also to show that there is nothing around it. Everything that the gate "protected" is now gone. Just my 2 cents. Please make sure to post your further attempts with this subject.
 
A series of images of the house sounds the way to go to me. As for the gate, as RayPA said it may be good to shoot from other side of the gate to show its relationship with the house. Wide angle may work well , I think, and give a sense of the house in the landscape while making a dramatic point with the gate. I would have a play.. maybe a long lens from further away would help isolate the gate from the house behind ? maybe try both ?

Hope this helps

Chris
 
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Can't comment really what could be improved, but sure that subject is worth exploring. My take would be wide angle lens because there isn't anything really making background...but I agree lightning complicates emphasizing fence.

I've met similar subject, but didn't succeed even having better conditions.

Climb it by mm35exp36, on Flickr
 
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