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Johnsalterego

2014-11-08_17.52.05_(1)

abandoned homestead

abandoned homestead
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Aperture f/8 Shutter 1/250 Focal Length 61/1

upload_date

Nov, 2015

Views

2664

Likes

+497

Awards

Winner in Log building and structures Photo Challenge

People's Choice in Gotta pull over for that Photo Challenge

Peer Award

+117

Superb Composition

+69

Top Choice

+56

Absolute Masterpiece

+45

All Star

+13

Magnificent Capture

Outstanding Creativity

Superior Skill

Genius

Virtuoso

Emotions

Impressed

+11

Relaxed

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Behind The Lens

Location

I found this old homestead in Southeast Colorado, in the Wet Mountains near Fairview and Bishop Castle. One of my favorite things to do while traveling is to just head down old farm roads looking for whatever is off the beaten path...

Time

This photo was taken around 3 in the afternoon on a late fall day. The sun sets pretty early on the eastern side of the Rockies that time of year; it wasn't all that late in the day but the shadows were still beginning to get pretty long.

Lighting

Honestly, I really got lucky with the lighting on this shot - This photo is a few years old, and I've still got a lot to learn; if there's something I'm specifically going for I know to plan for this kind of lighting now, but I didn't back then!

Equipment

This was my first outing with a new Canon 70D, up until then I was using a T4i. The shot wasn't planned, I was just bumming around back roads looking for something interesting and got lucky when I found this old homestead. I didn't have a tripod so I was balancing the camera on the door of my truck, and had a Sigma 'walkabout' 18mm-250mm lens attached.

Inspiration

I love old abandoned buildings, especially homesteads. When traveling I'll always pull over if I see something like this on the side of the road and I think it would make a great shot. If possible I'll plan for extra time in my schedules to allow for lots of impromptu photo-op stops. You never know what you'll find - I've often looked up the history of interesting places once I've returned home, I love discovering the background of interesting places found at random!

Editing

This was one of the first photos I uploaded to ViewBug, and I was just getting started with DSLR's when I shot this. At the time I was still shooting in JPG, I wasn't bracketing shots, and I was using freebie processing software; all that's been done to this one is cropping and color adjustments. I've always felt my work was a bit heavy-handed on this shot, but it's been my most viewed so as much as I'd like to I'm not going to go back and re-do it now!

In my camera bag

When bumming around these days I carry a lot more than I did back when this shot was taken. These days I'll usually have my 70D with a Tamron 16-300mm 'ready for anything' lens attached (I love the speed and low light capability of the 70D, and the versatility the Tamron). I'll also have a 5D MkIII and maybe a T4i with various lens depending on what I'm out looking to shoot; I try and keep the sensors as clean as possible so I don't like changing lenses out in the open, I'll do so only as a last restort.

Feedback

If I was going out looking to take this shot today I'd be sure and shoot in Camera RAW and bracket at least 3 shots with fairly wide EV levels, in order to bring out the details of what was in those darkened doorways and windows. I'm fairly new to HDR, but I'm learning how amazing it is for bringing out details you miss without it. I had to crop a lot of a side building out of this because I didn't have the tools to balance the lighting at the time; bracketing shots and better post processing tools would have made a world of difference on this photo.

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Johnsalterego

Johnsalterego

2014-11-08_17.52.05_(1)

abandoned homestead

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow Johnsalterego

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