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sskyrm

Abandoned Schoolhouse

A schoolhouse in the countryside covered with graffiti

A schoolhouse in the countryside covered with graffiti
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Canon EOS 7D Mark II

settings

Aperture 28/10 ISO 3200 Shutter 15/1 Focal Length 11/1

upload_date

Oct, 2016

Views

896

Likes

+84

Awards

Contest Finalist in The Moon Photo Contest

Peer Award

+18

Superb Composition

Absolute Masterpiece

Top Choice

Outstanding Creativity

All Star

Superior Skill

Emotions

Impressed

Top Ranks

Top 10 rank

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Top 10 rank week 1

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Behind The Lens

Location

This photo was taken in the South Dakota countryside. There was a road to the side of the abandoned schoolhouse.

Time

Taken at night, probably around 9:00 pm.

Lighting

The lighting here was serendipitous. I was doing a long exposure and as the camera shutter opened, a car went by on the road behind me, lighting up the side of the building.

Equipment

I used my Canon Eos D7 Mark II, a tripod, and a Tokina 11-16mm wide angle lens.

Inspiration

I was hoping for some Milky Way effects, but it wasn't in the right position over the schoolhouse. I had seen the schoolhouse during the day and was intrigued with all the graffiti on the walls.

Editing

Yes, and this is actually a composite photo. Since I wasn't able to get the Milky Way above the schoolhouse, I added the full moon taken from another shot of the sky. I also took out some of the lights that appeared from nearby farmhouses.

In my camera bag

Always have my Canon D7 Mark II and two zoom lenses (55-250mm and 18-55mm). Even though these are kit lenses, they are great all-purpose lenses for just about any situation. It helps to plan ahead and know what you are going to shoot in order to have the right lens at hand. In the case of this photo, I knew that I would be photographing the building at close range, so I took the Tokina super wide angle lens. It is also the best for shooting night skies, the moon, and the Milky Way. I have macro lenses as well, but don't always take them out: depends on what I'm shooting. A tripod is indispensable and I keep one in my car for photoexpeditions into the countryside.

Feedback

Find a subject that has some mystery, like an abandoned building or a dramatic tree. It helps to scout out your subject during the daytime, so you can look at all the angles and perspectives, find the right position for your camera, and get the focus set. Have an image in mind: I imagined this with the Milky Way, but when that didn't work out, the moon worked just as well, if not better, because of the dramatic lighting from the oncoming car headlights. Experiment with exposure time until you have the effect that you want. With digital photography we can take many shots and choose the best one later!

See more amazing photos, follow sskyrm

sskyrm

sskyrm

Abandoned Schoolhouse

A schoolhouse in the countryside covered with graffiti

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow sskyrm

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