Many years ago Ms. Lucy Nolan told me that I was welcome to photograph her barn at any time, so long as I did not use the image in a “beer commercial.” I have kept my word, and I have photographed Ms. Lucy’s barn in every season and under almost every imaginable condition. To me it represents the quintessential mountain farmstead; an icon of something I hope will never disappear, but whose numbers seem to diminish with each passing year. When it snows in the lovely, but narrow, valley of Fines Creek and the ground is covered in white, along with the bare winter trees and grass stems, there is offered up a stark contrast with the still bright red framing of the structure, sitting just off the creek and near the base of a low ridge where the Nolan farm has nestled for many years. It was snowing fairly hard as I stood with an umbrella in one hand and adjusted settings with the other. I chose a focal length of 78mm, short telephoto, to give me the angle-of-view and slight magnification I wanted, which provided both context and some small enlargement of the subject. A shutter speed of 1/8th second was enough to slow some of the motion in the snow without causing more blur than I wanted. Another stop slower would have been too much blur I decided; and an aperture of f/16 at ISO 100, it gave me depth-of-field and the shutter speed I wanted with an overall exposure of somewhat lighter-than-medium. A time gone by, but never forgotten.
Love this one! The overall mood is refreshing, the curved lines in the hills are complimented by the fence plus the fence adds contrast, a frame and an invitation to venture further. The red barn is perfect. Camera placement, lens choice… perfection! Thanks for finding such beautiful locations, then sharing the images and how you captured them!
Beautiful Don! I love the lines and the quiet, peaceful mood the image conveys.
Beautiful! I feel as though I am going to the road leading to the fence outside the barn. The lines of the fences, the silo by the barn, and the snow – covered hills together make it feel as though I am there. It is a peaceful scene. Thanks for sharing.
It is interesting how many people notice the lines in this one. Even though the snow has lowered the contrast, creating a soft, ethereal feeling the lines are what keeps in the frame. They make a bracket that allows you to fasten the umbrella to your tripod. It is a good idea until the wind blows and shakes your tripod! I am looking forward to some more snow images from your part of the world.
Now I know why I’ve missed snow in New England! The countryside just doesn’t look the same without it. Thanks for sharing this!