Pandemics can be downright inconvenient for everyone. In the past I have posted images from our work with the Appalachian Barn Alliance. Bonnie and I both believe strongly in the mission and the work of this small, rural, 501 (C) (3)organization dedicated to the preservation of the farming heritage and structures of Madison County, North Carolina, once the heart of the tobacco-growing industry in the Old North State. This is perhaps all the more interesting since I have never used tobacco in any form; and the fact that I believe so strongly in what the ABA is doing is more than anything a statement of my affirmation in the farming heritage from which I sprang and in which I still very much identify.
A focal length of 52mm, quite normal-land indeed, gave me the angle-of-view I wanted, emphasizing the old hay rake in the foreground and allowing it and various other elements to become leading lines to the back of the image. An aperture of f/20 provided depth-of-field and it gave me 1/3rd of a stop of shutter speed so that with ISO 400 (+2 stops from ISO 100) I could achieve a shutter speed of 1/20th second, which was fast enough to freeze the slight motion in the tall grasses on the left.
Organizations like the Appalachian Barn Alliance deserve all of thehelp we can give in these trying times. They are not protectors of public lands, but they are the keepers of a heritage that has touched all of us in ways far too profuond to let slip away.
This is a great example of a vertical panoramic. It should be a book cover! It certainly tells a story of years past, and the black and white color makes it feel timeless. You said it was a tobacco farm, but I hear some cowbells and anticipate a Collie darting by. I appreciate what you guys are doing for the ABA. Thanks for sharing this one.
Hey Nancy T. It’s always great to have you join me. I hope you are safe and well. You know, the angle-of-view covered by this image does seem like it could be an actual panorama. The decision to render this as a black-and-white was an easy one just because of the nature of the subject. It has almost nothing to do with color and nearly everything to do with shape and form, which are often excellent b&w elements. It was indeed a tobacco farm, but there was also a small dairy barn on the property, so that Collie you sense may well have been actual. What we do for the ABA is sheer pleasure; and we love sharing it with great folks like you. Take great care of yourself and Walk in Beauty.
Beautiful compositions. I love the sweep of the road and field, the relationship of the sheds, the delicacy of the rake and the sweet way they all tie together.
Hi Linda. Thanks for joining me. I hope you are safe and well in Ashfield. Your forecast is for snow, wow! I really appreciate your very kind words. I think of all the principles of photography I teach, my favorite is relationship; just like my favorite element is “line.” Thanks for pointing out for us the significance of “relationship” here. “Fitting” elements together with each other is one of the great joys for me of photographic creativity.
My kind of picture!!
Hey Barbara, how delightful for you to join me for this discussion! Thank you. I’m looking forward to seeing you and Ron in Maine soon. For y’all it will be a homecoming and I’m glad for that. Take good care and stay safe.
Beautiful Don
Hey Mike. I hope this finds you safe and well. Thanks so very much for joining me for this conversation. You have taken the “joy of words” to a new level, and I really appreciate your thoughtful comment as from someone who truly appreciates the beauty of the natural world. Thank you. Walk in Beauty.
Your Appalachian Barns tour a few years ago remains in my mind as one of my favorite outings with you and Bonnie. I appreciate the care you took with this image — the parameters you explained to stop the motion of the grass, and the placement of the rake to include the entire circle of the near wheel crossing the angles of the fence, but not touching the edge of the image. Masterful!
Howdy Donald. Bonnie and I have had a world of fun sharing these wonderful old barns with everyone who would join us. They are truly delightful to see and to photograph and I’m very glad we were able to share them with you. The years are taking their toll: too many great structures and too few resources with which to preserve them. Glad the parameters were useful; as you well-know thinking about how to make an image is the is the key to a successful outcome in my humble estimation. Still hoping our paths will cross in 2021.
Nicely done. I like the leading lines. B&W a good choice as it adds interest as opposed to color which would be dull plus it adds a sense of timelessness.
Hi Sandy. Thanks for joining us and for sharing those kind comments. Your thoughts about “line” and “black-and-white timelessness” are perfect. Of the six elements of composition (as I count them), line is always the one that speaks to me most profoundly. I see them everywhere I look. And you are so spot on about black-and-white drawing us in with interest in ways that color cannot accomplish. Stay safe, be well and Walk in Beauty.
Sometimes, as Ansel Adams so well-knew, the absence of color allows us to appreciate the elements of a composition in ways not available from the use of color. It forces you to give our full attention to the other elements: the shapes and forms, the lines and patterns. Until we see those elements without distraction, we are inhibited by their colors. Black-and-white rendering is thus a true visual aid in photographic appreciation.
Thanks, Everyone, for joining me and for your delightful observations and keen comments. Have an excellent weekend and Walk in Beauty.
Don, I’m a week late to this party, but last Sunday I was out hiking in Rock Creek Park, an urban getaway and jewel that is the antidote to city living. This is a terrific image! The near wheel of the hay rake just sets the tone of curves everywhere: the sweep of the road, the arcs of the trees, the great orbs of the tall grasses. And your choice of black and white feels so natural for expressing the character and heritage of this farm. I’m curious to know whether you put the left edge of the wheel so close to the edge by choice or whether something else was necessitating that. It feels a little cramped to me, but not a drag on the overall immense strength of this image.