Mc#12 - www

dnie · May 26, 2011

I met up with my son's field trip today to take advantage of the location. Their last stop was at a place called Frontier Village at a local small lake/park. Local historic homes and buildings were moved there during the 60's and 70's to keep from losing them. It is now a nice little walk through history.

I got a lot that don't work at all but found a few that I like. I haven't got names for them yet. Do they work for the challenge? If so, are they any good or do I need to keep up the search?

Thanks!

1.

2.

3.

4. (Sign of a Pious Family?...)

5.

WhatSheSaw · May 27, 2011

I like #1 and #2 the best. The color in #2 is really appealing, but the focus looks a bit off. The wall and the back of the bucket look to be sharp, but the front of the bucket is a bit fuzzy. Or it could be my eyes are getting a bit fuzzy.

I think #1 is a milk jug.

Regarding the Bible, my husband tells me that Bibles were (maybe still are) exempt from bankruptcy in Texas. So families would invest in expensive Bibles.

bbjones · May 27, 2011

I like #1 and #2 also. #2 is my favorite. I can't tell if it's fuzzy on the front of the bowl, either, but I like the composition and the colors. Plus, the texture in the wood behind is really cool.

DonRicklin · May 27, 2011

Even though I also love #3, for obvious reasons. Would love to see that one on it's own in a Rust thread with all the usual Rust Junkie's treatment!

Don

travelways · May 27, 2011

with all of the above comments

Maybe you can reshoot #2 for a better focus and sharper textures - great composition and colors!

sapphire73 · May 27, 2011

So glad you had an opportunity to shoot some weathered and worn stuff! Funny how some of the most worn, "mundane" objects can be so beautiful. I really like the muted palette of the milk jug, the dappled light, and the detail in the wood behind it. But I have a slight preference for #2 with its colors, hint of story (not exactly sure what the implement is), etc. The focus seems soft to me with both shots. If you are unable to reshoot, is there a way to tweak these to make them look sharper? They are both great subjects for this challenge.

dnie · May 27, 2011

WhatSheSaw wrote: »

I like #1 and #2 the best. The color in #2 is really appealing, but the focus looks a bit off. The wall and the back of the bucket look to be sharp, but the front of the bucket is a bit fuzzy. Or it could be my eyes are getting a bit fuzzy.

I think #1 is a milk jug.

Regarding the Bible, my husband tells me that Bibles were (maybe still are) exempt from bankruptcy in Texas. So families would invest in expensive Bibles.

#2 is a bit soft on the bucket. Most of what I did yesterday was so rushed it was crazy. With a group of about 40 kids around... hard to get a shot without someone walking in front of you.

I am betting I can go back today or tomorrow and get it right. #1 probably was an old milk can. The bible was in the old church they had there. I loved it, but wasn't able to touch anything so I couldn't place it on a good position to get a shot I like. Not sure about the bankruptcy thing, but it wouldn't surprise me a bit if they were still exempt.

bbjones wrote: »

I like #1 and #2 also. #2 is my favorite. I can't tell if it's fuzzy on the front of the bowl, either, but I like the composition and the colors. Plus, the texture in the wood behind is really cool.

I liked the color too. I thought I was looking for rust and such, but the patina on that really jumped out at me. The wood was also something I liked. I wasn't too sure about the other object on the table... a grinder of some kind? But not being able to touch, I couldn't move it from the shot. (If it had just been me there I would have moved it, but when the kids have all been told "DO NOT touch!!" ...

DonRicklin wrote: »

Even though I also love #3, for obvious reasons. Would love to see that one on it's own in a Rust thread with all the usual Rust Junkie's treatment!
Don

That nail was just sitting there, waiting for me to look down and say, "hey that is weathered!" I couldn't resist, even though I knew it wasn't challenge worthy.

photo-bug wrote: »

with all of the above comments

Maybe you can reshoot #2 for a better focus and sharper textures - great composition and colors!

I am hoping to get that done today. This time with tripod in hand and no kids around to distract and rush me through.

Thanks everyone for the comments!! It really helps to see things through others eyes.

dnie · May 27, 2011

sapphire73 wrote: »

So glad you had an opportunity to shoot some weathered and worn stuff! Funny how some of the most worn, "mundane" objects can be so beautiful. I really like the muted palette of the milk jug, the dappled light, and the detail in the wood behind it. But I have a slight preference for #2 with its colors, hint of story (not exactly sure what the implement is), etc. The focus seems soft to me with both shots. If you are unable to reshoot, is there a way to tweak these to make them look sharper? They are both great subjects for this challenge.

Thanks, I like the milk jug for the same reason. I started to saturate it a bit and then realized that the muted soft tones on that one worked so much better. I will probably re-shoot it also while I am there just to see what I come up with.
My preference has been #2. I might could process them to be sharper, but since it isn't far, I'm going with the re-shoot... and hope the colors show as well in todays partly cloudy lighting.

sweetharmony · May 27, 2011

Oh, #2 is such a lovely subject! The colors are quite beautiful.

lkbart · May 27, 2011

Really like the colors & composition on that one - even with the meat grinder laying there (yes, I will never forget my mom ruining perfectly good leftover roast beef by grinding it into nasty hash with a not-so-rusty one of those). The wood & textures behind it add a lot to the weathered look. Good luck with the reshoot!

Also agree that either bible would be a great subject if you could move them around to get a better comp.

dnie · May 27, 2011

Re-shoot
I went out today and took a few more shots of the bucket. I think this is a little more in focus. I wound up shooting with a different camera since I forgot to pick up the battery for the one I was going to use on my way out the door... duh!

ok, Brutal honesty... How are these? Is the focus any better? I think it is but it is hard to tell by the bucket. The ladle handle sticking up looks sharper though. I can always go back if I need too... or look through some more shots, but I think they are all about the same. The processing on the first is closest to the original one I posted. I tried playing the the next two. I didn't get the angle the same... guess I should have taken a picture with me, lol.

6.

7.

**edit
7a. crop 1

7b. crop 2

7c. warmer color:

8.

tinamarie52 · May 27, 2011

I love #2, but like the original crop best.

Chris

dnie · May 27, 2011

tinamarie52 wrote: »

I love #2, but like the original crop best.

Chris

Thanks Chris,
That crop was bothering me too. I tried cropping it closer and posted it in the above post.

dnie · May 27, 2011

** I added a second crop of #7 that is closer to the original crop.

bbjones · May 27, 2011

dnie wrote: »

** I added a second crop of #7 that is closer to the original crop.

Yeah, #7 crop 2.

dnie · May 27, 2011

bbjones wrote: »

Yeah, #7 crop 2.

thanks!

travelways · May 27, 2011

bbjones wrote: »

Yeah, #7 crop 2.

#7 crop 2 yes, with warmer light and more definition in the dark areas.

DonRicklin · May 27, 2011

photo-bug wrote: »

#7 crop 2 yes, with warmer light and more definition in the dark areas.

Much improved version from first post!

Don

dnie · May 27, 2011

DonRicklin wrote: »

Much improved version from first post!

Don

Thanks Don!

dnie · May 27, 2011

photo-bug wrote: »

#7 crop 2 yes, with warmer light and more definition in the dark areas.

Thanks Tatiana!
I added a warmer color above... a little lighter, but I am just not sure I can get any detail out of the shadows. I will work on that though.

dnie · May 27, 2011

Possible names:

Life Oxidized
Rustic America
Life less Complicated

travelways · May 27, 2011

7c. warmer color is better.

sapphire73 · May 27, 2011

dnie wrote: »

Possible names:

Life Oxidized
Rustic America
Life less Complicated

I like "Rustic America" coupled with 7c. The one thing I noticed with that crop is that there is a strip of warm color drawing the eye to the upper left of the shot. I wonder what it would look like with a smidgin more of it - extending a bit more to the right - or cropped out altogether?

Glad it worked to reshoot today!

billseye · May 28, 2011

Again... coming late to the discussion.

I'm chiming in with more support for the beautiful composition and subject in #2. I looks as well-composed as a painted still life.

You've had lots of productive suggestions, and I have little to add that's not already there. I do wish there was a bit greater DOF to cover the range of the front rim of the bucket back to the wonderful details in the wall.

Nice shot!

dnie · May 28, 2011

These are what I have it down to... I have added the last one that is a sharpened version. I can't decide if that helps or if it is too much. It does increase the noise somewhat, but not sure if that hurts in this case. The gallery is at http://donna-niemann.smugmug.com/Challenges/DSS-Mega-Challenge-12-Withered/17243465_BvDdCS and they are the last three on the page and labeled the same as here if you want to see them there.

Possible names are: Rustic America, Life Oxidized, Life Less Complicated.
Thanks for all the help everyone has been! So many things we just don't see on our own work.

, they are all so similar... I know that the only people that would understand my dilemma are the people on this forum.

7b. crop 2

7c. warmer color:

7d. sharpened and top left corner fixed:

dnie · May 28, 2011

Hey all... I have loaded 7d into the gallery with the title Rustic America. If there are any more suggestions or comments, please, go right ahead. I keep feeling like I have missed something.

Mc#12 - www

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