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Upper Window

Posted by Betsy Barron (Chester Springs, PA, United States) on 13 February 2008 in Architecture and Portfolio.

I risked my very own life climbing teensy stairs up above the kitchen of this old house to get this shot. The floor started creaking and I started retreating.

My photo buddy Pat might say this image has 'corner boogers' - those things around the edges that distract from the image subject - but I couldn't crop them out - it added the scale and feel I needed to show the room itself.

What do you think??

THANKS EVERYONE FOR YOUR GREAT, INSIGHTFUL COMMENTS! I CERTAINLY APPRECIATE ALL CRITIQUES AND WILL TRY SOME OF YOUR IDEAS AND PERHAPS POST THIS IMAGE AGAIN AT A LATER DATE!! :)

PLEASE VOTE FOR ME IN THE ~ 2 0 0 9 ~ P H O T O B L O G ~ A W A R D S ~
I sure would appreciate it! HERE IS THE LINK TO REGISTER - once you register, find Betsy Barron, then simply click 'vote' - THANK YOU!

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Comments (16)

Dylan from Delhi, United States

Feels like a scene from a mystery movie.

13 Feb 2008 6:03am

Jan from Bruges, Belgium

Nice old-style picture. The grain in the picture enhances this effect.

13 Feb 2008 6:47am

Jason Kravitz from Brussels, Belgium

I agree with Pat that the bottom left is a little distracting but it is still a good image and worth risking your life for :P

13 Feb 2008 9:27am

Betty from New Jersey, United States

Yes, the bottom left is distracting, but an excellent photo and well worth risking your life!

13 Feb 2008 10:40am

Viewfinder from Bradenton, United States

I respectfully disagree with the idea that the lower left corner is distracting. In some cases these kinds of "bleeds" of other stuff into the main subject can become problematic; in this case, I think the stuff just adds to the sense of littered abandonment and human emptiness and age of the total scene. It is a superior image, IMO. For me, it is quite evocative of a sense of aged abandonment or musty oldness.

13 Feb 2008 11:50am

Anita from West Nottingham, United States

Very nice photo! Effective in black and white. I think you might try cropping and see what you think. It would have a different feel. You could get two photo out of one.

13 Feb 2008 12:16pm

Koushiro from Singapore, Singapore

Very Eerie indeed! But nice all the same! the bottom left IS distracting but only because you pointed it out ^^. I personally wouldn't have minded the boogies there, but when you point that out, it becomes obvious. I like the rustic feel to the picture, and it's superb in b&w. Nice work!

13 Feb 2008 2:32pm

Lorraine from Gatineau, Canada

I think I Love you, you brave, brave soul, it's GORGEOUS...love the mood, the dust every darn pixel!!!! High Five Girl!!!!!

13 Feb 2008 3:02pm

pshorten from West Chester, United States

I love the feeling of this shoot - hate the idea of a creaking floor...scary!

Not fond of the corner boogies!

13 Feb 2008 3:23pm

Tracey from White Hall, United States

You are brave! It was worth it. Great shot! I have a window collection on my site. So I was immediately attracted to this shot on the community page!

13 Feb 2008 4:15pm

Russ from New Hanover, PA, United States

Betsy, Never let it be said that our photoshoots don't have an element of danger to them (the creeky, windy stairs, the dark barn, and the dark, icy, and abandoned railroad tunnel). It gives a more Indiana Jones-like experience that way. You forgot to point out that had you come crashing through the floor, you would have landed on me directly below!

All kidding aside, the overall image is very nice and I love the old feel to it, especially with the cracks in the plaster and the old rafters. I have to agree that the item in the bottom corner is a bit distracting. What would you think about cloning it out entirely in post processing or moving the object (depending on what it is) entirely into the scene for more foreground interest to give the image additional depth? How about exposing for the outside scene to avoid the blown highlights in the window and then toss in some fill flash to light up the interior so that there's detail throughout the image?

13 Feb 2008 6:21pm

Chris from South Jersey, United States

Everyone has great comments and opinions, but I go back and forth on whether the "corner boogers" are distracting or not. A tight crop around just the window does remind me a lot of a Wyeth painting....

Either way (cropped or uncropped), it is a great image and to know that you risked life and limb to get it makes it all the more admirable.

13 Feb 2008 7:33pm

amy from Rocky Mountain House, Canada

And here's the dissenting view: it has great merits as is but to me that "corner booger" is distracting. I agree with Ross to maybe clone it out. However, a tighter crop to the window, for my tastes, would be more effective... especially with just a bit of that dusty floor showing. I disagree about the blown out highlights in the window... I say leave them, it gives that other worldly on the otherside feel. Beyond all of this, it's still a great image and worthy of you risking life and limb!! LOL

13 Feb 2008 9:39pm

Y.M. from Linwood, NJ, United States

HMMM...just WHAT is that thing in the corner? I think to crop it out would change the feel of that creaky, eerie upper floor. I'd say it adds a bit of mystery -- like what IS that thing anyway and what's it doing there?? I like this netherworldly what lurks beyond look. Stop risking life and limb, will ya?? Love,
Y.M.

17 Feb 2008 1:06am