Dustbowl Photo | TrekEarth

Photographer’s Note

This is a late 19th century farmhouse in rural Wasco County, Oregon. It had seen better days. My title is misleading, because this is not the geographical area of the 1930's "dustbowl." But this sparsely-populated ranching/farming area of the Western US was and is vulnerable to the same kind of economic pressures.

When the house was full of life, it was full of color and children would play in the green fields.

I kept the exposure dark in order to bring out the brooding, mysterious quality of the house and emphasize the heavy texture of the November sky.

FORJP001, cgrindahl has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

dopiro (830) 2005-09-04 21:16

Hi James,

I like this one a lot! Toning is excellent to give that spook a boost. Even the tree looks dead! I may have cropped out the top third of the image to keep only darker clouds over the house. I like how the wire reaches to the house as proof that life may still be hanging around ...

migsy (349) 2005-09-04 21:23

Outstanding shot - reminds me of both Ansel Adams and Steinbek's the Grapes of Wrath. All you need is someone in period costume to play Tom Joad.

I wish there was a higher rating for extraordinary shots like this.

Well done!

ccooper (836) 2005-09-04 21:34

James,
This is a fantastic, haunting photo, almost from another era. The dark exposure and black/white are a great choice.

FORJP001 (3819) 2005-09-04 22:48

Great idea to keep the exposure dark this gives a cachet of haunted and sinister house. (Jean-Pierre)

nmess (2289) 2005-09-05 0:11

This very good James. The old abandoned home and angry sky work very good together. I think the choice of B/W is good to further enhance the threatening atmosphere.

I've added this to my theme of ghost houses.

cgrindahl (6109) 2005-09-05 3:14

A belated welcome James since I haven't noticed your work before on TE. So many newcomers arrive and photos pass through the gallery so quickly it is easy to miss new folks. I also was much less active the beginning of this year when you arrived. I spent a few years living in Seattle before settling in the San Francisco Bay Area so I know a bit about the beautiful region you call home. I look forward to what you will share with us. I appreciate very much your well written note. It is always refreshing to encounter a bit of thoughtfulness in notes.

I really like this image, though I might have opted for a bit lighter treatment of the house and adjacent tree. I played with the image and was able to bring out a bit more detail while maintaining the brooding quality you were working toward here. But I appreciate that such decisions belong with the artist and I'll respect yours in this matter. The sky is wonderful, at once dramatic and soft. The sloping hill with tracks from farm equipment, no doubt is a fine element as well. The house with its black windows really speaks of the vulnerability of this way of life throughout the world. With factory farms much more prevalent the family farm in increasingly a relic of our past. Since many in my family grew up in farm country back in Minnesota, I've witnessed some of the changes, with farms that once were vital, as you suggest, now sitting vacant. Of course, I never had to live the very challenging life of maintaining a farm, so I'm hardly in a position to wax poetic about a wonderful life that has been lost. The world simpy keeps changing, for better or worse only time will tell.

Thanks for sharing this fine photo with all of us James.

jacotenente (0) 2006-11-30 23:12

Nice!
My first reaction was thinking the utility wire needed to be removed. But, reading what another commenter wrote about it being a remaining life-line - I liked that.
I also like the all the sky included. Yes, it may not keep the focus on the house but it makes it a very full image. The lone house under a great canopy.