A simple click that probably made me stop and think more than most. Why? Because I had a really hard time explaining to myself why I like this image so much. It seems so simple, yet I kept coming back to it over and over.
So, each time I came back to it I tried to determine a new reason for liking it. Below is my list of reasons, in no particular order:
1. Simplicity - Let's face it, there's really not much going on here. Yet, it's been shown before that some of the most striking images are very simple in structure. For the most part, I think people tend to capture too much "info" within a single image. Have you ever come across a scene that you felt was absolutely amazing - we're talking the bee's knees - snapped a photo and then been disappointed with the image upon later review? Why didn't the image convey the awesome feeling you had at the time of capture? The likely culprit is probably that the image contains too much information. Yeah, it happens to me all the time!
2. Detail - The photo really brings a rustic feel to my mind. You can tell that the window and the siding are a bit weathered and the overall structure definitely wasn't built yesterday. The weathered look provides a lot of details in all the wood siding and I managed to nail the exposure to bring out detail in the white frame of the window and the screen.
3. That screen covering the glass window - This is probably the hardest to explain, but it's also what made me stop and take the picture in the first place. Even now, each time I open the image my eyes immediately focus on the screen. It does help that it's the brightest part of the image, which means our eyes and brains will tend to focus on it first. But, the screen itself lends a lot in trying to "see" the building as a whole and what the building is for. Right away I think of a building that's not meant to be occupied for long periods of time. The screen is too restricting to let in a lot of light and nobody is going to peer through that window to gaze at beautiful scenery. If someone had been standing there, looking out the window as I took the photo, you'd hardly be able to see them! It's also quite thick and an obvious conclusion is that the screen's sole purpose is in protecting the glass from being broken. If I had no other knowledge of this building, I'd conclude that it's located in a very public place and has been on the receiving end of vandalism in the past.
4. Contrast - I love the contrasting shades of black, white, and gray. The shadows help draw attention to the details of the wood. I think the actual building is red and white, but I took the actual picture in black and white (not color and then converted to b&w). The shadow along the left and bottom edges of the window frame help in making it pop out of the scene.
5. The bird shit - After the screened window, it's the next thing my eye is drawn too. Just a weird little detail that really seems to fit in just right.
6. It's different - By this, I mean it's different than my preferred captures of wildlife and natural landscapes. I love capturing nature in photos and it's my first choice when I venture out with my camera. But, I don't want to be caught up in a label, either. It's fun to venture outside my comfort zone to try capturing a compelling image. I mean, technically I'm not really a photographer, since I don't make any money doing this. In that sense, I'm just an engineer. But I like to keep myself on my toes!
Enjoy!
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