The Bane of Bogle Wood

Re: the original versus Gordon's suggested tweak -- I've "seen" both versions in real life.  One is simply more foggy than the other, and the times of day are different.

Great treatment, full of mystery and atmosphere. Works beautifully in B&W.

Regards.....John

Many Thanks for your most encouraging response, very much appreciated! I am errrm almost speechless! .......almost : - )

 

When an image evokes such feeling from a viewer then it almost goes without saying that the photographer gets a great buzz from it.  And so I do from reading your comments. It just leaves me to add I am honoured that you consider this a favourite.

Best Regards

 

Alf

 

VLAD

Wow! Another favourite! I am certainly blessed with some very positive responses to this shot.  Getting the balance between mist and details is a key factor, and one that I've noticed in others work, the gradual diminishing visibility giving the perception of depth.

Sincere Thanks & Best Regards

 

Alf

 

STEVE

 

It was a classic British foggy day, one of those days (very rare these days) when the fog doesn't lift at all for the whole day, and at the onset of evening it gets thicker once again.  I amplified the greys somewhat with the B & W conversion using channels, but it seemed effective.

Many Thanks for your thoughts and positive feeback Steve, much appreciated!

Best Regards

 

Alf

 

FALAK

 

Many Thanks for your interest and kind words, much appreciated!

Best Regards

 

Alf

 

JOE

 

The  B & W stuff is becoming more and more addictive, I even had a dream in B & W a few nights ago : - )

It makes me wonder if "Landscape" is the right category for these type of shots, but they don't seem to fit in with anything else.

Its very gratifying to read that the story telling element has captured your imagination Joe, for thats what I aim to do.

I hear what you are saying about the stark nature of the trees, for that was very apparent, out of the shot were more lightning sticken trees and the whole place looked like it had been the scene of a terrible storm.

(Something that you are all too familiar with right now)

The fog was indeed fortunate, and I came away with some interesting shots that day, some deer and a few people , buildings. Some days are just more productive than others.

Sincere thanks for your thoughts and positive feedback Joe, and I do hope everything returns to some semblance of normality  for you and yours, over your side of the pond.

 

Best Regards

 

Alf

 

MIKE

 

Ahh bliss! You quoted from my favourite poem of all time!

"Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak december, And each seperate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor"

Well...........suffice to say to inspire such a response I consider to be the greatest compliment!

Many Thanks & Best Regards

 

Alf

 

RAJAT

 

Sincere Thanks for your insightful comments and positive feedback.

Its very gratifying to read that the image has captured your imagination

Best Regards

 

Alf

 

BEN

 

I actually took the shot back in February of this year, but the mood looked spooky enough for Halloween.  I was fortunate to have a view through the trees that allowed a leading line for the footpath and fell into the "rule of thirds" pattern.

Many Thanks  & Best Regards

 

Alf

 

STEPHEN

 

As it happened your "different times of the day" analogy is very perceptive.  The fog was thickest in the morning and gradually diminished untill about 2.30pm at which point it began to thicken once again. The original before processing was something between Gordons tweak and my posting, and whereas Gordon has reduced the foggy effect, I tried to enhance it.  And although my processing may have been a tad clumsy, I think I prefer my version overall.

Many Thanks Stephen.

Best Regards

 

Alf

 

JOHN

 

Many Thanks for your thoughtful response and feedback, much appreciated!

You might want to give this place a try, its called Dunham Massey a National Trust park near Altrincham, worth a few hours if you like that kind of thing.

Best Regards

 

Alf

An image for a book cover if there ever was one!  A remarkable and haunting image!  As much as I admire Gordon and his incredible photography, I must say that I prefer your original version.  It has more of a supernatural and other-worldly feel to it....and yes.....it's certainly a bit less distinct and the B&W tones are less defined, but I think it's more in keeping with the mood of the place.  You continue to outdo yourself, Alf, and I am continually learning from you! 

You certainly have provoked a lot of opinions on this images and that's always a good thing. Your created mood is definitely "spooky" and the emotional impact is spot on. From a pure technical point, and only my opinion, a tab less contrast would have opened your shadows a bit more and shown more details.

Very interesting image full of mistery.

it's been a while since i've been there, but i remember that it's great. best, j

An interesting idea as a book cover!  After finding the grisley origin of this building (A Slaughterhouse used to kill and butcher the deer and game from the surrounding estate) I could even write the plot for the story.

Imagine the Lord of the manor a clever psychopathic murderer who uses the "Slaughterhouse" and its contents to dispose of all remnants of the bodies and the tell tale evidence.  I won't go into too much detail here though, don't want to put people off altogether : - )

I deliberately kept the "foggy" kind of aspect of the image and even accentuated it slightly, I have in the past increased contrast and clarity when processing these moody / misty / foggy kind of shots, only to find that the original "moodiness" has been effectively processed out.

Gordon made some very interesting and valid observations, but the results of his "tweak"  was an altogether different photograph.

Sincere Thanks for your thoughts and well considered comments, much appreciated!

 

Best Regards

 

Alf

 

LEO

 

Many Thanks for your thoughtful feedback and comments, much appreciated!

As far as I can remember, I didn't actually increase the contrast at all when processing this.  I found that when I did the "foggy" aspect of the image started to become less apparent.  But maybe I shoud have actually decreased the contrast from the default level?

Cheers Leo!

 

Best Regards

 

Alf

 

MAURIZIO

 

Many Thanks for your interest and feedback, very much appreciated!

 

Best Regards

 

Alf

 

JAMIE

 

If we get a misty morning or a foggy day, make a bee line for it.  The day in February when I took this was one of the most productive days I have ever spent with my camera.

Best Regards

 

Alf

 

 

I'll be anxiously awaiting the 'rest of the story', Alf!  ;-)  Seriously, can you give some basic guidelines for shooting in foggy conditions?  Do you use a special filter or do anything in particular to ensure you get the effect you want?  Just thought I'd ask since it seems you like to seek out this type of shooting condition. 

Yeah, I do love these type of foggy conditions and mist, but they are a rare occurence and when they do manifest themselves it always seem like it chooses days when I'm working!

 

Interesting question though.  I didn't use any filters and don't recommend using any in thick fog, unless theres a really bright element like the sun bursting through, in which case a ND grad would be best. Other than that I just recommend that after taking a shot check your histogram to ensure that you have the light and exposure compensation balanced right.  I would normally use anything from f2.8 to f11 depending on the close proximity of the foreground and dof I need to achieve, In this case I used f11 but could have got away with f5.6 I just forgot to change it from a previous shot, so as long as everything is in focus, its not crucial.  In fact in really foggy conditions far distance clarity really isn't an issue.  Hope this clarifies the foggy issues : - )

Many Thanks & Best Regards

 

Alf

To me, the fact that a house is positioned at the end of the trail is immaterial.  Given the overall treatment of the image, it may as well be a small pond, a pile of rocks, or a hill.  This is because the trees clearly are the main players in this scene.  Although the mood of the image can be described as eerie or spooky, I feel it is subdued and peaceful.  Therefore I don't find the processing to be forced or overdone.

Well done, my friend.

michael

Hola Alf.

Excelente paisaje, muy adecuado para una escena de terror, las ramas en el suelo y la niebla aporta profundidad. Te felicito.

Un cordial saludo, Joaquín.

Alf,

I think this speaks to your great photographic vision, you have chosen just the right angle and elevation to provide a very interesting image with incredible atmosphere.  Although I like this very much, I would not hang it on my living room wall.

Very nicely done,

Jim

Very beautiful!!

Many Thanks for your thoughtful comments and posiitve feedback, much appreciated!

I must admit the trees are very much the leading characters in this little drama.  I think the house does have some of its own characteristics, being it alone in the woods, like the proverbial Hansel & Gretle tale.  But I do take your point, it is the trees that set the mood and of course the fog.

It is very interesting that you perceive the mood to be peaceful, an opinion not shared by many, but one which was also posted by DONNA S above.

I think some people instinctively see past the initial spooky elements and enjoy the natural surroundings and stark beauty. But each of us enjoy seeing elements of images that are unique to the viewer.

Incidentally, I didn't find the scene in the slightest bit spooky when I stood on the frozen ground taking the photgraph back in February of this year. It was only as we approached Halloween that I happened upon it once again and thought I'd post it with a bit more accentuation of the greys.

After I posted the image I decided to do a bit of quick research about the building, and this is when ( for me at least) the really spooky element of the scene manifested itself. I found out the "house" was never a home in the traditional sense, it was used as a "Slaughterhouse" to kill and butcher the game and animals that lived on the estate.  Now that I did find chilling!

 

Sincere Thanks & Best Regards

 

 

Alf

 

JOAQUIN

 

Muchas gracias por su interes y  retroalimentacion reflexica. La historia edificio anade mas credibilidad a sus comentarios ya que recientemente se enentero de que fue utilzado como un matadero!

Saludos cordiales

 

Alf

 

JIM

 

Many Thanks for your interest and well considered feedback, much appreciated!

I would have to concur with you Jim, I don't think I'd want it lurking on my living room wall either : - )

I am glad that you enjoyed it though and that the atmosphere touched you and made an impact.

 

Best Regards

 

Alf

 

 

 

 

Many Thanks for your interest and kind words!

 

Best Regards

 

Alf

What a spooktacular shot Alf! This is about as good as haunted houses get! you captured a real dark, mysterious, mood in this one. Excellent work Alf!

All the best,
Neil

"Spooktacular"   < I wish I'd thought of that : - )

 

It got a good deal spookier when after I posted the image, I did a bit of research and  found out that the building (which I first assumed was a coach house or estate workers cottage or some such thing)  was in fact a "Slaughterhouse"

Many Thanks for your thoughts and positive feedback Neil.

 

Best Regards

 

Alf

 

 

I love this! I fear I might have been to frightened to stick around for long....especially if I was alone in the very mysterious place... you know, like in the movies.....hearing the music just before the girl always gets killed! It makes me wonder what is in that house or behind the next tree. I like the view you have chosen for this story. Well done Alf, great tones and clarity.

 

Warmest regards, Pamela

I can promise you it really wasn't that scary : - )

The scariest aspect of the place came to light after I posted the image and decided to do a bit of research about the property and consequently found out the building was in fact an old Slaughterhouse!  Yikes!

I know what you mean about the movies though, that tension, the music and all the time your mind is screaming at the screen "Don't go in there Dont go in there"!  Inevitabley they do, which is just as well as a movie about someone that didn't go in the scary house wouldn't be that quite as interesting!

This was quite a peaceful place though, no sounds, not a dog barked, nor a bird sang , quiet as the grave! : - )

Sincere Thanks for your thoughts and kind words Pamela, its always very gratifying to read I captured your imagination.

Warm Regards

 

Alf

 

Hi Alf. Think this would make for a great horror book cover! Excellent choice of B/W work and it really portays the atmosphere of the place! Great work. I am going to get the Silver effects pro for B/W as it will give me more options to work with B/W when I get started! Is this something you use?

All the best. Sarah.

Thank you so much for your interest and positive feedback.

Coincidentally I am getting the Silver Efex software in a couple of weeks time.  I have seen some excellent results from it and I can't wait to have a dabble : - )

I think for you too, it will open up a whole new dimension and I'm looking forward to seeing the results when applied to your flower photography.

By the way, that last posting of your "Nigella" was truly exceptional!

Best Regards

 

Alf

Whew Alf. If it was used as a Slaughterhouse, I wonder what they did with the rest of the remains of the animals???  And who knows what else may have gone on there??? You know it could be the cover of a book!!! And with your Wordsmithing skills, who knows what you could come up with. All that being said, you'd probably have to get permission to use the image of the house etc.!! I can't help it, it is still pretty creepy to me. Mind you don't think that comment takes away from the composition. The atmosphere of the image is truly very effective. I wonder if you could sell it or submit it to a Publishing House??? I do like Donna S's comments, she has a very good 'sense' about things and offered an entirely different take. This image has almost taken on a LIFE OF IT'S OWN with all the comments!!!

Who knows the secrets of "Bogle Wood" 

Ancient folklore tells of the animals tortured skeletal remains that are buried in the woods and the trees that once nourished themselves from the rotting carcasses.

Then the trees were cursed by the Great Spirit Stag of the forest to be struck by lightning, and to mutate, wither and die before maturity. Their twisted tortured branches and trunks standing as a testament to that byegone age.

Thus it has become a place of silence, a place that the elders consider haunted,  A place avoided by many and only spoken of by few, and then only when when the campfires are bright, or the sun is shining.

Children are forbidden to play there, and no animals venture there despite the shaded trees in summer and shelter from the wind in winter.

The only solitary figure seen walking there in recent times, is the tall pale figure of a girl from the village, a gypsy girl some say she is, her dark hair and pale skin giving rise to this supposition and rumour mongering.

She has been seen talking and muttering amongst the trees and swirls of fog, some have even used the term "witch" to describe her in hushed tones, but the villagers are a suspicious lot, steeped in fear and old fashioned beliefs.

So Gail you can see how these rumours are spread, its people like me with an over zealous imagination that started them.  And of course none of it is true...........or is it? : - )

 

I loved Donna S's take on it too, she is very instinctive about these things. 

And indeed I am most grateful to you and everyone that has taken this image and let thier imagination run riot. I am fortunate indeed to get such great feedback.

As for selling it to a publishing house, its a fine idea...........and well maybe, but I'm not in it for financial reward, and if I spent too much time seeking it,  I fear my photography would become more of a job than a labour of love.

Sincere Thanks Gail for all your imput and invaluable thoughts.

 

Best Regards

 

Alf

 

 

 

This one is quite surreal, it gives off a feeling of solitude and calm. Well done!