Some Seed Fell on Stoney Ground

I had been taking photo's of trains earlier in the day and time was

moving on, I wasn't too familiar with the area of North Wales I was in,

and thought I'd just wander down the first side road I come to, I turned

off the road and soon come to a small bridge, the road ended soon after

but I noticed a worn out sign for a footpath, I followed the sign and

trudged up a steep muddy hillside, the footpath dissapeared but I

thought I'd just keep on for a few more minutes.....the view was

uninspiring just ditches, sheep and a few sparse looking trees, I was

giving up on the idea of getting any shots at all , when suddenly I

encountered this old stone barn on the other side of the trees. The thing

I liked about it is that it was so remote that it's very unlikely that anyone

else would have found it and photographed it ......who am I kidding : - )

Your thoughts and comments are always appreciated. Thank You.

A classic composition, flawless b/w, fine detail and an inspired title.  I guess you can tell I like this :-)... Thanks for sharing, it's great....  Mike

"We plough the fields and scatter, the good seed on the land"

For me, this is an amazing capture of "all shades of grey". The strong detail in the foreground with the plough furrows leading the eye to the darker barn and onto the muted, lighter backgound. Beautiful.

Dare I leave the tinyist nitpik? (smiles) that little white "stone" halfway between the frame base and the barn.... catches my eye.

Your story here reads well, and tells me that you are "ever the optimist"..... it's going the "extra mile" that very often gives the greatest reward.

Was this shot in B&W or is it a conversion? Just my ongoing interest in this lovely image.............

Well done my friend,

Best regards

I'm always playing around with my images to see which ones look good in B&W.  I enjoy seeing both color and B&W versions of them.....it helps my eye to develop, I think.  Anyway, I love this shot.  The B&W tones are somewhat muted, but as a result it focuses the viewer's attention on the fantastic textures.  I find that I'm often rewarded by getting off the main roads, so good decision on your part to go snooping!

 

Wonderful image Alf. White stone? Where? Where? (*_*)

 

I like the lines (furrows) in the land and i also like the way the two trees are positioned - are you sure you did not plant them there for this shot?  All the very best,

A nice bw shot. fg lines are a good elements for attraction the viewer into the scene with a lonely barn and lonely trees. This is a perfect shot, but i just wish to see the trunks of trees in this scene, though it might be completely impossible at that scene. Just a thought. Congratulations for another successful shot.

Hamid.

It is an excellent b&w image, well composed and excellent sharpness through, nice texture and contrast. Bravo, Alf.

I like it a lot. Makes me think you could have met one of the crazy characters out of a Bronte novel there. Just thinking about it, getting back there when whatever they sowed just sticks out tiny green sprouts would be not a bad idea.

Regards, Tibi

The road least traveled can be full of surprises and this is certainly one of them. Your composition is only exceeded by your excellent PP. This is just lovely, Alf!

Alf,

  What a beautiful fine you stumbled upon!!  Beautiful image with wonderful composition & details.  Thanks for sharing.  Take care, Patsy

Alf, I like the play of textures throughout this. From the tracks in the soil of the foreground, to the stone barn and the softer foliage of the hills. The lines of the bare trees make a nice contrast to the various textures, but also tie in well with the lines of the tracks. 

Excellent landscape in bw. I like the lines of the furrow leading to the horizon, and of course the two trees create a sort of boundary marker. Very well seen and captured. Thank you.

i love it.  wonderful.  forgive me for being reminded of a similar one of mine, taken along the West Highland Way.  best, j

 

http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=6429033

very beautiful pictures I really like a greeting  ciao.. from Milan Italy ... alex

a classic B/W photo - only really tiny detail worth correcting might be the twigs at the right edge. Otherwise I can only praise: The skidmarks in foreground are a welcoming entry to the composition and help focusing on the main elements: two trees and the barn which are placed nicely on one line and dominate with their dark tonality. I don't mind that their trunks are hidden - it's probably even an advantage as it suits to the mysterious 'air' of the barn.

Best regards, Wolfgang

Classic, well processed, the tones are subtle and convincing, the track details are excelllent. I agree about the twigs on the right side, perhaps an oversight. Tones in the building contrast very well in this scene, Great work Alf.

MIKE

I'm really pleased you like this one. It appears to be one of those classic looking scenes that sometimes appears on the great photo's on PN  that makes me ponder "why don't I ever encounter a scene like that" ........well this time I guess I did  and quite by accident : - ) Many Thanks for your thoughts and positive feedback Mike.

Best Regards

Alf

GRAYHAM (Eagle Eye)

I'm still experimenting with B & W conversions so it was very gratifying to read your comments relating to the grey tones.  I can see that stone, and have since wrote to the farmer to complain : - ) I have removed it in the colour version attached.  "Ever the optimist" I suppose thats largely true, the spirit of adventure coupled with the thought that the next great landscape opportunity could be waiting for me around the next corner drives me on. This is indeed a conversion, I never considered actually shooting in B & W.......well not until now you mentioned it. I think it's something I should try. Sincere Thanks for your interest and thoughtful feedback Grayham, much appreciated

Best Regards

Alf

CHRISTAL

I think its always interesting to see the alternatives and I suppose viewing the different versions on each occasion is a good habit to get into, as you say it can only help develop a better sense of judgement. It was the tracks in the newly tilled earth that attracted me to the scene, I'm not sure that the barn would have looked so appealing otherwise. I'm always curious to see whats over the next hill, and round the next bend, "snooping" on the landscape is a way of life for me : - )  Many Thanks for your thoughts and positive feedback Christal.

I will leave a colour version for you to consider, just out of interest.

Best Regards

Alf

TONY

"Eagle Eye" Grayham spotted it halfway up, third track in from the right, next to a grey one : - )  And oh!  for the foresight to strategically plant trees in remote places and photograph them years later........I'm just not that clever : - )  Many Thanks for your interest and positive feedback Tony, much appreciated!

Best Regards

Alf

HAMID

Sincere thanks for your thoughts and positive feedback. I can appreciate your views relating to the tre trunks,  and initally my thoughts were similar to yours. But the reality was that I couldn't gain any more altitude because I was backed up against a line of tree whose branches would invade the frame if I attempted to go further backwards up the hillside.

Best Regards

Alf

BELA

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

Best Regards

Alf

TIBI

Yorkshire Moors is the place for the Bronte Characters, but the terrain is remarkably similar. Great suggestion regarding the green shoots, yes it does offer distinct possibilities for a further image. Sincere thanks for your thoughts and well considered feedback!

Best regards

Alf

LEO

You are quite right, there are literally thousands of miles of public rights of way in the UK and much of it is totally ignored, I should do it more often. Many Thanks for your thoughtful feedback and positive comments.

Best Regards

Alf

PATSY

It is a little gem, I wonder how it would look in the snow, though I'm not sure I' get to it in the snow : - )  Many thanks for your interest and positive feedback Patsy, much appreciated!

Best Regards

Alf

TONY

The barn and trees seem to be more defined than the softer tones of the background, and although I can take credit for the composition, the backdrop was fortunately incidental. Many Thanks for your interest and thoughtful feedback Tony.

Best Regards

Alf

JAYANTI

The leading tracks were what first attracted me to the scene, I think the barn was secondary but equally as important, it was just a matter of then trying to find a good POV.  Sincere Thanks for your interest and positive feedback.

Best Regards

Alf

JAMIE

I'm very pleased you liked this one. I took a look at the link, very moody, very "Glencoe" and with a wonderful backdrop, reminds me of "Black Rock Cottage"

Best Regards

Alf

ALESSIO

Ciao, Grazie mille per il vostro interesse e le parole gentili,  molto apprezzato, Cordial Saluti

Alf

WOLFGANG

Ahh yes I wondered if anyone would spot the mistake : - ) There was another tree to the right and I was balancing a small crop to eliminate the branches and leave a lead in trackmark  bottom right, took my eye off the ball for a second, well spotted Wolfgang! I will correct it in the colour version I intend to leave a link for. As for the hidden tree trunks.....it did bother me initially, but I'm not sure if the effect of the "on one line" view would be compromised if taken from a more elevated position that would enable thier sighting. So on reflection I think it works ok as it is. Sincere thanks for your thoughts and well considered feedback.

Best Regards

Alf

RICHARD

It was indeed an oversight, one of those things you are convinced you have taken care of, only to find you haven't when you view it for the first time online : - )  I have corrected it in the colour version which I will leave a link for comparative purposes.  Sincere Thanks for your interest and thoughtful feedback Richard, much appreciated!

Best Regards

Alf

 

 

 

 

 

Love the both color and B/W one.  Nice and great composition.  Greater DOF.  Nice lines.  Best Regards,

Many Thanks for your interest and kind words.

Best Regards

Alf

Brilliant composition in this superb B&W Alf! love the textures and details, and that fabulous old building! Awesome shot guy!

All the best,
Neil

A most wonderful black and white.

B&W does wonders for the textures in this photo and the variety of tones give this photo a nice look and depth.  What I like is how the light grey on the hills in the background give us a sense of depth just based on their tone. A wonderful visual queue and nice technique to bring that out. With the wrong tones those the hills would press "forward" in the frame and make the photo look flat if you know what I mean. Not sure if this is a byproduct of processing or just a haze in the distance but whatever it is the product of a good eye and/or understanding of how to give your photographs some depth. Another great piece to add to the collection.

 

Great choice for a B&W indeed. Love your POV and the details of the tracks leading the eye away. (I imagine a square crop -- minus the tree on the left -- would look very nice as well....But say no more, Alf, I'm holding my tongue :-)

Late to the party, but wow.  I think it is you... your recreation that has made this scene spectacular - your choice of b&w, your toning, and usual consummate composition.  7/7 for your art.

NEIL

Many Thanks for your interest and thoughtful observations, much appreciated. B & W is slowly becoming quite addictive, I'm getting into the habit of trying every shot in B & W now.

Cheers Neil!

Alf

JOE

Sincere Thanks for your most encouraging comments. B & W is relatively new to me, I've had mixed results in the past, but slowly seem to be getting a bit more competent in channel adjustments to bring out the best. The lightness of the background is indeed a haze, but I was able to emphasise the textures in the foreground and the building in the channels adjustment, allowing a better contrast between foreground and background. One concern I had was that I had perhaps overdone it, but from your feedback it would seem I guaged it about right. 

Cheers Joe!

Alf

MARJOLEIN

Many Thanks for your thougtful observations and kind words, much appreciated. As for the square crop, sometimes I'm forced to admit that your right, and this is one of those times, indeed it does work in the square format (as well as the landscape) I just wasn't sure if you was holding your tongue or poking it out!  : - )

Cheers Marjolein!

Alf

WAYNE

Sincere Thanks for your interest and very generous comments. I have some idea's for shots that I carry around in my head, and sometimes I am fortunate enough to encounter one of them for real. This was one of those times, so having found the scene, I knew exactly what I wanted to do wiith it. There are still a great many that elude me, but thats what keeps my interest buzzing.

Cheers Wayne!

Alf

 

 

Very good composition,the lines lead the eye nicely in to the image,i actually like the BW ,the colour version does not have much colour anyway.Very nice work,my regards