The Bane of Bogle Wood

I took this on a foggy day in February this year, but it seemed

appropriate to post it about now. The woods looked particularly

stricken by storms adding a bit of a spooky element to the old house.

Your thoughts and comments are always appreciated. Thank You !

Hi Alf

WOW!!....... This is a stunning image as it is.....but when viewed large, it comes to life!... I love the eerie atmosphere you have created.... the broken branches look like parts of skeletons, slowly creeping towards the haunted house.......excellent composition and very apt title too ..... My sincere compliments Alf

warm regards

Jacqueline

you should call that conversion the spooky conversion.  spooky.  really.  like they had b/w film in blair witch project.  yours, j

spooky - really suits for Halloween. Besides cold and eerie atmosphere I like how path and receding trees lead viewers gaze to the house.

Hi Alf,

  Excellent b/w image with a mystical feel to the atmosphere.  Great cover for a mystery novel.  Take care, Patsy

A very nicely composed beautiful shot, Alf!

With best regards,

Ruud.

Wow, what a great shot, especially for 10/31.  The dark trees with twisted and spiking branches amid the fog are superb, the branches lying on the ground add so much, and the house itself, at first hardly noticeable, is perfect for the scene.

This was an excellent choice for Halloween Alf. It sure does look errie with the fog in the trees. The more I stare at it, the trees almost take on a life of their own.  The roots of the trees look like they could start moving at any time. Wonderful atmosphere and processing.That home is very different, is it the entire home or is some of it missing?

Very spooky! Great atmospheric shot. Well done! Pat.

Alf, at first I was struck by the spooky element, but, unfortunately, your aesthetics trumps that, trumps the almost greenish/grey, trumps the sharpness of the branches, even the house doesn't frighten me, for I love bare trees -- fall, the colors, and then the form of branches-- so beautiful, sheltering, dancing in the sky, lovely to me.   

The eerie and ghostly atmosphere is stunning. The placement of the house brings me into the photograph by following the path from the foreground. Well composed and well presented.

Congratulations, Alf.

Hi Alf,

Other than the f-stop use, this is a well shot image.

A fine mood developed .

Best Regards,  Mike

Alf,

An undeniably spooky scene made more so by your excellent post production.

The composition is wonderful, I've always been a sucker for the long winding trail as a lead in and having that house as the destination makes for an interesting journey.

I do feel that the overwhelming middle grey is a tad overdone and starts to feel forced or imposed and thus brings too much attention to the manipulated aspect of the image. If the tonality were to be a bit more natural with some lighter tones as well as something closer to black I would still feel the spooky vibe without the processing coming to the forefront.

Alf, just to be clear.  I'm responding to the sheer beauty of your photography.  You are obviously a perfectionist, a risk taker, a strong-minded thinker, and very hard worker (and an awesome writer).  I  enjoy ways you show bits of nature, sometimes people interacting in it, sometimes inviting the viewer to interact according to her or his imagination, sometimes playing with it like a puppeteer, sometimes trying to place a net over it.  I really enjoy how you present bones of structures, often provide viewers places to “stand” and view, direct rather than control the eyes of the viewers, and highlight pieces of nature that remind one to be grateful that we live in so much beauty that is often imperiled, so fragile, so magnificent.  I think you chase this.    

Fantastic shot, Alf. Excellent control over the conversion, I like a lot the fact that you did manage not to kill the fog and keep the mystery at it's best.

It has indeed something of what you would think November weather should be like.

Regards, Tibi

Amazing scene and almost surreal feeling in this naturally captured and masterfully processed shot, with very effective dreamy bw conversion.  Though i would be tempted to compose it in a way with much larger part of the sky and branches in expense of fg featureless ground, a suggestion totally taste dependent. The two most important elements here are jagged branches and the house ( which looks alone and abandoned ). Another suggestion is a vertical shot with augmentation of vertical thick tree trunks and irregular surreal branches. Apart from these imaginative suggestions, this shot is already very beautiful, perfect and excellent. Bravo.

Hamid.

Sincere Thanks for sharing your thoughts and enthusiastic response, much appreciated!

It was a day in February when the fog was there at dawn, and it didn't lift all day.  There was a hush throughout the woods, a kind of muffled effect, nothing much moved, and when an animal or bird did move, it moved in silence. Even the chilled air was still, not a breath of wind was felt on my face.

The house itself looked isolated in the woods, and strangely there was no vehicular access to it, no drive way, just the footpath through the woods.

There was no sign of a garden to it, no sign of children, no sign of human occupation either past or present.

For all these reasons it looked vaguely menacing, but I didn't quite know why I felt uneasy about it.

After I posted the image I decided to do a little bit of research, just in case someone asked about the building.

I was actually shocked and chilled to the bone when I found out what the building was used for..........all will be revealed : - )

Warm Regards

Alf

JAMIE

This spooky place is closer to you than you think!  The title was a just a fanciful notion, I don't think there is any such place as "bogle wood" except within my imaginative fantasies.

The actual location is "Dunham Massey" a natural trust property near Altrincham, Cheshire.  Lots of interesting bits, well worth a visit.

I like that analogy of "The Blair Witch Project"  thats the kind of silent menace I was hoping for.

Cheers Jamie & Many Thanks

Alf

WOLFGANG

Many Thanks for your thoughts and positive feedback, much appreciated!

I have to admit the path that leads through the woods was a major attraction for me too.  The other thing I liked about it was the fact that it was devoid of vehicles or any sign of them, including roads or driveways.

Best Regards

Alf

PATSY

After what I found out today about the history of the place your thoughts and impressions are particularly relevant.  It has a brutal history.

Sincere Thanks and Best Regards

Alf

RUUD

Many Thanks, I'm really pleased you liked this one!

Best Regards

Alf

STEPHEN

I have to admit it was one I saved from February, and almost forgot to post it in time. 

The small wooded copse looked like it had suffered major lightning storms giving the impression of tortured trees.

The house itself looked quite alien in some ways but I couldn't figure out why. That is until today when I found out a bit more about its history.

The building belonged to the estate on the grounds on which it stands and was used as  "The Slaughterhouse"

It kind of chilled me to the bone when I read that.

Sincere Thanks for your thoughts and impressions Stephen, very much appreciated!

Best Regards

Alf

GAIL

The whole place was eerie and silent, there was a kind of hush, a muffled silence, not a bird chirped, or a mouse moved. It was silent as the proverbial grave.  The house was peculiar I couldn't figure it out,  just bricks and mortar, but there was a sense of danger, something not right.

This home had no garden, no cars, no sign of life or children playing.  The woods looked tortured and twisted and only a crow perched slightly out of shot to the left dared to break the silence briefly with one lonely "Caww Caww"

After I posted the image I decided to do a bit of detective work and find out what the place was used for ...........I was taken chilled to the bone when I read the words accompanied by an image of the building.

"The Slaughterhouse"  (Que Phsyco music)

Your observation  "That home is very different" was most astute.

Sincere Thanks for your thoughts and positive feedback, much appreciated!

Best Regards

Alf

PS: Don't have nightmares : - )

PAT

Many Thanks

I'm very pleased the sppooky aspect was communicated!

Best Regards

Alf

DONNA S

Your impressions are priceless!  Whereas most would feel danger, discomfort and threat, you feel at home in this woodland, and see only the natural beauty of the environment.

The house though was a bit scary, mostly because it didn't conform to anything about a house that we normally associate with life, familly , children, it was devoid of all the trappings, no bikes, toys, cars on the lawn, in fact no lawn, just a path through the woods.

As you may have already read above, I found out only yesterday that the house was in fact a "Slaughterhouse" used to butcher the animals that was hunted on the estate.

A sinister aspect that I truly didn't expect, and one that makes me feel a bit less than comfortable with the image now.

Your impressions serve to address the balance between the more macabre aspect and natures beauty so very well.

Sincere Thanks & Best Regards

Alf

LESTER

Many Thanks for your thoughtful feedback and astute observations, much appreciated!

Its very gratifying to read that the composition has worked as I intended with the path as a leading line, and that the "spookiness" was apparent too!

Best Regards

Alf

MIKE

I have no excuse at all for using F11  it was just a case of taking several shots where I needed a good dof and I probably forgot to change back to  f8 or  f5.6  both of which I think would have worked very well in this instance.  Glad that the mood was communicated though.

Many Thanks for your continued interest and thoughtful comments!

Best Regards

Alf

GORDON

You are most perceptive, your tweaked version is almost identical to the original before I "tweaked" it the other way : - )

I also resisted the temptation to increase the contrast, as when I have done this in the past with foggy shots, somehow the atmosphere dissappears and you are left with a very ordinary photograph. The upshot of which I think may have contributed to the "middle grey" looking a tad over done, and maybe the absence of pure blacks.

Very helpful comments and observations Gordon, I think a compromise of something between your version and mine would probably be about right.

I did unashamedly manipulate the channels in order to increase the "spookiness"  But you seen right through it !

Sincere Thanks & Best Regards

Alf

DONNA S

I'm honoured to get two visits!  Thank You so much!  All these compliments.... my head will never get through the doorway!

I see all the flaws in my work, and seldom am I completely satisfied with a result. I can go out and take 200 hundred photographs and not like a single one.  But inevitabley I am compelled to chase the "perfect" photograph" and the perfect light that accompanies it.

Trying to get a camera to reproduce what a human eye can see is a tricky business!  But that in itself is a challenge. The massive pool of knowledge that accompanies photography is my tool chest, but at this stage I don't know what half of the tools are for, or how to use them properly.

Nature and its beauty is my overwhelming passion and sometimes mankinds small contribution can heighten that sense of beauty.  A small weather worn house in a vast landscape for example, allows a photograph of nature where mans influence is miniscule and where nature is winning!

I am truly very humbled and touched by your comments Donna.

If I can show viewers what I see and they share the same feelings that I had when I took the shot, then I consider it a "job well done"

"I think you chase this"

Through my photographs, you read my very soul Donna.

My humble and heart felt thanks!

Alf

TIBI

I have made that mistake in the past (killing the fog) a few fumbled contrast and clarity sliders and before I know it, a foggy atmospheric scene has turned into a very ordinary photograph. 

It is fairly typical of November weather, but in fact the shot was taken in February, the only clue being the complete absence of leaves on the trees.

I'm glad you enjoyed this one Tibi.

Sincere Thanks & Best Regards

Alf

HAMID

 Thank you for your thoughts, idea's and positive feedback, very much appreciated.

I think though that the sky was probably more featureless than the foreground, and the pathway was perhaps a key part of the composition in this shot. But I must investigate the possibilities further.

Your suggestion of a vertical shot has good merit though, and if I remember rightly I did take some shots with a portrait orientation.  Again the position of the house in the frame has to be

Hi Alf -Words can't describe how I feel about this stunning image.I'm sitting here dying of envy. This has to be your very best image It's fabulous.It is going into my favourites file. You,Sir are a very talented photographer.I am just filled with awe at your talents.. Lordy, what a great image.Very Best Regards-Ross PS You get the 'Very " added because eof the image

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Goes to my favorites. Mystic, misty and full of details at the same time, with that bleak path leading spooky building... excellent work!

Perfect as is Alf.

You certainly nailed the mood with the subdued grays  (or greys for the folks on the other side of the puddle etc.) The sort of reversed aura around the distant trees adds to  the whole thing as seen through the fog.  Nicely done!

Excellent B/W work , well done ............... Best regards.

Hey Alf, I love to see you shooting more and more black and white.

This is a perfect shot for Halloween and does in fact remind me of a classic horror movie scene...like The Waking of the Rock Lord. Stories abound in this scene, is the witch in the house or is some ghoul hiding just out of frame waiting to pounce as you approach to safety of the house.

It is the stark nature of the trees that make this whole scene so effective, more so than even the fog. Remove the fog and with the right tones you still have what could be considered a menacing scene...the fog is just the icing on the cake.

Superbly captured and presented. I have nothing to add technically to what has already been said, but emotionally my first thought was from the master of drear, Poe:

"Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before; But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token, And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, `Lenore!' This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, `Lenore!' Merely this and nothing more."

Love it... Mike

Like I'm a child walking in the autumnal woods through a light mist with a ghostly light revealing the way and then I come upon this eerie place, a tiny house atop a gentle rise with a single dark door and a single shuttered window... 

This image has a Halloween mood to it. I like the mist and the BW. Also the composition follows the rules of third.

Well Done,

Ben