Once upon a farmby
ecameronComment: Hi from the Critique Club,
Ahh, a photo from a great state for country life.
First Impression: Some say a title doesn't matter. I disagree and think you did a great job of choosing a title for this image. The photo certainly portrays a side of country life, just maybe not the side that usually comes to mind.
Composition: Overall, I like the compositoin. My only suggestion would have been a little more space to the left of the house and just a little more on the top of your frame. IMage might have been strengthened by cropping out the trunk of the small tree on the right, leaving only the large one. This cropping would have still left the circular plow marks in the field which are an important part of the image. I noticed some commentators felt that the trees were a distraction, they may have a valid point and a tighter crop to the building might yield a stronger image.
Technical: The lighting seems a little flat(I'm guessing an OHIO winter day??) A little bump in contrast during post processing may have added some depth to the shadows. That being said, your exposure appears to be very good.
Challenge: Its likely that some voters didn't feel that "life" was portrayed very strongly. This is not as "pretty" as some of the other pics in the challenge, but makes the view consider the different side of life in the country. I also had the same thought as some of the commentators. If you get a chance to reshoot try some close ups of the dilapidation. I think you could find some very compelling images in close-up. Keep shooting and make sure to pm me if you have any questions.
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