Tom McCreary, APSA, MPSA
October 2025 - Abandoned rockhouse
Original
About the Image(s)
Abandoned Rock House
This was taken a few years ago in the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge. I thought that since it is abandoned, that monochrome would be a better choice, and also that the boarded up windows would have a better look. I converted to mono in Photoshop and adjusted the sliders to make the sky darker. I like the composition of the stairs in the lower left bringing the eye into the image. It was taken with a Nikon 18-200mm lens at 22mm, 1/200th second, f7.1 and ISO 200. My question is, did I make the sky too dark?
5 comments posted
I don't think there is a right black or a right sky. The sky is a supporting player in the cast and it ought to "fit in" with the rest of the cast but play its own role. Too black and it would overwhelm, and less grey/black it would look more like the house. Posted: 10/03/2025 01:02:11
What an interesting and very intact looking house. I am surprised no one has acquired it for a summer house.
Yes, the stairs are good.
My first reaction was that the sky was a bit too dark, but the more I look at it, the more comfortable I am with it as it is. Posted: 10/03/2025 03:14:18
Yes, the stairs are good.
My first reaction was that the sky was a bit too dark, but the more I look at it, the more comfortable I am with it as it is. Posted: 10/03/2025 03:14:18
Wow, how similar to my image that I submitted this month. I like it a lot and I like the sky. I find the tree on the left to be a little bit of a distraction. Posted: 10/03/2025 16:57:07
What an odd building! It is covered in rocks! I usually go for stark skies but I found the clouds took my attention away from the building somewhat. I tried cropping some of the sky off to make the building more prominent but I'm not sure whether it helped. It is better in mono because the windows are less obvious. Posted: 10/22/2025 15:51:33
Thanks for your comments. They used what was in the area for the outside coverings. Rock walled older homes are not uncommon in Oklahoma. A lot of the CC camp (voluntary government camps for young men during the Depression to give them work and teach them skills) buildings build in the 1930's are made entirely from stones found in the area around the camps. Posted: 10/26/2025 18:34:15