Thursday, March 27, 2008

red stepstool

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A vintage red stepstool shot inside the old farmhouse on Hughes Road. The deterioration has changed the place since the last time I visited.

This photo is an entry for Thursday's Spun With Tears Challenge - "Furniture"

Follow the link, scroll down and click on each entry to view the photos.

What's involved in producing an image: The above image was a result of a photo shoot at a local farmhouse that is in a very advanced stage of decay. I'm always aware of the inherent dangers of shooting in these locations. There are hidden wells and cisterns, sometimes the covers are missing and covered with vegetation. The house itself poses danger. I did venture onto the second floor one time, but the flooring was not safe so I haven't been back up there. The basement....well, I'm a little too spooked to venture there.

I brought the vintage red stepstool with me and dragged it up the muddy driveway. I felt the strong color would work well against the aging wallpaper. I took approximately 130 frames, moving the stool around the room, changing exposures, shooting from the floor, through the broken kitchen window from the outside and every combination you could imagine. When I returned home that meant I had 130 images to cull through, choosing the one I felt were most interesting. Omigosh, I could never work as a photo editor, the choices would fry my brain! After choosing 6 images I processed the photos and came up with this image.

I liked the way the stool was highlighted by the light from the window, casting a shadow on the wall. The curtains were billowing in the strong breeze throught the broken window. The light from the window is very strong and bright which would normally mean that your eye would only be drawn to the strong white, but I felt the red was vivid enough to hold it's own in the image.

What do you think?

7 comments:

Marty52 said...

So sad... and so beautiful. It's freaking perfect.

Anonymous said...

I think the vines are offended by something shiny and colorful in the house and are coming in the window to snatch it away.

sugarcreekfarm said...

I LOVE this one!! The red against the decaying background, the billowing curtain, the branches coming thru the window. So worth all of that effort :)

Anonymous said...

Suzanne, are any of your photographs for sale? I really would like to buy some. They should be, you know.

Kathleen Grace said...

Very cool photo, I am always so intrigued by abandoned houses, I want to go in and look around, and I'm always just sure I will come across some forgotten bit of furniture or treasure if I did. On another note, how on earth can those curtains look so clean?

cotedetexas said...

I just discovered this particular blog of yours - you are so talented - this photo is unreal - just wonderful!!!

i am loving loking at your images.

and thanks for your comment about the white!!! That look is very in in Houston - maybe becuase it so hotttttt here!!!!!

thanks again!
Joni

Anonymous said...

Just found your blog when searching for barn pictures. I love your pictures. I get that sad empty feeling seeing those old homes and barns torn down and being replaced. Thanks for sharing your world.
Oh, I love the red stool in the old house with the wind blowing the curtain. Awesome!