Brenda Fishbaugh, QPSA
July 2025 - Little Barn in the Palouse
Original
About the Image(s)
I was in the Palouse the third week of June, a region of a hills and canola farming in eastern Washington state and western Idaho. It's a great area for landscape photography--all barns and yellow canola fields. And lots of rusting farming trucks and crumbling farm houses.
I was participating in Rad Drew's infrared and cell phone workshop. I highly recommend it.
On June 20, we headed to this site for sunset photography, but almost missed the sun. I was driving, so everyone jumped from the car and got the bright sun on the canola--I had to pump it up in post-processing, as it took me a bit more time to get the car shut off and get my gear out of the car trunk.
This image was taken with my iPhone 16 Pro, handheld, shot in RAW. I processed in Lightroom Classic. I did fill in the canola missing in the front and sharpened the barn a bit. I lowered the highlights in the sky, which brought up the clouds and blue. I did blur the the canola up close in post, to bring our eye to the barn.
What changes do you suggest?
iPhone 16 Pro, ISO 64, 15mm, f/2.8 1/100th
27 comments posted
Wow, this is stunning! You did an amazing job sharpening the barn. I have a few suggestions. First, I think it would be great to crop the image with 'expand' to place the barn off center. Second, I think it would be better to crop the bottom of the image, even though the canola fields are beautiful. They're a bit too big for the overall picture and make it feel a bit off-balance. I would keep the hill without blurring and add more sky to the image. Posted: 07/02/2025 22:23:53
Thanks for your ideas! All good ones! Posted: 07/02/2025 23:09:20
Jean, Thanks for the great critique! Check out my new version below. I'd love your additional thoughts. Posted: 07/23/2025 01:21:08
I agree with Jean that it would look better to me as well if the barn were not right in the center.
The barn looks tilted to me, perhaps the camera was not level?
Could you describe how you brought up the blue in the sky? Posted: 07/03/2025 20:18:50
The barn looks tilted to me, perhaps the camera was not level?
Could you describe how you brought up the blue in the sky? Posted: 07/03/2025 20:18:50
Thanks for your thoughts, Robert. The barn is level in the image, but the rolling hills create an illusion. Since everyone mentioned it, I'll "straighten" it.
You asked how to get a blue sky. To reclaim back a blue sky, Dehaze is a really big help and just a little will usually fix it. I also used contrast to show the clouds. And don't be afraid to the move the Temperature slider towards blue. And taking down blacks or shadows can also help. I'll redo it shortly--taking an On1 workshop the next two days and might get some great ideas to use here.
Posted: 07/14/2025 18:46:36
You asked how to get a blue sky. To reclaim back a blue sky, Dehaze is a really big help and just a little will usually fix it. I also used contrast to show the clouds. And don't be afraid to the move the Temperature slider towards blue. And taking down blacks or shadows can also help. I'll redo it shortly--taking an On1 workshop the next two days and might get some great ideas to use here.
Posted: 07/14/2025 18:46:36
Robert, I started over and have a new version below. I'd love your thoughts on it. Thanks! Posted: 07/23/2025 01:23:00
I think I know right where you were when you took this photo. I agree that the right side of the image could be cropped a bit as the right hill doesn't add much to the scene. Also, the barn is slanting slightly. I might also bring out the clouds a bit more as they get lost in the beauty of the canola. Posted: 07/06/2025 17:05:49
Thanks, I'll give all three of your ideas a try! I'm taking an ON1 Travel workshop online the next two days, and hoping I get some ideas that will help this image.
Posted: 07/14/2025 18:48:08
Posted: 07/14/2025 18:48:08
Kathryn, Thanks for your feedback. Check my new version below. What additional changes would you suggest? I appreciate it! Posted: 07/23/2025 01:23:49
This is a beautiful photo with vibrant colors. The yellow flowers are striking and draw the viewer in.
However, the image feels bottom-heavy due to the overwhelming presence of yellow flowers. There's very little blue sky, and the red barn is positioned in a way that doesn't create a strong focal point or balance.
What you've done in post-processing looks great, so no critique there. But compositionally, here's what I would consider in a similar situation: take multiple shots with different framing and then select the most balanced one. In this scene, the sky adds minimal value because so little of it is visible.
Here are three possible compositions that might work better:
1. Place the barn in the center with an equal balance of sky and flowers and Square Crop.
2. Place the barn in the center with approximately two-thirds sky and one-third flowers.
3. Place the barn in the center with one-third sky and two-thirds flowers.
Posted: 07/11/2025 00:55:05
However, the image feels bottom-heavy due to the overwhelming presence of yellow flowers. There's very little blue sky, and the red barn is positioned in a way that doesn't create a strong focal point or balance.
What you've done in post-processing looks great, so no critique there. But compositionally, here's what I would consider in a similar situation: take multiple shots with different framing and then select the most balanced one. In this scene, the sky adds minimal value because so little of it is visible.
Here are three possible compositions that might work better:
1. Place the barn in the center with an equal balance of sky and flowers and Square Crop.
2. Place the barn in the center with approximately two-thirds sky and one-third flowers.
3. Place the barn in the center with one-third sky and two-thirds flowers.
Posted: 07/11/2025 00:55:05
Thanks for your ideas, Sunil. I only have a couple of images of the barn, I'll see if I can get some more sky to do any of your versions. Perhaps cropping out the sky is the solution and the barn is in the canola and nothing else. Posted: 07/14/2025 18:58:04
Thanks, Sunil! What do you think about my new version below? Any additional thoughts? I appreciate it! Posted: 07/23/2025 01:24:31
In my image editing program, that white line on the bottom of the gable is sloped downward to the left as shown by superimposing an artifical horizontal line.
I have played unsuccessfully at cropping to move the barn offcenter. None of my attempts looks any better than Brenda's submitted image with the barn centerd. Changing the barn's location detracts from the feeling generated by the rolling hills. So, like too many of my own images, I have to accept that the shot has an irremedial problem and move on, hoping that next time I'm not confronted with a similar problem. Posted: 07/14/2025 22:57:36
I have played unsuccessfully at cropping to move the barn offcenter. None of my attempts looks any better than Brenda's submitted image with the barn centerd. Changing the barn's location detracts from the feeling generated by the rolling hills. So, like too many of my own images, I have to accept that the shot has an irremedial problem and move on, hoping that next time I'm not confronted with a similar problem. Posted: 07/14/2025 22:57:36
Hi Robert! Take a look at my new version and let me know what you think. Still need to be trashed? Thanks! Posted: 07/23/2025 01:25:10
Hi Robert! Take a look at my new version and let me know what you think. Still need to be trashed? Thanks! Posted: 07/23/2025 01:25:52
I'm still missing feedback from a couple folks, but I got great feedback from several of you, and I redid my entry.
1) I found another image with more sky and started over.
2) I cropped up further on the field (per Jean, thanks).
3). As Robert explained, I am hesitant to lose my wide landscape to move the house into the "Rule of Thirds". It is not centered now, but not on the Rule of Thirds. Still bother you? Sunil was especially concerned about this.
4). Barn is straightened.
5). I brought up the sky, per Kathryn.
I like this a lot better! Thanks for the advice! Posted: 07/23/2025 01:17:53
1) I found another image with more sky and started over.
2) I cropped up further on the field (per Jean, thanks).
3). As Robert explained, I am hesitant to lose my wide landscape to move the house into the "Rule of Thirds". It is not centered now, but not on the Rule of Thirds. Still bother you? Sunil was especially concerned about this.
4). Barn is straightened.
5). I brought up the sky, per Kathryn.
I like this a lot better! Thanks for the advice! Posted: 07/23/2025 01:17:53
Nice editing!!
Posted: 07/23/2025 02:50:23
Posted: 07/23/2025 02:50:23
This one is a lot better. I will keep the Red barn in center, in my opinion, following the rule of thirds is generally a good guideline-but it really depends on the overall composition of the image. There's nothing wrong with placing the main subject in the center if it enhances the visual balance and impact.
In your photo, there's a beautiful flow from left to right-in the sky, the background hills, and the foreground wildflowers. In this particular case, placing the main subject-the red barn-right in the center works effectively. It anchors the scene and keeps the viewer's attention within the frame, rather than letting the eye drift away Posted: 07/23/2025 14:43:58
In your photo, there's a beautiful flow from left to right-in the sky, the background hills, and the foreground wildflowers. In this particular case, placing the main subject-the red barn-right in the center works effectively. It anchors the scene and keeps the viewer's attention within the frame, rather than letting the eye drift away Posted: 07/23/2025 14:43:58
Thanks so much, Sunil. I love your idea! The yellow flowers are actually a crop, called canola, used to make cooking oil. Behind it is young wheat, and then more canola behind it.
Posted: 07/23/2025 14:48:42
Posted: 07/23/2025 14:48:42
I loved Sunil's crop and think that solves a lot of my issues with this. I knew you guys would help save this image! Thoughts? Changes? Posted: 07/23/2025 15:06:36
I like this more now that the barn is level. The hills to the left of the barn are wonderful. I like this better if enough is cropped off the right hand side to move to barn noticeably off center. At the same time, my liking of the image is maximized by also cropping off the bottom one fourth. Posted: 07/23/2025 23:57:00
Robert, here's the crop that I think you suggested. The barn is on the lower right power-point on the Rule of Thirds. What do you think? Posted: 07/24/2025 01:09:57
Sorry, in my previous comment I forgot to mention that I also had to crop the sky in order to balance the image vertically. Posted: 07/24/2025 11:36:57
Robert, is this what you were thinking of? It moves the barn on the far right third in the middle, with the sky cropped off? Posted: 07/24/2025 23:58:26
Pretty close, a little less off the bottom places the barn in a position I like a lttle better. Posted: 07/25/2025 12:22:21
It might be that I know the area and love it's beauty but I miss the canola after the crop. Posted: 07/26/2025 20:01:36
Wow how did I miss this before. I thought I went through the group's photos earlier this month but I don't recall seeing this one.
Anyway, I love old barns. I really like your second version better. I like the contrast between the blue sky and the yellow flowers. I also like how you offset the barn slightly to the viewer's right. Posted: 07/29/2025 16:22:25
Anyway, I love old barns. I really like your second version better. I like the contrast between the blue sky and the yellow flowers. I also like how you offset the barn slightly to the viewer's right. Posted: 07/29/2025 16:22:25