Pendarvis on Shake Rag Alley

Jean Kelly · 04-05-2005, 01:56 PM

This is the oldest home in Mineral Point. We went on one of our rides on Sunday and I fell in love with this area. It's an old lead mining town, now turned into an artist's colony.

This is right out of a Bougereau painting and I want to place someone by the door or on the lowest rock formation. I'll have to find a model but I'm really excited about this site.

What do you think?

Jean

Mike McCarty · 04-05-2005, 02:26 PM

Hi Jean,

I like the small window. I like it in the second image angle with a subject backing up in the area just to our left of that door jam. With the window and jagged rock ledge over his/her right shoulder, maybe with the right elbow on the rock ledge.

I also like the window straight on with the subject sitting on the second step maybe leaning back on their elbows in profile or turned 3/4.

With each of these I think it would be best if you could get your camera below the head of the subject.

There may be fifty good possibilities. I tend to bring things in a little closer. If you try and take the whole scene in you will end up painting a rock landscape. Nothing wrong with that if that's what your after.

Jean Kelly · 04-05-2005, 02:46 PM

Hi Mike, I only posted the first image to show everyone what it looks like before I started cropping. If I were to paint the whole thing I wouldn't want it to be a figurative, just a painting of an old house. But in this case it's already been done.

But when you start cropping it down and add a body it becomes something very different and timeless. I can't wait to get someone on that rock by the small window!

You are right about the fifty or more possibilities here. Tom and I are going to do more exploring on our next ride, and check lighting at different times of the day. There are huge trees to the left of the house, when thier leaves come out I wonder how much light will actually get through.

Costuming will also be a concern here, european, 1700s to 1800s midwestern?? This is going to be fun!

Jean

Mike McCarty · 04-05-2005, 03:01 PM

Jean,

Try and determine how your scene relates to the rise and fall of the sun (east, west). Usually you will get your best light when the sun is low in the sky. Maybe it's situated such that you will have the option of early or late, maybe you will only get one of the two.

Jean Kelly · 04-05-2005, 05:43 PM

I've cropped way down, this is another option. With someone standing on the rocks peeking in the window.

I took these late in the day, around 3:30 and the sun was already pretty low. Early morn, I would get no light on that side of the building at all. That area faces west. Now I also have to do the light better and not blow out the lights like I did here.

Jean

ps. If I use this one for anything I'd have to fix the perspective also.