I belong to the Jamestown Audubon Photo Club. Each month our president gives us an assignment to go out and shoot. The assignment due at our February meeting is “Barns.”
1
One of my favorite barns is the one out at Camp Timbercrest… now used for storage of miscellaneous items. When I camped at Timbercrest as a girl (don’t ask how many years ago), I never saw this barn as it did not belong to the Girl Scouts. It belonged to the Jackman family – the same family for whom Jackman Bay is named.
2
We were always afraid of Mr. Jackman. There were stories told about how if you got too close to Mr. Jackman’s property, he would use his shotgun to discourage your exploration.
3
I never met Mr. Jackman. I imagine he wasn’t as scary as the stories made him out, though.
4
By the time I was a counselor at Timbercrest, we were storing costumes and props in Old Barn and we would bring the girls up to play make-believe or to put on skits.
5
The first time I came up to use the barn as a counselor with kids in tow, I was still a little afraid. Maybe the ghost of Mr. Jackman didn’t want us messing around in his barn…
I’ve never met Mr. Jackman’s ghost. I imagine he’d be a kind fellow, though…
Question to my readers: I’m only allowed to print one barn photo to bring to our club meeting for critique. Which one should it be?
Oh, and the new lens? I finally decided on the Canon 24-100 IS. I haven’t had time or opportunity to give it much of a workout yet… These barn photos were my first attempts.
A Passion for Nature 
I like them all, but the window (#3) is my favorite of the bunch.
All of the photos are wonderful but I think my favorite is the last one of the door with the winter scene showing outside.
Great photos – I love the stone and wood – great detail. Good luck.
Kind of creepy to me. I dunno, ghost towns are just very strange, and this is not too different.
Difficult choice — but for a photography assignment I would go for #3. It has elements of a barn: broken window , lots of weathered wood,doorway and rusty wheel in background. Composition good with vertical frame. #4 isn’t bad but too fuzzy in parts,angle and composition interesting,subject–roof structure,beam and side slats great.
I wouldn’t have any good advice about choosing a photo, but I was mesmerized by the fourth one., maybe because, in comparison to the rest of the structure, the overhead part still looks new and vibrant.
I’ll be following your results with the new lens with interest. I just upgraded my equipment too and will enjoy comparing results.
They are all nice. In the fourth photo the big cross beam looks like it is hand-hewn with an axe. Either it is very old or they reused the old beams from an earlier barn. I love it! We rented an old farmhouse in Wattsburg, PA for a while. It was built in 1799 and had those hand hewn beams in the basement holding up the house. Each mark on those beams is from someone long ago taking a tree trunk and hitting it with an axe until it had a square shape.
I liked #4 the best, personally, but think #3 might do better as a photography assignment candidate.
They are all lovely photos, Jennifer, but I would vote for #3 for show and tell. It stood out to me the most of any of them, before I even read that you wanted our opinions. I like how there is a nice crisp focus of the foreground elements, but you can also still see the background stuff through the window very clearly. Great composition, if you ask me. I’m considering a new lens, too, trying to expand my telephoto range. It’s an excruciating decision to make! So many choices (thank goodness they are somewhat limited due to my limited budget!) Happy photo-ing!
I like the photo looking up into the ceiling joists of the barn. I love how the sunlight filters through the open spaces in the side walls and the contrasting texture of the underside of what ever material is on the roof.
For me it is hard to chose between #3 and #5. I love being sheltered in the barn and looking out at the inclement weather. I also think the window composition is great – love old windows – with the broken glass, the knots in the siding, the other broken window on the other side with the snow covered rim of the wheel in view. It’s great! Loved the pics!
I really like the old tractor! That one is my favorite.
number 3 the window. 🙂
My vote is for #3… it really captures the feeling of an old barn.
I like # 5 and my husband likes #1
The photos are very nice. My favorite is the one of the window. The texture of the wood contrasts nice with the broken glass.
It was hard to choose. I like photo 1, perhaps predicable, but classic.
Thanks to all for your counsel! I guess I’ll go with the majority and have #3 printed.
All the photos are awesome Jennifer. I’d have to go with #3 as my favorite of the bunch however.
I like # 4. I like the varying lines, the light shining through, the color, and the overall composition.
My second choice is #3.
Good luck!
I love the window shot…cause I love the close up of wood…
#4 for me. It shows the barn is still alive.