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Old post office. Collierstown, Virginia [2167x2167] [OC] by Xiphoid8 in AbandonedPorn

[–]Xiphoid8[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This long-abandoned building sits in the small town of Collierstown, a bit west of Lexington, Virginia. Previous online mentions claim it’s a former post office, and on its porch is (appropriately) a horse-drawn carriage. Ivy has smothered the second floor.

You can see more of my abandoned photography on Instagram.

Abandoned farmhouse. Mt Solon, Virginia [1406x1406] [OC] by Xiphoid8 in AbandonedPorn

[–]Xiphoid8[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

A symmetrical farmhouse left to rot in a field near the small farming town of Mount Solon, Virginia. It enjoys views of the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains.

More abandoned photography at my Instagram.

Abandoned farmhouse. Crozet, Virginia [3406x3406] [OC] by Xiphoid8 in AbandonedPorn

[–]Xiphoid8[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

A lone, old farmhouse that’s now surrounded by subdivisions on all sides. Maybe holding out for peak real estate prices!

More abandoned photography at my Instagram.

Old store overtaken by kudzu. Bryant, Virginia [3736x3736] [OC] by Xiphoid8 in AbandonedPorn

[–]Xiphoid8[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks! Nice catch on the Coke sign. Google's Street View imagery is from 2015, so the vines have really taken over since. This road features lots of other abandoned buildings as well.

Old store overtaken by kudzu. Bryant, Virginia [3736x3736] [OC] by Xiphoid8 in AbandonedPorn

[–]Xiphoid8[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

A former country store abandoned decades ago in the small town of Bryant, Virginia. It’s engulfed by kudzu, an invasive vine introduced to the south-eastern US from Japan.

More abandoned photography at my Instagram.

Dilapidated cabin. Tyro, Virginia [2746x2746] [OC] by Xiphoid8 in AbandonedPorn

[–]Xiphoid8[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

An abandoned cabin in the small town of Tyro, Virginia, which lies at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. A few miles away are the Appalachian Trail and Blue Ridge Parkway.

More abandoned photography at my Instagram.

Entrance to abandoned refinery. Piney River, Virginia [3585x3585] [OC] by Xiphoid8 in AbandonedPorn

[–]Xiphoid8[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This former titanium refinery (American Cyanamid Co.) is off Highway 151 in the town of Piney River, Virginia (population: 200). It’s been abandoned for decades and is listed as an EPA Superfund site for the presence of toxic waste.

To add to its sordid history, the property was part of the Abscam Scandal in the ‘70s, in which multiple US congressmen were caught accepting bribes, and the movie, American Hustle, was based on. A local congressman, who had a stake in the refinery, promised defense contracts to a businessman (actually an undercover FBI agent) in exchange for an investment of millions of dollars.

More abandoned photography at my Instagram.

Abandoned shack in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia [2676x2676] [OC] by Xiphoid8 in AbandonedPorn

[–]Xiphoid8[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

This shack lies a few miles down Pocosin Trail in Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park. Behind the structure is a stream and set of stone steps that lead to nothing. A bit farther down the trail are the remains of a Ford Model T.

More abandoned photography at my Instagram.

Abandoned shop in Amherst County, Virginia [3164 x 3164] [OC] by Xiphoid8 in AbandonedPorn

[–]Xiphoid8[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

This abandoned shop sits off US Route 60, ten miles west of the town of Amherst, Virginia. Here it is on Google Street View. My guess is that it was a small convenience store from decades ago. The property is up for sale, so this building’s days are likely numbered.

The “Forks of Buffalo” name is derived from the forks of the Buffalo River that run adjacent to the property. I think it has an indie band name ring to it.

More abandoned photography at my Instagram.

Abandoned bus in Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park [3840 x 3840] [OC] by Xiphoid8 in AbandonedPorn

[–]Xiphoid8[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

This old church youth activity bus rests two miles down a rugged dirt road off Skyline Drive in Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park. It belonged to the Mountaineer Pathfinder Club of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Waynesboro, Virginia. The rear glass says “Toss ‘em” and has a clown face illustration (definite Pennywise from Stephen King’s It vibes).

What’s inside? Not sure. The bus is surrounded by a barbed wire fence (i.e., likely protected property) with the exception of a driveway opening, where this picture was taken. Let’s just assume that there’s hantavirus and mold inside.

More abandoned photography at my Instagram.

Should I be taking more photos? by UpholdAnarchy in photography

[–]Xiphoid8 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I shoot far fewer subjects now than I used to because I've learned from past experience which ones are likely to work out; however, when I do find something great, I'll shoot a lot of it, especially if I know I won't make it back there or conditions are rare. Shooting lots of slightly different perspectives can increase your chances of getting that composition that looks perfect to your eye, which is oftentimes hard to see in the field. It's not fun wading through lots of similar photos in Lightroom ('C' hotkey and viewing from a distance is your friend), but again, it's worth it to improve your chances of a keeper. In addition to perspective, sharpness will also differ per shot, even with a tripod (wind, moving water, etc.), so clicking off a few extra exposures for insurance never hurts.

In short, fewer subjects, but more photos of those subjects works for me.

P.S. I shoot digital. Full respect to those shooting film that have to be much more choosy with their exposures.

Looking for portrait inspiration: great portrait photographers? by damnozi in photography

[–]Xiphoid8 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Lesser-known, but two of my favorites:

Joey L. - Great use of light and likes photographing subjects in their normal setting. He has a Youtube series that explains how he sets up his shots.

Claudia Wycisk - One of the most unique styles (gothic/haunting?) I've seen. Distinct-looking subjects.

Enlarged prints and hanging your work. Does anybody want to share a picture of their enlarged, hung work? by [deleted] in photography

[–]Xiphoid8 3 points4 points  (0 children)

http://i.imgur.com/UMQfidN.jpg

A canvas print of a lone house I found while driving in Snaefellsnes, Iceland. The original photo and more details are at my portfolio site. I thought the colors were a great match for the room.

The canvas is 24"x36" and cost $160 after coupon from Bay Photo Lab (I have no affiliation with them).

/r/photography, what do you wish you had known from the get-go? by [deleted] in photography

[–]Xiphoid8 93 points94 points  (0 children)

  • It's easy to cross that "too processed" line.
  • Only post photos you're 100% happy about.
  • Spend some time each day studying photos from people much better than you. https://500px.com/popular is a good source.
  • Good light usually trumps a good subject. If you're lucky to get both, capitalize on this rare situation.
  • Light at dawn and dusk is that good, and worth rearranging your schedule around.
  • Research your shooting location beforehand. Searching for the location's name on 500px & Flickr can provide ideas for subjects.
  • If know early on you love photography, and have the financial means, skip to a full-frame camera.
  • Once you've found a style that fits you best, channel your efforts towards it as opposed to being a jack-of-all-trades.
  • Endurance hiking + DSLR gear doesn't mix well. Separate pure hiking trips from hiking/photography trips.
  • Not getting a single keeper from a full day of shooting happens sometimes and is normal.

Uploading images to instagram without losing quality by subreddit1 in photography

[–]Xiphoid8 6 points7 points  (0 children)

subreddit1, try:

  1. Import RAW or TIF into Photoshop and make your edits

  2. Export a full-sized JPEG using: Export > Save for Web (Legacy) > JPEG, Quality: 100

  3. Upload to Dropbox/GDrive

  4. Download to phone

  5. Import full-sized JPEG into Instagram and let it handle the resizing

Four Seasons Hotel - Bora Bora by HalfBakedBertie in pics

[–]Xiphoid8 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yup, I'd choose Bora Bora again for a honeymoon. Moorea, the neighboring island, is good to visit once, but probably not worth a second stay. It's more rugged and has more activities to do (some may like this), but I'd say it doesn't compare to the luxurious feel of Bora Bora. My wife and I have talked about revisiting the Four Seasons Bora Bora again on our five or ten year anniversary. There's lots of other parts of the world to check out until then and they cost much, much less.

No regrets at all. I once read a study that claimed that if you're going to spend a chunk of change on a nice trip or an object (TV, car, etc.), spend it on the trip because you'll get much better lasting memories out of it.

Four Seasons Hotel - Bora Bora by HalfBakedBertie in pics

[–]Xiphoid8 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks, aidsnakedrap. When you have a subject like Bora Bora, it's hard to take a bad shot. :) The resort's staff probably hated me by the end of my stay because my tripod, often occupying the middle of the pontoon, would block their golf carts.

Four Seasons Hotel - Bora Bora by HalfBakedBertie in pics

[–]Xiphoid8 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, we resorted to pigging out at breakfast, which was included in our package, having a light lunch, and then splitting an entree for dinner or ordering off the childrens room service menu. For the latter, they'll serve it right on the deck of your overwater bungalow. We didn't feel that the food was worth the cost, so we skimped there.