Abandoned loft space in Deep Ellum - Dallas, TX

Abandoned building space in Deep Ellum - Dallas, TX

Shot this through opening in boarded up window. I thought I noticed a pretty stained glass window at opposite end of the building but it was just the colorful light coming through plain windows. When I took the photo I didn't really see the colors that came through until processed.

Any suggestions or personal observations on shooting dark areas like this without a flash? If it weren't for the light coming in from opposite side of building there would be nothing to look at. Any feedback or thoughts on this particular shot welcome.

Nikon D5300 + 18-55 kit lens, f/5.0, 1/100, ISO-800

Thanks Marilynne. I don't normally shoot in low light areas either. I've shot my best photos outdoors and in well lit places but after seeing some of the other interior shots I took it was clear I should improve a bit.

Welcome,i dont shoot in the dark either.

Welcome to the website.

LOL as is the theme of not shooting in the dark... I do shoot in the dark. Depending on your editing skill level, this would have been a great multiple exposure shot layered together. One for the lighting of the room. The other exposed for the area that blew out from the light hitting the walls.

I love abandoned places and wish I had some here to shoot. Crazy colors inside.

I like the shot overall. The light area at the bottom really distracts from the scene for me. I would consider cropping it out. This may look more pano or crop the walls in for more uniformity.

Welcome.

I like the shot a lot just as it is. There are things you could do to make it look different, but I like the natural light coming through the windows and the great variety of colors in this scene. The dark spots are where the dark spots should be. We don't always need to see the detail in the shadows. I think the dark corners add to the mood of the picture. Nice job!

I don't shoot in the dark either, but I'm usually in the dark when I'm shooting.

This would have made a killer HDR shot.

Nice shot, man. I have a lot of friends in Dallas - Deep Ellum is a great area to explore.

Agree with Lovin Our Life's comment that the bright area at the bottom of the shot is distracting. The windows should be the brightest area of the photo - your eye should be pulled "through the tunnel" to give a nice sense of depth.

I suggest adding a graduated filter to the bottom of the frame. Use this to reduce exposure and darken that area in a smooth, natural way - without taking away from the blue light that makes this space interesting.

Hope this helps!

What a find!

I like the shot, without a doubt, and can't really make any suggestions above what MM said above re: a bracketed/layered approach. This is one of those shots that begs for a lot of experimentation in the post processing, as I'm betting you could get dozens of different looks/feels out of just the one scene. As it stand though, it's a beauty!

this is interesting. I really love the rainbow of colors, it draws my eye through the image instead of relying on the leading lines. I do wish there was a bit more boost in the shadows so I could see whats going on with the left wall a bit more. I like the graffiti and the electrical conduit there.

A few bracketed shots merged in a way to just bring more depth to the image without going all HDR cookery would be amazing. I don't know how to do that...