by Guest Artist Steve Heap
As relative newcomers to Morgantown and West Virginia, our first drive down Main Street before we found a home was a little depressing. Like many towns, shopping has migrated out and the traditional main street shops have become dollar stores, it seems. So, although the scenery around this part of West Virginia is spectacular, I wasn’t sure the architecture of the town itself would interest me.
But then I discovered Woodburn Hall! Built in 1870 as one of the core buildings of West Virginia University, it has a warm and intriguing design and right from this first image taken in 2016, I knew I would be back!
And I was! I was down there in the early evening, hoping for an interesting sunset as the lights on the building provide a warm contrast:
I’ve been back after a fall of snow again in the late afternoon to get a winter view of the buildings surrounding the gardens here:
And I’ve done some compositing work to move the famous Mountaineer Statue, beloved of the football team, from its position across the road to a more pleasing artistic location!
Finally, as my technology improved, I decided to try for an aerial view to show how this centerpiece of WVU fits in with the town and the river winding its way across the plain.
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What all this made me realize is that with an attractive and historic building such as this, there is never one great shot. There are so many possibilities, and I realize that I haven’t really got any spring or fall images, that you really need to spend as much time capturing its nuances as you do trying to get that perfect fall leaves photograph! Several of these images have proved popular with collectors – I am sure some of them are gracing the walls of the offices of WVU graduates as they start their careers!
Guest Artist Steve Heap
Steve Heap has a broad range of travel and landscape imagery available with free shipping and a 30-day money back guarantee in his Pictorem portfolio.
Steve writes about the stories behind his photographs at BackyardImage.com.
Great article from Steve. It’s often worthwhile re-visiting a scene in different light and weather conditions just like the pictures of Woodburn hall
Collaboration and guest blogging is a great idea. Nice article by Steve.
Agreed, Bob. Steve is a very talented photographer and good writer.