Friend, Oregon (with a before & after)

I’m really not sure I should be sharing this.  It’s not necessarily a big secret, but it is amazing how many people I have talked to that didn’t know this place existed.  Anyway, last fall I took my son out to this super cool “abandoned” schoolhouse in Friend, OR.  When you get there, it clearly is under used, but you get the sense that someone is coming by and keeping it maintained.  When I was reading about it online, I really couldn’t find a whole lot of information about the place.  But it is open to the public.  You can just walk right in and leave a note on the chalkboard or play a few keys on the very untuned piano.  I decided to make a few portraits with my son.  This particular portrait, I originally didn’t think was very good.  I also didn’t know how to use the patch tool in photoshop at the time I edited this photo.  :-)  Another thing I’m not sure if I should share (but what the heck), is a before and after of this silhouette.  I actually doctored this photo more than I like and definitely more than normal, but I knew there was potential.  My biggest gripe with it being SOOC was the cross going through my son’s head.  And I wish I had centered him more and I wish the glass hadn’t been as dirty.  

Anyway, let a few months go by and practice some photoshopping skills and viola…a whole new picture!

Hope everyone is having a great day!