Haunted? Probably not. It’s more likely the beginning of settlement on this farm property.
I rarely talk about my shooting process, but here goes. I typically address three questions; sometimes mulling them over and sometimes almost instantly. The questions are 1.) Why does this shot appeal to me?; 2.) Is this the best angle to capture the image?; and 3.) How can I best convey the emotional response this subject raises in me? I have been influenced in these questions by Freeman Patterson (whose work I love!) and Ansel Adams (who still often inspires me, though dead, to consider black-and-white photos).
Here’s how I answered the questions. One. I love the mystical image of the fog, mist, and old wood contrasted with the reflection of the morning sun off of the window. Two. After moving around a bit, I settled on this shot because the light reflected best off of the window, the road draws your eyes to the cabin, and the trees frame the shot. Three. Getting a darker picture with the fog still prominent and the light just starting to break through came as close as I could come to conveying my emotional response.
In processing I preferred the starkness of the black-and-white photo (all I used to shoot), but included the color image for comparison.
Which image connects best with you?

House in Black-and-White

House in Early Morning Color