Multiple Barns, East Windsor CT

You don’t have to go far to find an old barn to photograph when travelling through East Windsor CT. It’s a barn photographers paradise. While many of these barns catered to the once flourishing tobacco industry in town there are plenty of other utilitarian barns. These four images are a mixture of both.

Last count The Historic Barns of CT website has (184) barns featured in the town of East Windsor alone. I’ve used this website for many years to find most of these gems. If you’re into this sort of thing take a gander over to  https://connecticutbarns.org/find/found?limit=12&category=838&require_all=category

If you do decide to track these barns down and take some photo’s I’d suggest a standard length zoom lens, (from wide to mid tele), and a telephoto, (up to 100-400 mm), for those barns further offset from the road.  I can’t tell you how to operate but I respect peoples privacy and never want to sully the good name of us photographers.  So I follow the following rules:

1.  Park SAFELY on the side of the roadway.  If you can’t park safely then don’t do it.  Avoiding a rear end collision is key.  Some barns are located on higher speed roads and routes. Many people operate their phones while driving and aren’t giving the road their complete attention.
2. I also carry a bright orange collapsible rubber cone.  When I think it’s necessary I put the cone on the road about 15 yards in front of my vehicle to alert oncoming traffic.
3. I don’t park in such a way that I’m forcing traffic to go into the oncoming lane.  Taking these pictures is a gift and a privilege, not my right, so endangering anyone is out of the question.
4. If conditions don’t allow for parking on the road or somewhere nearby I do a drive by. I make sure there are no cars behind me, set my camera settings up in advance, briefly pause the vehicle and take an image out the drivers windows.  It’s better than nothing and it’s safely done.
5. Don’t trespass.  I’ll say it again DON’T TRESPASS.  Not even a foot. That’s how we stay out of trouble and keep our good name.
6. Sometimes, again depending on the location, I will put on a reflective vest.
7. Respect peoples privacy. Even though you have the legal right, in most cases, to park on the side of the road, nobody wants a spectacle in their front yard.
8. I personally try to get in and out as quick as possible.  If I have to use a tripod I’ve gotten rather quick at it over the years.
9. If approached by the homeowner I interact courteously and professionally.  I tell them what I’m doing, what my mission is and what my website is.  I don’t provide my name (usually).
10. I printed some business cards on my computer that show my website and only my first name.  I hand them out if I think it has merit.
11. If I sense they are in anyway concerned I offer to delete the image (which I would show them that I’m doing).  However, that only happened once.
12. In the hundreds of barn photo’s I’ve taken I encountered just one nasty gentleman and it wasn’t pretty.  However, I maintained my professionalism and did delete the photo. I kept my distance because he bordered crazy and I got out of their quickly. Yes I was just on the side of the road but apparently so many photographers had stopped to do what I was doing over the years that he had just had enough. Frankly he was so rude I didn’t really want his photo on my website anymore.
13. On the other hand the few times I do get approached people are very kind and respectful.  I’ve had folks invite me inside their barns as well as a tour of their farm.  It’s all about how you treat folks. I’m kind of a loner but a polite loner which resulted in forming some long term relationships.
14. Another appreciated bit of advice “compliment them on their barn”.  People love hearing that. You’re photographing it for a reason.
15. My last bit of advice is about the Police. I have never been approached by a Police Officer.  So it’s simple, don’t break the law.  Don’t break any traffic, trespassing or parking laws. Personally I’d advise showing them respect and answering their questions.  I have nothing to hide.  They may be fellow photographers, you don’t know.