Front of house on a cold night

 I recently created a paint of birds feeding on my little front patio. It was from the view out of the first window you see. My bedroom. I worked from a photo I took from that window but there is a screen covering the window and I have to hold my phone almost parallel to the window so there is a glare and a distortion. I had the photo printed so I could use it as reference for the painting. That painting can be seen currently on facebook @joelmarksmithart. 

Anyway, I would love to paint the birds feeding from this vantage point. The birds will have nothing to do with that though, and won't come around while I stand there (duh). I am thinking of painting this anyway. I would probably add more snow (add some brighter white). My recent painting had to much gray color in it. I was trying to get a shadowy look and just didn't get it right. 

I like the architectural aspect of this photo. Of course having studied some architecture in college I may be more partial to that sort of thing but, the like the way the lines of the house and bench and bushes mostly all shoot off to the right side vanishing point. As does the patio below. Also, the Crepe Myrtle tree, the way it's pruned back reminds me of some French impressionist painters that have painted either peach trees, or other pruned fruit and flowering trees Particularly I am reminded of one of Vincent Van Gogh's painting. 

And so, the idea of painting this scene comes down to thinking about:

a) the fact that isn't a very interesting painting as most people may not appreciate the architecture aspect as a main theme. It's just a porch, I don't get it.  

b)The colors are darker. This is actually a photo taken at night. The front of my house is basking in the nocturnal glow of a sodium vapor lamp across the street, on the corner. Hence adding some white my help. Most artists painting night time snow scenes typically use the color blue for the shadowy parts. But I like the brown tones of the stone and yellowish white roofline line and window frames . The snow bits truly look grayish to me.

c) no birds, but I could 'fake' them in there. 

which brings me to 

d) would I enjoy painting it? - yes, yes I think so.