Abandoned - urban decay ideas for project

As a fan of street photography and photojournalism in general I think its important to have a personal photo project to work towards every year. In previous years I have done, local birds and wildlife, stranger street portraits, general street photography and most recently analogue street portraits.

As I look towards 2017 I want to do something different and I am unashamedly going to ask everyone here what sort of ideas would you like to share?

I need some ideas to get the creative juices going! When you google "photo project" ideas it always returns boring things like... macro, oil in water and other crap like that. I want something more social and streety related although thats probably not describing it very well.

Anyone willing to share ideas that they have fermenting or even a few pointers VERY greatfully received

Cheers

I have also been looking into this to include this on my to do list 👍

I have spotted a number of possible locations relatively local to me so these are unlikely to help and I am only just starting to look into this, however, I have had some success finding locations with web searches for images of urban decay and then wondering if I could take a look myself. 😀

I know this is hardly original but at least it's a start.

Are you at the same sort of stage?

Hey stuey

Yea Im considering the same sort of thing. Ive taken a few images already in my home town - buildings that have went derelict and how nature and graffiti has taken over. I dislike HDR urban decay photos - im leaning towards mostly film with a bit of Q thrown in.

I would love something with people but its trying to think of something different

If you want to bounce ideas about the urban decay thing go ahead mate

What about local sport? I'm not talking large football or rugby clubs, but local people participating in whatever sporting activities?

This would give massive scope for 'people pics' and also a creative take on the subject that not many people seem to do.

Regards
David

Edit: Oops I think I missed the title of this forum post, maybe not sport then? However, I bet there's a fair few local sporting venues in various states of decay?

Hi Alistair

Whilst I tend to avoid people shots it may well be difficult to incorporate them into shots of decay, challenging for you and helping my intention to avoid people in my shots 😐

My thinking is to avoid hdr as I too am not a fan - textures, decay, rust etc all have possibilities.

I intend to visit, if possible, less well known places and then try to expand from there.

I want to avoid the overdone almost cliché places such as the abandoned hospital in Denbigh, however, it has also occurred to me that it may be good practice to try that sort of thing and then apply what I learn to other locations.

Andrew (Bwlchmawr) recently posted images including Porth Wen, Anglesey which has now been placed on my list as such.

It should be relatively easy to access abandoned farms and buildings near here, would there be issues for you on your area?

With so many urban regeneration projects going on I guess inner city 'decay' may not be so easy to find in the near future.

I am very much in the early stages of this but will throw some ideas around as and when if that is OK with you☺

Regards


Stu

Allotments? There are some real characters and quirky structures. A whole subculture.

Sports? There are opportunities David but I dont want to hang around football all day - not my kinda thing. As for allotments there arent any around here that I know of.

Yes I agree Stuey regeneration projects are slowly but surely doing away with these places of interest to me. I dont know if they do the same thing over in england scotland or wales but over here in NI they put really awful garish posters over windows and doors depicting shops with interiors inside. Fecking horrible and cost thousands of pounds

It's always worth recording buildings and areas about to be redeveloped, and those developments in progress. They are great record of social change (provided they get published somewhere to be seen!)

You will get a lot of ideas from the UrbanExploration lot at 28 days later link

Get yourself a ModelMayhem or StarNow account, put out casting calls for interesting models with their own creative ideas - collaborate.

excellent ideas lads

thanks for the input. I love the urban shots and the model mayhem idea is one that has been brewing to be honest for some time

Some of my photo friends at the camera club are into URBEX and have produced some sensational images. But in my opinion its a hazardous occupation which involves breaking into derelict buildings such as old schools, hospitals, asylums factories etc, many of which are in a dangerous condition and the risk of injury, or arrest for trespass, are considerable.
One of your favourite subjects is street photography and a branch of that discipline always fascinates me; the relationship of the human figure to modern architecture where there are endless possibilities for juxtaposition pictures showing the immense contrast between huge structures and tiny human figures.
David

Yes David street photography is at the heart of what I enjoy the most. I am trying had to marry backgrounds and buildings with my subjects but its hard to ask someone you have never met to walk with you down alleyways and graffiti-esque places

I would never dream of entering derelict buidlings - i am doing so from only the outside

Cheers

A