Derelict Shanghai

Much has been made of the amazing rise & rise of Shanghai. e.g Over the last 10 years alone more high rise towers have been built than contained in the whole of Manhattan. However little is shown of the demolition of the old neighbourhoods to make way for these mega constructions.

This area, by the side of the Suzhou Canal will soon be replaced by new residential towers similar to those seen in the background. In the meantime a few old families still eke out a living growing vegetables amongst the rubble and collecting rubbish for recycling.

Wall

[IMG]http://frogfish.smugmug.com/Other/Urban/i-mWVVXxL/0/XL/IMGP2147-3-XL.jpg[/IMG]

i Used To Play Here

[IMG]http://frogfish.smugmug.com/Other/Urban/i-vVtmx5q/0/XL/IMGP2139-1-XL.jpg[/IMG]

Ivy

[IMG]http://frogfish.smugmug.com/Other/Urban/i-96PH3mb/0/XL/IMGP2177-1-XL.jpg[/IMG]

Shoe

[IMG]http://frogfish.smugmug.com/Other/Urban/i-25jgGsG/0/XL/IMGP2229-1-XL.jpg[/IMG]

Cathedral

[IMG]http://frogfish.smugmug.com/Other/Urban/i-Gp8gQtP/0/XL/IMGP2215-1-XL.jpg[/IMG]

Yellow River

[IMG]http://frogfish.smugmug.com/Other/Urban/i-JsxM693/0/XL/IMGP2158-1-XL.jpg[/IMG]

Rubble

[IMG]http://frogfish.smugmug.com/Other/Urban/i-5Z2VPrg/0/XL/IMGP2224-3-XL.jpg[/IMG]

Good job you got there beforehand! Wall, shoe and cathedral are my favourites.

A wonderful set altogether, I love the contrast you've managed to captured between the new and old. Superb!

Excellent set!!!


Those old buildings have a billion per cent more charm and beauty than those high rise behind. Even in their derelict state.

It's great that you are taking pics to archive the place before it gets sanitised.

In 60 years time someone will post pics of derelict high rise buildings


C&C .... some of the colouring looks a bit unnatural.

a] the demolished wall in the first shot

b] I think the colour popping on shoe spoils it. I would have slightly desaturated everything but the shoe to highlight it instead. That's just me though I'm not a fan of colour popping

This is a priceless record of history being made, well done. I like them all but I'm particularly interested in I used to play here. The graffito is in English.
David

Thanks Jamie.

Thank you John - very pleased you enjoyed them !

Thanks Smeggy - couldn't agree more, I love these old places. Hmmm not sure about the wall, think that's it's natural colour as although I used auto curves first I only used a selective saturation brush on the main subject. It really is that grey. When I look at it again I see what you mean though ..... the wall was literally inches from me and the house 50-60 yds away so maybe it's as a result of the perspective ? The shoe was just a bit of fun ... the surrounding rubble is actually quite colourful, lots of orange bricks etc. so I thought this was the best way to highlight the shoe. Really appreciate your C&C - something to think about !

Thank you David ! I am just as perplexed as you with regard to the English graffiti - the Chinese characters to the right say BaBa (father).

These are good, Frog'. It won't be long before these scenes are no more, I guess.
As a suggestion, I would like to have seen some human activity in the other photographs, especially the first one, like someone just walking by providing a greater sense of scale. These are good photos regardless though.

Thanks Pauly. Not many of these sites left downtown that's for sure. What surprised me was the lack of activity, the bulldozers were all locked up in a yard and there were a couple families going about their business - see the yellow river shot above (there were 3 old people picking their vegetables for dinner). I'm wondering if perhaps they have refused to move out.

Difficult to include people in the shots ..... those two families aside the place was deserted (a feat in itself in Shanghai) !

Wall, Shoe and Ivy are my favourites, but a great set overall; nice juxtaposition of new and derelict. With Wall and Ivy, personally I'd prefer to see the verticals corrected, whereas in Cathedral I like it as it is. I get to Shanghai sometimes with work, but not explored it at all, I'll have to have a look round!

Excellent set - cathedral is my favourite.

Thanks for the kind words AG - glad you liked them. Not sure about the verticals - from memory those were the only two I put through PTLens though the problem I had is the towers lean one way and the house the other ! This can happen at opposite ends but not when both are in the centre so I figured it was just the perspective - no ? Cathedral - the lines go every which way ! Let me know next time you're coming over here , be good to meet up for coffee or shoot.

Thanks Mark !

It does a bit doesn't it Gareth.

A very interesting set Frogfish! I used to play here is great, and I also like the shoe shot.

The verticals are slightly controversial, of course A matter of taste, but personally I think it's a fine line on when they should be corrected, and when it looks too fake. I think 'rubble' is a case where it looks a bit wrong, the corners of the buildings seem too acute to me. But in 'I used to play here' they look fine.

The amount of demolition and reconstruction in China is pretty astonishing however you look at it. I took this photo in Guangzhou a few weeks ago of a city block that's just been evacuated prior to demolition. Every building in this photo will be gone in a few months.


Ghost town, Guangzhou by thoughton, on Flickr

Thanks Tim ! That is an amazing shot - it's just incredible what is possible over here.