Downturn

I spotted this abandoned industrial site on a walk round the dark side of town and thought it would yield an interesting set of photographs, a sort of photo essay. I decided to keep it to five pictures to give you a feel for the place.

You won't like them, probably, but as Adams said, "These places mean something..." I've tried to figure-out what.












Kind regards,

Andrew

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Best wishes,

Andrew

"These places mean something and it's the job of a photographer to figure-out what the hell it is."
Robert Adams
"The camera doesn't make a bit of difference.  All of them can record what you are seeing.  But, you have to SEE."
Ernst Hass
My website: http://www.ephotozine.com/user/bwlchmawr-199050 http://s927.photobucket.com/home/ADC3440/index
https://www.flickr.com/photos/78898196@N05

Very nice set... really love 1 & 3.

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Pentax K-30, Pentax K-m, Pentax 18-55mm DAL, Pentax 50-200mm DAL, Pentax SMC DA 35mm f/2.8, Tamron AF 70-300mm Di LD, Ricoh XR Rikenon 50mm f2, Sigma 18-125mm, Sigma 10-20mm, Pentax FA 50mm 1.7

They really do portray the abandonment of the premises

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let the education continue

proud owner of a couple of cameras and a few bits and bobs

i really like them too but would they not work better in b/w personal preference but very nice shots

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Emma
"Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever... it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything." Aaron Siskind
Bodies K20D, LTL 3, K1000d
Lenses Pentax 50mm, Pentax 135mm, Tamron 70-300 macro

I like number 1 a lot, nice lead in and great colour!

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Tim
AF - Pentax K5, Sigma 10-20/4-5.6, Tamron 17-50/2.8, Sigma 30/1.4, Sigma 70-200/2.8, Tamron 70-300/4-5.6
MF - Vivitar CF 28/2.8, Tamron AD2 90/2.5, MTO 1000/11
Stuff - Metz 58 AF1, Cactus v4, Nikon SB24, Raynox 150, Sigma 1.4x TC, Sigma 2x TC, Kenko 2x macro TC, Redsnapper 283 tripod, iMac 27”, Macbook Pro 17”, iPad, iPhone 3G
Flickr • Fluidr • PPG • Street • Portfolio site
Feel free to edit any of my posted photos! If I post a photo for critique, I want brutal honesty. If you don't like it, please say so and tell me why!

Nice work! For me its the interior shots that have most poignancy.

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[link=https://500px.com/will_brealey/[/link]

1 & 3 for me also Andrew.

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http://www.pbase.com/iberg

That's fantastic, just the sort of place I love to stumble across. It isn't even necessary to know what it was used for or when, it's just great to see it and soak up the atmosphere.

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Best regards, John

Thank you very much for all of your positive and kind comments, folks. There were other pictures of small details: roosting pigeons, two elextric bells, a disused and rusting stairway and some old regulatory posters but I wanted to keep people's attention by restricting the number of shots.

John, the building afinished its life as a non-franchise garage/car repairers: what it was originally I've no idea. It was probably a light engineering, sheet metal or joinery firm.

There's a similar building next door which I also photographed, but I think it must have been a separate business. I didn't break in, of course: someone had already done that for me. And I suppose, strictly speaking the buildings were a bit dangerous, structurally, but these places are so rare in the southwest I just couldn't resist.

Emma, my initial reaction was that these would make a great monochrome set, even sepia, I often convert to b/w but there's so little colour and the whole set-up is so bleak and bereft of life, the few spots of colour added a sad poignancy, like something forgotten or left behind. But I still may do a conversion.

I kept things very simple, technically. Something Kris wrote gave me the idea that the 18-55 mark I kit zoom may be better than I'd been led to believe so I fished that out (it's still the widest lens I own, so I was glad I did). The pictures were all fine JPEGs at 400ASA when I could manage it and 800 when I couldn't. Verticals were all corrected using "distort" in Photoshop and there was selective levelling, sometimes shadow/highlight work and sharpening.

Thank you again for looking and commenting.

Best wishes,

Andrew

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Best wishes,

Andrew

"These places mean something and it's the job of a photographer to figure-out what the hell it is."
Robert Adams
"The camera doesn't make a bit of difference.  All of them can record what you are seeing.  But, you have to SEE."
Ernst Hass
My website: http://www.ephotozine.com/user/bwlchmawr-199050 http://s927.photobucket.com/home/ADC3440/index
https://www.flickr.com/photos/78898196@N05

Well done Andrew. You have documented this well. I wonder if Emma has a valid point - would they look better in gritty, contrasty black and white?
david

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PPG: http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/artists/davidtrout

As suggested by Emma and David, I had a go at some straightforward monochrome conversions. 15% grain added as well. Some burning on the opening shot.










I'm not sure. I normally love monochrome but here...I don't know.
Chaque un a son gout, I suppose.

Regards,

Andrew

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Best wishes,

Andrew

"These places mean something and it's the job of a photographer to figure-out what the hell it is."
Robert Adams
"The camera doesn't make a bit of difference.  All of them can record what you are seeing.  But, you have to SEE."
Ernst Hass
My website: http://www.ephotozine.com/user/bwlchmawr-199050 http://s927.photobucket.com/home/ADC3440/index
https://www.flickr.com/photos/78898196@N05

When I first looked at these I wondered what they might look like in monochrome, I think I prefer the colour version of the first shot (which happens to be my favourite of the series). I also like the 'looking through the smashed window' shot but this time in black and white.

A very atmospheric series Andrew and not a little depressing but nicely captured of course

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Regards Huw

flickr

Thanks Huw,
I think the first shot works as a stand-alone but they're best as a series, I think. When I took them I didn't feel any of them was a great individual photograph: it was like working on a collage, if you know what I mean.

Best wishes,

Andrew

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Best wishes,

Andrew

"These places mean something and it's the job of a photographer to figure-out what the hell it is."
Robert Adams
"The camera doesn't make a bit of difference.  All of them can record what you are seeing.  But, you have to SEE."
Ernst Hass
My website: http://www.ephotozine.com/user/bwlchmawr-199050 http://s927.photobucket.com/home/ADC3440/index
https://www.flickr.com/photos/78898196@N05

Very nice Andrew. I love abandoned buildings for their texture & form. This is a great little series. I prefer the original colour shots as they are suitably contrasy & muted to begin with & portray the dereliction better than the mono versions.

There is a large movement called "urbex" - there are forums that may help you find nearby sites. Of course, some can be very dangerous so I'd suggest going as at least a pair & letting others know where you are going !

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My Flickr

The first I like better in colour, the last in monochrome. It is a great 'photo essay' and does indeed work well as a set. I wonder whether the fourth one would work well as monochrome but with the red sign 'popped'? I'm not normally a fan of popping but in this case in might work well.

Best wishes, Kris.

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Kris Lockyear
It is an illusion that photos are made with the camera… they are made with the eye, heart and head. Henri Cartier-Bresson
Lots of film bodies, a couple of digital ones, too many lenses (mainly older glass) and a Horseman LE 5x4.
My website