Losing color and gaining clarity
Normally when I process photos I aim to capture the moment as seen but sometimes, it is better to capture the moment as experienced and process it in a way that tells the story of the moment. I think that these images from an abandoned factory tell the story better desaturated and with a little more contrast between the shadows and the light flooding through the windows.
I spent a little bit of time talking with the graffiti artist and asked if I could take a picture or two which he agreed to as long as I didn't take his face or at least, didn't post the images. He is around my age and had been painting at this location for about 20 years on and off.
For him, it is a space to relax and forget the troubles of the day, a place to meditate through his art. If more people took the same attitude and meditated doing what they really enjoyed, the world would be a much more peaceful place. He lamented the fact that the building complex was finally going to be torn down or renovated an said he would miss having the peace and quiet.
This one is of my wife as she looked out the window toward the lake and a construction area across the road This factory is in a great location and where she is standing is going to be part of an early childhood education center. As we were walking through I was saying that if I ever had the money, I would buy an old, rundown brick building and turn it into a home.
I would love to renovate a place of steel and stone into a minimalist home of clean, sharp lines with exposed elements of what lay beneath to break the large, white surfaces. Of course, the money involved for such a venture is a little out of reach at the moment. Talking about impossible dreams is a thing, young couples do. Not that we are so young.
This is one of my favorite areas as it is a large opening that runs almost the entire length of the building and has these massive gaping windows that look out at the lake. I can imagine that this could be turned into one of the grandest of spaces imaginable and could home any number of activities. It was once filled with machinery to make matchsticks.
Due to this, if I was to renovate such a place, I would take advantage of the fantastic hardwoods that Finland has available and put in massive blocks of highlighting beams that would work to separate the space and add interest to the eyeline.
This last one has a little more of an ominous feel to it and gives me the impression of a horror movie scene as the camera tracks through a ruined hospital and into a room filled with medical equipment and bodies hanging, wrapped in plastic. I have been in this place several times at night and I have to say, it isn't the most inviting in the dark with nothing but a small torch. I loved it.
This places in ruin and disrepair are inviting for me and in some way homely. They are canvases where the dimensions are set but, are still blank. When I walk in I already start rebuilding, remodeling and mentally removing walls and replacing them with various materials tho test them out. Being able to visualize how something could be is a game I have been playing since I was quite young and now I don't really have to think too much before my mind tears apart and puts back together a room.
Well, this wasn't so much about photography but, there are stories in each image that if we are not careful, we will scroll through without ever considering them or, what they could be given a little color or, having a little taken away.
There are narratives everywhere if you take the time to pick up a thread and gently pull.
Taraz
[ a Steem original ]
As I started to read this post the first few lines made me remember a certain conversation that we had a few months ago. I think it might hold certain relevance here. This is part of the conversion from the post titled as '...And, sometimes you need colour'
Me: ............... I think time and place matters with grey scale images more than with colored. A lot of information that a viewer has to fill it with - capture the heart of that grey scale picture and your viewer can fill it colors that don't even exist. With colored it's what you see is what you get :-)
You: ....................... I am not very attached to borders though. I like colour too. These would be lame in black and white :)
Me: That's what I said about black and white - right time and place. Otherwise they can't compete :-)
You mention how sometime it is important to capture the moment as it were experienced and not as it were just seen. Black and white pictures are actually grey scale (digitally). The amount of information in the picture is much less than a colored one and yet sometimes it will tell you far more about the moment it was taken.
Somehow rundown buildings are the same. They tell you more about them than newly modeled block of concrete ever could. To renovate a building is great idea .........one that that reminds me of an act that somehow is noble and life giving.
I think the B&W is more expressive because it shows a clearer line between the light and shadow, it forces the eye to pay attention and focus. Old buildings are the same, they tell a story of what has come to pass and makes the eye look for signs of what that may have been. the new are all alike, like newborn babies, they all look similar but as they age, personality comes with experience.
We are so quick and arrogant to get to where we are going that we don't see the value in anything that presents itself in the journey . So much learning and self development is missed
Indeed it is. Most value is in things that most people walk by without noticing and when someone does notice and turns it into something valuable, those that walked by say, I could have done that.
I loved reading through this. It's the kind of post I enjoy the most: you sharing images that are beautiful to you, and sharing with me, your audience, why. There is so much about the world that can captivate us. Or can go unnoticed. If we can share a bit of the marvel we see in the world with each other, if we can pass on the magic - it's a great way to make the world a more beautiful place!
Perhaps it helps to see what others see, what they enjoy just to bring in a little perspective and highlight an area that might have been overlooked.
You are so right. Instead of knocking down these buildings it would make a great project and a fantastic family home. When I was living in England there were so many homes that were being torn down for flats. I understand the need for more homes but we are losing the history. I have also become a straight line minimalist sort of person. No clutter and thinking spaces where one can relax. Maybe we are getting old.
This one is actually protected so won't be knocked down. It will be converted by the council to be a centre for kids. There are a few other buildings similar in the complex. Other newer prefab buildings have been removed to make way for apartments though and I think it is going to create an interesting contrast in the space.
Oh, I know I am old.
Photos earn more, @tarazkp, and especially if you take them in black and white. It seems to me that what you do is good not only for creativity but also for getting your brain working. We can usually see objects or spaces that can tell us stories, but we can also see them and create stories. Just as you look at someone on the bus and play guessing or creating a life for them, imagine how they got there. The spaces say, but only in the face of a few looks like yours. Beautiful afternoon.
Sometimes I think there should be an app for that guessing game that you can later find out how accurate the guesses were =)
Buying an old factory or warehouse isnt as far out of reach as most people would think. The renovation process can be though. I looked at a few of them years ago. I had the same plans. You can actually get them pretty cheap if they contain asbestos, lead paint, and knob and tube wiring (which most do). The problem is, that banks wont loan on them until these things are removed. You are allowed to occupy them, you just cant get a loan yet. Of course, these things are all dangourous, but asbestos and lead take exposure over years. Knob and tube can catch fire. With a little knowledge and caution, you can remove them on your own. All of our parents grew up in houses with lead paint. Asbestos is the worst. Its not harmful at all until it is disturbed and floats through the air. If you pay attention to floor tiles (the type you see on the floor in walmart), they are 12x12". If you see 8x8" they are asbestos. A lot of older buildings being used today still have them. If you have something else to borrow against, it can be done. Just make sure you wear the propper mask when removing asbestos. A supplied air hood is the best. You can buy a pretty nice one for around $200. I would also wear a disposable tyvek suit to keep the fibers out of your clothes. I hope that makes your dream seem a little more within reach.
Oh yeah. One more thing. Love the photos. The last one does have a horror feel, but i love it.
In Finland it is illegal I think to remove asbestos by yourself, have to pay for professionals to do the job properly and no one else is allowed to be around. Not sure about the wiring.
The cost of renovation here is extreme in my opinion because there is so much regulation and this particular building is protected which makes matters much, much worse. in finland they seem happy to protect anything though...
Yeah. Its the same way in America. I am a professional now though. Its not hard here. Not sure about Finland. I just had to take an online course. It cost me $75 and it took about 6 hours. Most of it was common sense. Seal up the building, don't breath it, etc. You dont have to seal the building here if you keep the asbestos wet, so it cant become airborn. Obviously your laws are a little different from ours but its worth looking into if you ever find another building that may be available.
I guess you're right. Every image has a story to tell. Some on the surface, some may possess deeper meanings
These graffiti tells a story, in fact it would make an amazing movie or music scene used for production really. The one of your wife is amazing really, it would be a great loss to see such a place broken down really it speaks volume
There is such phenomenal beauty in abandoned places to me. I really connect to the emptiness and I love the feelings of loss and decay. That may sound odd, but I don't know how else to describe it and I have no idea why I like it.
The addition of the graffiti art is just perfect for this setting. There are so many stories and emotions wrapped up in those creations.
This sounds like absolute perfection to me. My wife and I have talked extensively about buy an old school, small factory, church, etc to renovated and make modern and minimalist. Maybe if I keep chugging with Steemit it will be sooner rather than never....lol