The first focal point we will be exploring is Hidden Traits. I chose to do abandonment for this because I believe each location has a special connection to certain people as it is places like these that we spend our childhoods in, experiencing life, before it goes to ruins. These places went from being full of life - people meeting up with their beloved ones or people working/shopping/going about their usual business - on a daily basis not thinking about what their surroundings would look like in several decades time. These locations hold stories for many individuals that could impact they person they grew into because of the opportunities and memories these locations have provided them with. My aim is to capture the alluring process of abandonment, seeing the way nature retrieves its territory. I want people to see the beauty in each building as well as remember the locations for what they once were.
- AO1 Contextual Understanding -
əˈbandənm(ə)nt/
noun
noun
- the action or fact of abandoning or being abandoned.
"she had a feeling of utter abandonment and loneliness"
Brainstorm
Moodboard
Illustrations
Inspiration: Abandonment around the globe
Europe: What caught my attention to this topic is the Chernobyl incident. Chernobyl has significant meaning to me because my family were located not too far from the event when it took place, so I have heard first hand stories about the event and it's impact. Here is an extract about the catastrophe:
The Chernobyl disaster, also referred to as the Chernobyl accident, was a catastrophic nuclear accident. It occurred on 25–26 April 1986 in the No. 4 light water graphite moderated reactor at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant near the now-abandoned town of Pripyat, in northern Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Soviet Union. The event occurred during a late-night safety test which simulated a station blackout power-failure, in the course of which safety systems were intentionally turned off.
The Chernobyl accident is considered the most disastrous nuclear power plant accident in history, both in terms of cost and casualties. It is one of only two nuclear energy accidents classified as a level 7 event (the maximum classification) on the International Nuclear Event Scale, the other being the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan in 2011. The struggle to safeguard against scenarios which were perceived as having the potential for greater catastrophe, together with later decontamination efforts of the surroundings, ultimately involved over 500,000 workers and cost an estimated 18 billion rubles.
American Photographer Statement: "One of the most fascinating aspects of exploring asylums is old, discarded patient files, in which I get to see the evidence of the science I've read about. It's one thing to read an entire book about the misunderstandings of mental illness and it's another thing entirely to read an interview between a patient and doctor that happened over 100 years ago, and to see in the doctor's actual handwriting how he incorrectly interpreted the patents symptoms, not out of malice but out of misunderstanding. It's common knowledge that people were often committed erroneously back then, and reading the admission files and interviews is going directly to the source and seeing the evidence of it right there in front of me, [instead of] second hand in a book or a crowd sourced wikipedia article. And those discoveries, and illicit occupation of the spaces,are what make exploring it so addictive. It's uncharted territory, even if countless other urban explorers have been there before me. There is always stuff no one has found and new places to get into."
Photographer Eric Holubow echoes this sentiment, adding, "I am drawn to this subject from a photographic sense due to the heavy emotions of tragedy, injustice and waste that are elicited when you see something so beautiful decay."
The Chernobyl disaster, also referred to as the Chernobyl accident, was a catastrophic nuclear accident. It occurred on 25–26 April 1986 in the No. 4 light water graphite moderated reactor at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant near the now-abandoned town of Pripyat, in northern Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic, Soviet Union. The event occurred during a late-night safety test which simulated a station blackout power-failure, in the course of which safety systems were intentionally turned off.
The Chernobyl accident is considered the most disastrous nuclear power plant accident in history, both in terms of cost and casualties. It is one of only two nuclear energy accidents classified as a level 7 event (the maximum classification) on the International Nuclear Event Scale, the other being the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in Japan in 2011. The struggle to safeguard against scenarios which were perceived as having the potential for greater catastrophe, together with later decontamination efforts of the surroundings, ultimately involved over 500,000 workers and cost an estimated 18 billion rubles.
American Photographer Statement: "One of the most fascinating aspects of exploring asylums is old, discarded patient files, in which I get to see the evidence of the science I've read about. It's one thing to read an entire book about the misunderstandings of mental illness and it's another thing entirely to read an interview between a patient and doctor that happened over 100 years ago, and to see in the doctor's actual handwriting how he incorrectly interpreted the patents symptoms, not out of malice but out of misunderstanding. It's common knowledge that people were often committed erroneously back then, and reading the admission files and interviews is going directly to the source and seeing the evidence of it right there in front of me, [instead of] second hand in a book or a crowd sourced wikipedia article. And those discoveries, and illicit occupation of the spaces,are what make exploring it so addictive. It's uncharted territory, even if countless other urban explorers have been there before me. There is always stuff no one has found and new places to get into."
Photographer Eric Holubow echoes this sentiment, adding, "I am drawn to this subject from a photographic sense due to the heavy emotions of tragedy, injustice and waste that are elicited when you see something so beautiful decay."
Alicia Rius
Alicia Rius is a Spanish photographer born in a small town in Catalonia on the North East portion of Spain. As a teenager, Alicia was influenced by her father and aunt, both avid photographers. She would often find herself watching her father develop film in his darkroom and along the way became influenced by the beautiful images she saw created. Currently, Alicia is now represented by 5 galleries in Europe (Barcelona, Madrid, Paris, Brignais and Amsterdam).
"This body of work is a search for hidden treasures. I slip off into the dark of abandoned places, hoping to uncover their secrets. Among the cobwebs and the shy light that streams through broken windows, I search for objects punished by time. My aim is to rescue them from the dust and show their beauty; a beauty as fragile as the silence that surrounds them. After their years spent in oblivion, I turn them back into the protagonists of their own story - while trying to preserve the last breath of mystery and nostalgia that surrounds them." |
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What I find captivating by this specific piece is the contrast spread throughout; not only within the colours but the hidden message behind the photograph. The room either used to be a nursery for children or a hospital room (either way still conveys the same message) which makes the audience see the conflict between the life the room used to have and what it was supposed to be filled with and what it brought to people compared to the lifeless room it is now. Even in the sense that, if it was a nursery, then it brought many new lives into this world and if it was a hospital room then it saved many lives in this world whereas now, it holds no life.
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ContentEach photograph centres it's attention around one inanimate object which is abandoned in some form within a derelict location. This allows us to examine the smallest of the details in greater depth which is what portrays the lost entity within the photograph(s).
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FormWe can tell the object is abandoned through the emphasise on the colour and patterns that overtakes the exterior appearance of the objects. By capturing these features, the worn-out materials, rust, and dirt are evidently visible and begin to tell the story behind the photographs of how these objects have been left there to rot.
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ProcessThe photographs don't seem to go through a massive change from their original state, mainly enhancement of the colour and sharpness.
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ColourAfter noticing the colour statement you notice that the content of the photographs follows a similar style - minimalism. The colour scheme in each photograph varies but you barely find a photograph that ranges across the entire colour palette.
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Mood
Depending on the audience, specifically for this theme, the photographs could trigger various emotions. Someone who has experienced or witnessed the place or something familiar enough may feel nostalgic from the rapid progression and loss that has taken place within the frame as the locations don't serve the purpose they are remembered for. Others may feel intrigued as you wouldn't expect manmade items with manmade disruption has weeds tugging at the walls, or trees growing in the least predictable spaces or mammals reusing that area as their habitat.
Mathew Merrett
Merrett was born and raised in Toronto, Canada and he had been taking photos for 15+ years. He is an urban photographer as he had always been interested in architecture photography. Only after, the 9/11 crisis has he started taking photos of abandoned buildings and supplies left behind. The start of Mathew Merretts photography journey began when he was confronted by the police during one of his earlier shoots of an abandoned factory because they suspected him to be a terrorist threat, he showed the pictures to the police and this led him to take more photos of barren areas.
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ContentEach of his chosen locations share similar features, the deteriorating walls, the material scraps on the ground and empty halls yet the placement of each individual item is unique to the next photograph. I believe a reason for why people can't get enough of these photographs is that you can never predict the next photograph even if it's from the same collection.
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FormRough, Hard, shabby, neglected, can be considered as more wild than humane.
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ProcessThe photographs don't seem to go through a massive change from their original state, mainly enhancement of the colour and sharpness.
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ColourMostly dark and dull as anything that would have been presentable would have long faded.
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Mood
When I found myself going through the works of abandonment-orienteered photographers, I couldn't help but see them as post-apocalyptic, visions of what the future might look like if human history ended with this era and there are certainly some cases in which ruined buildings feel like pre-made sets for horror movies.
I found that someone had responded to her work with this: "For me, however mundane they may seem, ruins still contain the promise of the unexpected. Since the original uses of ruined buildings has passed, there are limitless possibilities for encounters with the weird, with inscrutable legends inscribed on notice boards and signs, and with peculiar things and curious spaces which allow wide scope for imaginative interpretation, unencumbered by the assumptions which weigh heavily and highly on encoded, regulated space."
I found that someone had responded to her work with this: "For me, however mundane they may seem, ruins still contain the promise of the unexpected. Since the original uses of ruined buildings has passed, there are limitless possibilities for encounters with the weird, with inscrutable legends inscribed on notice boards and signs, and with peculiar things and curious spaces which allow wide scope for imaginative interpretation, unencumbered by the assumptions which weigh heavily and highly on encoded, regulated space."
Anna Mika
Anna is a 25 year old photographer from Poland. She travels around Europe in search of derelict places that once were filled with existence.
“There is something enticing about abandoned places. One can feel the past in such places, they have a peculiar smell. The nature is inevitably reclaiming them. I believe that there is an obscure beauty in such places, unseen by most people. " |
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What captures my attention with her photographs is the surreal illusion she creates behind each shot, whether it's due to her warping the photograph or adding in characters into her shots. This makes her, as an abandonment photographer, stand out from the rest of the photographers as there is a clear style to each photo, which is most noticeable from this photograph. This photograph in general got an entire village to visit that abandoned church all because of how many people saw this church in a new light. (People even have to pay to visit this location)
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- AO2: Creative Making -
Photoshoot I
[Experimentation Shoot]
Location: My Garden Shed
Objective: To intensify the idea of abandonment on something that is not abandoned.
Objective: To intensify the idea of abandonment on something that is not abandoned.
Evaluation: I believe that this photo shoot was successful for my first shoot because I was able to pick up on many qualities that I need to include in my shoots to make them look more sinister. The main area that could be improved on, is to shoot at a specific time of day (morning-early afternoon) as I was relying on natural available light and it gets darker earlier on in the day thus my photographs would avoid being underexposed and/or pixelated. I also took a few close up shots of the textures of the shed which I'm planning on using in photoshop to overlap some of my photographs to create a final pieace for AO4.
- AO3: Reflective Recording -
Photoshoot II
I believe this photoshoot makes it into AO3 as by the time I went out to complete this shoot, I was prepared for what to expect and where to start of for the photoshoot which differentiates the style between this shoot and my previous one.
Location: Kingston Theatre / Gala Bingo Hall
Objective: To capture the textures and materials of the building to see how it has eroded and what was left from its efficacious days.
Context: The site is located at the southern end of Richmond Road, the sites West Elevation faces onto Richmond Road whilst it’s Southern Elevation faces onto Canbury Park Road. The North Elevation (extension part) faces onto Cowleaze Road and the East Elevation faces Canbury Business Park and the Educare School. The building is 5 storeys high with some varying levels around the building .The Regal Cinema, opened in 1932. The architect was Robert Cromie. It was renamed as The ABC cinema and closed in 1976. It was then converted into a Gala Bingo Hall but has since been closed.
The Regal was built on the site of the Cinema Palace (1909, demolished 1931). Brown brick, with faience façe. Foyer and auditorium have coffered ceilings, and decoration of Deco panels, fluted columns, and proscenium with Greek key design. Many original light fittings remain, and the attached ballroom its almost totally original, not having been decorated since 1959." - Extract from The Theatres Trust.
Location: Kingston Theatre / Gala Bingo Hall
Objective: To capture the textures and materials of the building to see how it has eroded and what was left from its efficacious days.
Context: The site is located at the southern end of Richmond Road, the sites West Elevation faces onto Richmond Road whilst it’s Southern Elevation faces onto Canbury Park Road. The North Elevation (extension part) faces onto Cowleaze Road and the East Elevation faces Canbury Business Park and the Educare School. The building is 5 storeys high with some varying levels around the building .The Regal Cinema, opened in 1932. The architect was Robert Cromie. It was renamed as The ABC cinema and closed in 1976. It was then converted into a Gala Bingo Hall but has since been closed.
The Regal was built on the site of the Cinema Palace (1909, demolished 1931). Brown brick, with faience façe. Foyer and auditorium have coffered ceilings, and decoration of Deco panels, fluted columns, and proscenium with Greek key design. Many original light fittings remain, and the attached ballroom its almost totally original, not having been decorated since 1959." - Extract from The Theatres Trust.
The biggest challenge for this photo shoot was finding a way into the Theatre as the back doors were already boarded up and there was scaffolding on the outside of the building. Once we were able to get in we were met with bright, bold colours on what was now left of the walls, this displayed a massive contrast because something so lively shouldn't belong in such an isolated place. These colours also gave us insight on what designs looked like in the middle of last century (the interior design has not been remodelled since 1959). Most of the place had already been vandalised and broken down as it was being prepared to be demolished, there were no more seats left, let alone any other features of what once belonged in this building, and the ground was just broken bricks and junk. You'll even be able to tell from the exterior shots that the outside has different colours on the walls - almost resembling patchwork - this was once corridors but people have already broken that part of the building down so we were lucky to even be able to capture this small fraction of the theatre that we had got access to. We were only able to get onto the second floor of the building as we spent most of the day searching for the building itself because the front of the building fuses with the rest of the street well, it was only when I had walked round to the back that I had noticed this patchwork that I had realised this was the building we were looking for.
Top Outcomes
Photoshoot III
Location: Brentford house / Industrial site
Objective: From my previous photo shoot I found that once we're inside abandoned buildings it is difficult to capture clear photographs due to the little lighting we get inside so my objective for my this photo shoot was to try out different lighting techniques by adjusting the shutter speed.
Objective: From my previous photo shoot I found that once we're inside abandoned buildings it is difficult to capture clear photographs due to the little lighting we get inside so my objective for my this photo shoot was to try out different lighting techniques by adjusting the shutter speed.
I was partly able to control how much light was let into the photograph; I was aiming for darker images, the darker the image came out the more of an queer effect it had had but some photographs were a little too underexposed so I was unable to upload them as it was unclear what was going on in the image. During this photo shoot we originally aimed to find abandoned boat docks but we stumbled upon an abandoned boat house and abandoned apartments next to it. The above photographs are from a 20-30 minute shoot as we were unable to complete the photo shoot due to unfortunate events of collapsing through a roof. Majority of these photographs were taken off of a roof so that I was able to capture all of my surroundings.
Top Outcomes
Photoshoot IV
Location: Glasgow Car Park
Objective: When you're inside these places the isolation is magnified insanely so I wanted to capture how the place goes from being lively to complete neglection.
Objective: When you're inside these places the isolation is magnified insanely so I wanted to capture how the place goes from being lively to complete neglection.
For this photo shoot I used a section of the car park that was closed off for some time which was already vandalised and weakened. This setting was more open [the windows and the structure of the building determined this] therefore more light was getting into the building. I attempted to play around with light to make it look as if the light was coming through gaps similar to some of Anna Mika's photographs. When I came across this location I instantly wanted to show the segregation in this car park, all that was left behind was broken necessities such as doors and lights and/or were covered in rust. Everything else was a vast space of emptiness.
Photoshoot V
Location: Glasgow Block of Flats
Objective: To use more of the composition techniques featured above.
Objective: To use more of the composition techniques featured above.
When I found this place, I was unable to get to a higher point on the building as the stairs were locked off and the scaffolding seemed unstable so I had to make use of whatever I was able to capture from the ground. This meant that most of my photographs display graffiti however this isn't the only focus of the photograph - the actual graffiti is on damaged, broken down walls. The art isn't on smooth surfaces but on decaying textures so my focus point is still based on abandonment and erosion. Another benefit of me taking the photographs from down below meant that I was able to achieve my object as I used different angles which matched the vanity points composition.
Photoshoot VI
Location: St Dunstans Hill
Objective:
Objective:
Evaluation:
Photoshoot VII
Location: Whitchurch Changing rooms
Objective: To copy majority of my chosen photographers (Alicia Ruis', Mathew Merretts and Anna Mikas) work.
Objective: To copy majority of my chosen photographers (Alicia Ruis', Mathew Merretts and Anna Mikas) work.
I believe this photo shoot was most successful as my goal at the beginning of this unit was to find a location like this as it is what I had pictured in my mind when I first set my eyes on this theme, therefore it is the perfect location to end my photoshoots for this unit on since I was finally able to capture what I had imagined all along. I combined all of my skills and techniques when shooting at this location to get the best possible outcome. The building was fenced off but there was a gate which you could get through. Once we got inside there were two entrances one which had stairs leading straight to the second floor however these stairs had now collapsed and there was a massive hole leading straight to the basement, due to health and safety reasons we didn't go to that bit of the building. The second entrance led us into a massive room and inside there were smashed up windows, decayed sinks which had plants growing from them and many objects hanging from the roof. The doors and cupboards were unstable as we could see them hanging from their hinges. The toilets had been smashed up as badly as everything else had been in this building. I found benches and tables to stand on to get a higher angle for my shots. The roof had massive gaps in them and it was raining therefore it was extremely cold and by the end of the shot my hands were numb and shaky therefore majority of the photos came out quite blurred but I'm still happy with the result. This is also why there are raindrops on the camera lense for a couple of the photographs. A couple of the rooms where taken up by homeless people as we had found clothes and various other belongings in them.
It was difficult to round it down to only a few top outcomes, because as previously mentioned this was by far my most favourite photoshoot hence I believe majority of these photographs should be categorised as my top outcomes. However, if you look over the photographs the same reasoning for what makes it good can be found amongst my earlier photographs so I choose the few that I could expand on and share some light on differently in a new way.
It was difficult to round it down to only a few top outcomes, because as previously mentioned this was by far my most favourite photoshoot hence I believe majority of these photographs should be categorised as my top outcomes. However, if you look over the photographs the same reasoning for what makes it good can be found amongst my earlier photographs so I choose the few that I could expand on and share some light on differently in a new way.