A Few Tips on Shooting Ruins on ePhotoZine

 
ePhotoZine has posted a brief piece on how to shoot ruins - abandoned buildings and obsolete facilities. Clearly, the author lives in the U.K. - speaking of shooting abbeys and the like.
 
(Click Here) to read the entry on ePhotoZine
 
In terms of equipment, the suggestion is to bring a wide angle lens, a longer zoom, a tripod (either full-size or tabletop), and a polarizer.
 
For technique, the author suggests walking the site carefully before jumping in to take pictures. Give context to the rubble piles that you find interesting, rather than just shooting closeups of them. Try shooting out through window openings, and down long corridors. Also, consider including signs as part of detail compositions.
 
If you're able, get a high perspective for overall shots of buildings, in order to reduce distortion caused by having to point the camera upward. Another way to achieve this is to shoot the building from further away, using a telephoto lens.
 
Finally, consider shooting a panorama, if the site warrants it.
 
Here are a couple of recent shots by my friend Rob Svirskas (flickr id: robsv), taken at an abandoned Bethlehem Steel factory.
 
 

On Deck, by Rob Svirskas (flickr id: robsv)

Nikon D300, 18-200mm Nikkor f3.5-5.6 at 70mm

iso 400, f6.3, 1/160 sec

 

Bus Stop, by Rob Svirskas (flickr id: robsv)

Nikon D300, 300mm Nikkor f4

iso 200, f6.3, 1/160 sec

 

 

These dilapidated facilities hold real opportunities for great photography. Typically, especially in industrial ruins, there are lots of details that make for interesting compositions. Many times, the function of the apparatus is not clear, adding a little question to each image. Usually, there are also echoes of a busy past, left bouncing around in now-empty buildings and parking lots.

 

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Mike Johnston of The Online Photographer Shares Some Lumix DMC-GF1 Shots of the Abandoned Pabst Brewery

 

Abandoned Pabst Brewery in Milwaukee, by Mike Johnston of the Online Photographer

Image Source: http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/2012/05/the-abandoned-pabst-brewery.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+typepad%2FZSjz+%28The+Online+Photographer%29

Mike Johnston of the Online Photographer has posted some great images from an abandoned Pabst beer brewery in Milwaukee, WI, USA.

(Click Here) to see Mike's post on the Online Photographer blog.

Mike's images were shot with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 at iso1600 - a real stretch in terms of image quality for that camera. Of course, at the resolution of small online images, they sure look great. Mike reports that the noise would make printing of them pretty tough.

Mike toured the building with photographer Jack MacDonough, and includes a shot of Jack working with his Leica S2 on a tripod in his post. That's Mike's favorite of the bunch; it's my favorite, too.

We have all made the mistake of going to a great location without a tripod. Mike made that mistake (admittedly), but pulled through pretty well with his GF1, if you ask me.

I've written in the past about the photographic allure of abandoned places and things.

(Click Here) to see my last post on the subject.

The subject still intrigues me.

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Been Around the Block - Car Photography Is Fun

 

Image Source: http://www.mu-43.com/f88/been-around-block-few-times-27007/

Member littleMT on mu-43.com posted a few pictures of this old beast, taken with an Olympus E-PL1 and Lumix 14mm f2.5 lens.

(Click Here) to see the post.

I am going to a car show this weekend with my friend James McKearney. It's sort of an annual ritual for us, and until two years ago included Dennis Gallus, who has since moved off to Arizona. The old cars don't look like the one above, in general; they're all fixed up and nicer than they were on the showroom in many cases. Again, this is an opportunity for me to combine two interests - cars and photography, with the enjoyment of seeing a friend and fellow photographer.

Dennis - What A Smile, by Reed A. George

Leica M8, Leica 35mm Summilux f1.4, iso 320, 1/60sec (f-stop not recorded)

Last year, I shot exclusively with my Nikomat, given to me by the aforementioned Dennis. I was quite pleased with the results. Here's an example:

Farm Use, by Reed A. George

Nikomat, sepia and additional grain a la Lightroom

I think I'll use something from my camera collection that hasn't been out for a while again this year. I'll have to think about what. I do have a new stock of 120 film that hasn't been touched yet. Maybe the Bronica...

Regardless, I'm looking forward to it.

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