I've been inspired by a few web sites lately which show buildings from the 50's and 60's that are now laying in a state of disrepair. A friend and I went to the old Launceston General Hospital on Saturday and spent a few hours there. All I can say is, you want not for subject matter. There is just so much to see. We will be heading back with a tripod in a few weeks to get the shots I couldn't this time.

All shot with my K10D, ISO100, Av mode with Sigma 18-125mm. It would have been nice to have a 2.8 lens, and something with macro but overall this lens performed pretty well. Thank goodness for SR too. I didn't bother with taking my tripod or monopod and I got down to 1/4 with some shots and still got a pretty clear image.

I've removed the colour information from a couple of shots because I felt it detracted from the scene. All shots are un-cropped JPEGs with just a re-size and mild sharpen in CS2.

My composition still needs a bit of attention, but all in all I'm pretty happy with the results.

Photos are simply in the order I took them. Some have comments if I felt the need. Enjoy.

LINK TO THE GALLERY: Old Launceston General Hospital - Series 1




As soon as I took this I thought the perfect caption is "Kept in the dark".



My friend Tim. I was teaching him about apertures and DOF. He was using a Canon A75. Quite an impressive compact P&S.















This is greyscaled in CS2 with 1% grain added.






Greyscale in CS2. I love the blur in the leaves.






Hand-held, 1/4", f5.6, ISO 100.






Slightly underexposed but I think it gives good effect.

[Heinrich Lohmann]

Adam, that was a good idea very nicely executed but I do believe that most of them would work better in black and white. But in either mode they are nice photos, take care

Heinrich

[blwnhr]

Proof sheets? - A most definite NO!

Very few people, photographers included, really understand the fact that the impact of an image is greatly affected by its physical size and the viewing distance as well as the ambient lighting in the gallery.
I'd suggest a couple of full size, framed samples together with a dozen or so mounted 8x10 prints in a 'folio.

And choose a time when the gallery owners might be in a relaxed mood and have plenty of time to listen to you enthusing about how great your photos will be for their reputation and business!!!!!!

I hadn't given it too much though (obviously) but you are 100% correct. Thankyou for your help, it is greatly appreciated!

I do believe that most of them would work better in black and white.

I have converted a lot of them to black and white for my gallery (I will have both the colour and black and white versions on there) and will post the link to it once it is up.

I agree, black and white helps bring the drama of the scene out better, but in some cases the lack of colour information (a lot of shots at this location are pale colours on pale colours, giving a b&w effect anyhow) doesn't lend itself to black and white. In my eyes anyhow.

I should have the gallery up tonight or tomorrow.

[Donald]

Urban exploration is quite the little genre. A search will bring up lots of information, activities in lots of countries. Occasionally some fantastic photos. About the most impressive I've seen were a 'futuristic' city in Japan (abandoned pod houses), the Japanese island of Gunkajima, Chernobyl area, Harland and Wolff in Ireland (Titanic shipbuilders).

[Mechan1k]

UK Urban Exploration Forums - Powered by vBulletin is another good UE sit eto have a look at.

[blwnhr]

The keyboard at the bottom of the last page reminded me of photographs I've seen from Chernobyl.

Thanks for the link to that great site.

[Mechan1k]

Here's the actualy Rover plant link ... thought you might like to have a look at it being a car fan that you are.

Rover MG, Longbridge Day 2, Roof & Tunnel - REPORT - UK Urban Exploration Forums

[blwnhr]

Well, I've had an interesting afternoon. I work for an architecture company and one of our clients has been in negotiations to buy the building I've photographed. I just spoke to him and it is a done deal, it will be all signed off on within the next 3 weeks and they will own the building.

I asked the question about getting access, legitimately, and he said that they would want someone to document the building in its current state and that "by the sounds of things, you're the man for the job".

I just sent him a selection of shots (basically the ones uploaded here) and they will get back to me, but it looks as though I could be actually granted full access and can shoot what I want where I want.

I reckon I could spend a week in there with all the changing light conditions and the fact that there are 3 levels below ground as well!

[blwnhr]

Here's a link to the gallery with all the Hospital photos. 100 in total: Series 1

[Mechan1k]

Nice work indeed ... good to hear that they have actuially granted you access/permission to go in and take more photos and document it as well.

Gotta be stoked with that.

Make the most of it

[blwnhr]

I just made a sort of HDR image from 2 I took. I didn't have a tripod on me so there is some PS stretching and cloning going on but the result is ok I think.