Inspired by Steve Durbin's "Patina Project" (mentioned at Art & Perception, here and here) -- and invited by him to "steal this idea" -- I set out this week in search of corrosion and decay.
I didn't find quite the riot of color that Durbin found in his junkyard cars and rock surfaces. In fact, I had trouble finding any corrosion at all in the places I usually prefer for my afternoon walks. So I settled for a more immediate form of oxidation: incineration. These photographs are of blackened wood from campfire sites.
Then I found this mildly corroded bit of metal on the back of a sign marking some historical site.
I did manage to find a bit of color on a flat stone.
I ended my walk with some rust and peeling paint on an old door. The metal hinge is perhaps too much figuration for this project...
I've got another site in mind, with some exposed limestone cliffs that should offer better examples of genuine corrosion. I may take a drive there next week, weather permitting.
Finally, here is a belated homage to Steven LaRose's color crushes: leaves against the September sky. But I think this blue is a little too bright. It seemed a better match when seen through polarized sunglass lenses.
More:
Stolen Idea II
Stolen Idea III
5 comments:
I don't think the hinge is too figurative. It blends in with the wood so that it seems just another textural part of it.
In fact, I like the first hinge and the metal lettering at the top the best.
As for the bottom one, I don't know what kind of camera you have, you could probably get a polarizing filter if not specifically for it, then something to put over it--including a lens from a cheap pair of polarizing sunglasses.
These recent photos are from a Pentax digital camera -- the Optio E10, which is a pretty shabby affair. I got it because it seemed so easy to operate, but now that I have it I understand that "easy" means it takes away much of the operator's control. As far as I can determine, it doesn't accommodate any filters.
It's funny that you mention using a sunglass lens. I've actually tried that trick with my Holga.
My polarized sunglasses give me such a distorted view of the world. Everything pops with rich, saturated color.
My Devil's Advocate wonders, why is polarized "distorted?"
Doesn't "Everything pops with rich, saturated color" seem like the place to be?
The hinge is kinda graphic. . .what are you gonna do?
Heh. I didn't mean to suggest that "distorted" is a bad thing! In fact, I'm in love with these lenses -- I think they're more accurately called "Blue Blocker" or "anti-glare" or some such. It's like living in Oz: I half-expect to see Munchkins emerge from the soybean fields.
But the downside is that my camera doesn't see the same saturated, high-key world that I do. :-/ A lot of times I find that what I think is a deliriously colorful shot turns out to be just a hash of bland tones.
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