Abandoned Ontario

[VanessaS]

I'm almost embarrassed to post these after looking at everyone else's photos but here it goes...


My main goal is to get a few pictures with some atmosphere, moreso than the perfect picture, and that is why I won't use a flash. All I bring with me is the camera with one lens only - mostly my 18mm-70mm. Sometimes I will switch them out at the car to take telephoto shots before I leave. I have my cellphone and a flashlight too but that is all. No tripod or anything else because it is just too risky for me to be weighted down with equipment. Sometimes I gain entry but only if there is an easily accessible way in, that I don't have to create myself, and the place isn't falling apart too badly. Some of them have homeless people living in them so I have to be careful. When I go inside I text a friend the address, wait for them to respond, and then text them again when I leave. I leave everything exactly the way I found it.







It is tough to get a creepy atmosphere when it is beautiful and sunny, so on the next two I concentrated on the shadows that the trees cast.




I'll be surprised if this one is still standing.


I prefer this kind of sky...


I never use a flash so I did have to lighten this one up a bit to get more detail.








This one was a doozy...


The main house was too dangerous to get into but a couple of the outbuildings were ok.

[Bobobird]

Interesting concept. You could turn it into a historical document with stories about the buildings.

[tbob]

Vanessa: These old buildings are interesting subjects and I think you do a good job with the subject. Nice mix of environment, exterior, interior and detail shots. I share your interest in derelict buildings. However mine are really abandoned and there is no one around. Be safe.

Some suggestions for critique, if that is what you want; put C&C in the title, lets people know you are interested in critique,comment and suggestions. If you have any concerns, put them into the description. And finally ; submit one image at a time because most of us find it very hard to give good feedback on multiple images unless you are asking people to compare the images and say which one they prefer and why.

Keep them coming. And welcome to the forums.

[gregj1763]

#9, #10 and the last one are my picks Vanessa.
9 for the mystery of what is around the corner and the cross on the door intrigues me, 10 for the splash of colour with the red poles and blue wading pool?
The last one looks like it could be out of a horror movie, seriously you could not make the broken window look more like savage vicious teeth if you tried.
Would love to see that photo in a B&W conversion plus a few tweaks in pp to make it look even more sinister. Mwahahaha
Keep them coming. Cheers, Greg
Ps, As Trevor said, BE CAREFUL

[tbob]

Vanessa; One thing I forgot to add last night. When I was growing up south of Brantford, in Ontario, we were always warned to be careful around old farmyards. A lot of these places have multiple hand dug wells that are abandoned and boarded over. You cannot see them as the grass and vegetation overgrows the boards and frequently the boards are gone so all you have is a mat of roots over a ten to twenty foot hole. A hole with several feet of water and mud at the bottom, so in essence a deathtrap.

You are probably already aware of the propensity of yellow jacket wasps to form hives under board piles and buildings. As a kid one of our games was to find a pile of old boards and then see who could jump the most times on the boards before having to run away. For some reason we never cottoned on to the concept that this was idiotic.

[splashy]

Be aware of needles and you might bump into homeless, or cooking labs.

[JPS]

Vanessa,
I like the way you are documenting these old buidings; nice job.
I look forward to seeing more like this.
Cheers
John

[Bootsy]

nice images number 7 stands out for me.i've been known to do a bit of urban exploring and as others have said be careful.keep them coming and remember take nothing but photos leave nothing but footprints

[VanessaS]

Spring is here and I am finally getting out again to do some of this photography.
These properties are often in extremely bad shape - both inside and out. I am in the construction industry so I always wear my construction boots. There have been times when I have had my heart in my throat going over some of the terrain. Many of these houses look like people have taken up living in them.
I have also gotten into the habit of texting people and letting them know where I am in case something happens. I text them when I get there and follow up when I leave safely. No picture is worth me getting seriously hurt over and I try and be extra careful always.