decay
verb de·cay \di-ˈkā\
Simple Definition of decay
: to be slowly destroyed by natural processes : to be slowly broken down by the natural processes that destroy a dead plant or body
: to slowly lose strength, health, etc.
: of a building, area, etc. – to go slowly from a bad condition to a worse condition : to slowly enter a state of ruin
One of my favourite subjects for photography are objects in a state of decay, including buildings, cars, boats, planes, machinery or any man-made objects which are slowly being eroded away and changed by the natural processes such as wind, rain, erosion and rust. I find that the rich textures, colours and the variation in tones found in these types of subjects provide a wonderful basis for some creative post-processing and stylization.
Buildings
Abandoned buildings are exciting venues to explore and to photograph. Urbex photography has developed over the last few years and is a genre describing the exploration of urban abandoned buildings which has gained a great deal of popularity in recent times from photographers who love to capture these hidden areas. These old buildings and houses are usually rich in decay and ruin and it is nice to imagine how these buildings and their contents may have looked back in their heyday.
Cars, Boats & Planes
It is common to see old vehicles left abandoned to rust away in the last location or in some cases the location where they crashed. These rusting hulks of metal or wood provide a wonderful breeding ground for natural erosion and decomposition and can exhibit some great colours and textures for the photographer to capture.
Industrial Sites & Machinery
Gaining access to an old abandoned factory where there are usually large pieces of machinery left to rot and decay is one of the best locations to see the effects of long term decay. It is somewhat ironical to see these large recognisable icons of industrial activity left motionless to die a slow, lingering death never to return to their active and well maintained past.
Cemeteries
Graveyards and cemeteries are usually very interesting areas to visit both from a historical basis as well as the photographic aspect. If the cemetery has been abandoned and unmaintained then these man-made gravestones and tombs are slowly taken over by nature and eroded away by rain, bushes, creepers and moss as well as animal and microbial activity leaving an apocalyptic scene. This ironic viewpoint where life can take over from death and decay provides the setting for some great atmospheric images.
Man-made Objects
Simple objects left to decay and rot can take on a new and colourful existence as rust eats away at original paintwork and metalwork. The variable textures and colours of rust, in contrast to original smooth paintwork, is an ideal subject for the photographer. We are all guilty I’m sure of being shocked or sometimes even appreciative of just how far we can let these objects degrade from their original, pristine condition.
Urban Decay & Graffiti
Cities and urban areas go through some incredible changes but in the wake of this there are usually left many old buildings and abandoned sites which, not only suffer from natural decay, but are attractive areas for graffiti artists who use these walls and fences as their canvases. The colourful graffiti contrast starkly with the dull decay and rot in the buildings providing a great setting for the urban, street or urbex photographer.
Passionate Photographer …. Lost in Asia
Stuart Taylor of HighlanderImages Photography has been making images for over 25 years and can offer a diverse range of photo imaging services with a focus on Asia and a documentary/photojournalistic style. These services include planning and executing a photo shoot on location but importantly all the post-processing and image preparation needed for the specific finished media format required by the customer. Stuart’s experience and knowledge in all of these aspects makes HighlanderImages Photography a one-stop-shop for a comprehensive and professional image production service.
Stuart can be available for a variety individual assignments or projects and he specialises in areas such as photojournalism, commercial, architectural, real estate, industrial, interior design, corporate, urbex, adventure, wilderness and travel photography. Stuart can also offer some innovative and advanced techniques such as HDR (High Dynamic Range) and Panoramic Photography.
Final image products can be delivered as high resolution images, prints, books, multimedia slideshows, videos and DVDs. Images from this website can be purchased as prints in a variety of sizes and media, as gift items or as digital downloads.
E-Mail : staylor@highlanderimages.com
Website : http://www. highlanderimages.com