As one might expect from my blog, I spend much of my time photographing nature. On shooting trips, I avoid man-made subjects. This isn’t for for any sort of philosophical reason, it’s just not what I set out to capture.
That being said, one of my favorite subjects is urban decay. There’s something about the color, texture, and graphical nature of these scenes that I am drawn to. This is nothing new, urban decay has long been a popular subject among photographers.
This past Monday, I found myself strolling through Balboa Park with a newly acquired Hasselblad 500CM, 50mm lens, and a roll of Kodak’s new Portra 160 film. I wandered through the arched walkways, and manicured gardens until I found just the right subject.
A drained fountain caught my eye. I suppose it will be worked on in the coming days, but it reminds me of a wicked game of scrabble.
Fountain in Disrepair: Hasselblad 500CM | 50mm | Kodak Portra 160
September 21, 2011 at 5:37 am |
Hey Ben,
Another great pic to your collection. It’s nice to see you post something different too. Definitely, you have a great eye.
Makes me want to grab my Hasselblad more then play scrabble, even if i’m usually more successfull with the last.
Arnaud
September 21, 2011 at 10:09 am |
I love the Hassy setup. It’s a joy to use, and I never thought I would own a Hasselblad. It gives me a “quick” camera that can be used handheld — something I am currently missing in my lineup.
September 21, 2011 at 12:34 pm |
I am ridiculously jealous of your camera’s. Your shots are absolutely amazing too. I spent 2hrs on your youtube account the other day watching your desert videos repeatedly..
Thank you for enlightening, and inspiring me, you’re a legend.
September 22, 2011 at 6:38 am |
Thanks Will! I’m still trying to figure out if I like the Hassy, but the 8×10 and 6×17 have definitely earned a place in my camera lineup. I didn’t set out to have this many cameras — in fact, I would prefer to have just one — but they all have their uses.
I’m glad you enjoy the videos! I sure have a blast making them. I’ll be kicking the video quality up a notch on my next trip — which is just over a month away. I’m hoping to walk away from that trip with at least a couple photos too.
Thanks for following my blog!
September 25, 2011 at 12:37 pm |
Hey Ben! Thought I’d drop you a note and thank you for some great pictures I got, thanks to you teaching me my new mantra (light first, subject second). On Labor Day I went to the beach at high tide and shot a bunch of nice waves crashing against the rocks, all gray (everything-the sky, the rocks, the water, nothing but gray). Then I remembered my mantra, and decided to come back at sunset to see what I’d find. The best few are on my flickr site-check out what I came back to. Thanks so much Ben! I’m leaving for Utah in 10 days, and will be repeating my mantra where ever I go. Looking forward to your trip updates next month!
September 26, 2011 at 4:53 pm |
Wow! That’s quite the sunset you had! Those aren’t too common around here. I’m sure glad you went back and waited for the good light. The effort was well worth it. Good luck in Utah! Your trip has me excited about my return trip this fall!