31 Haunting Images of Abandoned Places That Will Give You Goose Bumps

viz · October 2013

mike_l said:

viz said:
I had a similar experience the other day - it was pouring down with rain and I went for a 20-minute walk in it, but the extraordinary thing was that only the first 30 seconds of rain made me get wet - I can only conclude that the rest of the rain was dry.

Or did you put your umbrella up after 30 seconds?

Ah of course!

Myranda · October 2013

Aww... I didn't see that bit

That was all super-spooky-death-lake and now it's just semi-spooky-kill-pond

viz · October 2013

lol

dafuzz · October 2013

Great stuff. Makes me determined to travel more

randomhandclaps · October 2013

viz said:

He says he finds them washed up on the shore and places them upright to photograph them.

It makes it even stranger then that he goes to that much effort and then lights it so badly. That shot could have been magnificent but is just incredibly flat.

Headphones · October 2013

There is of course this:

Abandoned locations

ChrisMusic · October 2013

Nice one @Headphones, had me going there

)

ChrisMusic · October 2013

@dafuzz said: Great stuff. Makes me determined to travel more

One life time is not enough, it is a stunning, mysterious, and amazing world out there.

And the people you meet along the way make the journey special.

Do it, you won't ever regret it.

historyisjunk · October 2013

really liked that-

Anyone who liked the abandoned buildings might like some of these too-

http://www.uzines.org/theme_result.php?idCategories=1

http://lostamerica.com/

http://www.abandonedscotland.com/blog/

Bucket · October 2013

The Maunsell sea forts one was really creepy, as was Pripyat (which I knew about beforehand but it's always gonna seem a little odd to me) and Michigan Central Station. Weird but pretty cool. I quite like this sort of stuff.

I've recently ordered a DVD from Amazon, of a series called Life After People. Seen a couple of episodes and it's really interesting. If you liked this stuff, check it out because it may appeal...

ChrisMusic · October 2013

Thanks for sharing those links @historyisjunk, time to have a look now me-thinks

Cheers @Bucket, appreciate the heads-up on the DVD.

There is something very emotive about these places, glad you enjoyed the images.

CabbageCat · October 2013

Myranda said:

Haunting photos? How about a lake that kills then petrifies animals where they stand?

http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/10/any-animal-that-touches-this-lethal-lake-turns-to-stone/

Crosby beach does that too. And I have suspicions about Eastbourne

stickyfiddle · October 2013

digitalscream said:

Great stuff - finally a legitimate use for the "Wow!" button

My only complaint is the overuse of HDR in some of them (most noticeable in the Beelitz hospital). I'd rather see the natural light, myself.

Agreed. HDR can be useful when used extremely subtly (eg to bring out a pretty sky against a dark scene) but in most cases it's horrible.

randomhandclaps · October 2013

I seriously dislike overcooked and overused HDR. For it to work you should have to question whether it is a HDR image at all - it's the same with any composite imaging IMO.

ChrisMusic · October 2013

I have to say that apart from the more "legitimate" use of HDR to increase shadow and highlight detail, (remember Ansel Adams Zone System?), which closer approximates to the way the human eye perceives the world around us. I believe that the "abuse" of the technique can create some very painterly effects.

An artist in another medium is not constrained by the perspective of what people expect from photography's historical limitations, and is free to represent the world in their own creative way.

Having said that, gum dichromate printing, the use of gelatine in platinum printing, and other techniques and processes, have allowed photographers to break free of those constraints pretty much since the birth of photography itself.

There is something about the over use of HDR in some of these images which I feel adds to the other worldly atmosphere of these extraordinary places. It is a matter of interpretation and very personal, as is all art (music included), so all comments above are purely my own perspective on this.

I am interested to hear yours too. Especially @stickyfiddle @randomhandclaps and every one else who wants to comment, all welcome here.

mike_l · October 2013

as was Pripyat (which I knew about beforehand but it's always gonna seem a little odd to me) . Weird but pretty cool. I quite like this sort of stuff.

I remember the accident that caused that like it was yesterday. It's strange seeing a city that was home to so many being reclaimed by nature.

ChrisMusic · October 2013

@mike_l said: Pripyat... I remember the accident that caused that like it was yesterday. It's strange seeing a city that was home to so many being reclaimed by nature.

I have to say I totally agree, it seems like recent memory to me too. I was surprised when I checked the date of the "incident".

The feel is reminiscent of H G Wells Time Machine, or of the original Planet of the Apes film where they discover the Statue of Liberty rising from the sands. Both of which had an impact on me growing up.

I have seen footage of Pripyat recently on TV, and it is a surreal experience.

You have to feel for the people whose lives were there, and those affected by the fallout.

randomhandclaps · October 2013

I agree totally that as an artistic style HDR has it's place. From a photographic point of view I mixed exposures manually long before the current HDR trend to recover what I felt was list in translation between eye and camera. Personally and perhaps because of some artistic control freakishness and paranoia, I cannot get on with automated programming. I liken HDR to eye editing. Since being young I have been obsessed with eyes in portraiture. Very rarely would I process a portrait without some subtle enhancement of the eyes. Then I see a poster campaign with 'nuclear' eyes and it grates on me. I the look back at some of my early portraits and shudder with the lack of subtlety I applied back then.

johnnyurq · October 2013

There is a movie called The Chernobyl Diaries which has "extreme tourists" who bugger about in Pripyat and it all goes a bit pear shaped. Supposed to a bit crap but who knows.

Not seen it but it is on my to watch list.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1991245/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

bertie · October 2013

Im quite surprised there's not a pic of my cacks in amongst that lot

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31 Haunting Images of Abandoned Places That Will Give You Goose Bumps

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