unseen beauty

capt_jordi · Jan 13, 2011

what do you see the beauty in that others do not?

While taking pictures for my new years resolution, (photography based) I realized I would love to make people see beauty in things that they would not usually think of as beautiful.

So I am looking for suggestions. Even if its just something you think has potential, or something that you would love to see in a beautiful way.

I myself see beauty in decay. In a forgotten about house that someone just up and left 20 years ago, most see an eye sore, probably full of mold, dirt, and rats. I see a look into someones past, into what they loved, and see what they were so proud of to call their own.
An abandoned building to me makes me think about what people treasured in the past, and think about what people worked there, lived there, loved there. It also makes me wonder what buildings we will forget about in the future. Will the sunsphere end up being a rusted health hazard? Will we ever learn to actually protect some of the most historical buildings in our town? Or will we just walk by them in the future and complain about what a mess they are and the homeless taking shelter in them?

Do you feel that way about anything?

capt_jordi · Jan 13, 2011

Sorry guess I could have put an example:

-_aj_- · Jan 13, 2011

This one

A lot of people in the rural areas don't like the windmills as they think it spoils the countryside whereas I they are beautiful straight lines and edges and the whooshing noise they make

capt_jordi · Jan 13, 2011

Very cool! I wish we had windfarms around here! But sadly I have never seen one in person! They do have a very unique look to them!

my4llma · Jan 13, 2011

You take good pictures

capt_jordi · Jan 13, 2011

Thank you! I am aiming on carrying my camera everywhere and taking at least one "show-off worthy" picture a week! Also in different settings so I can practice getting better!

vampcow · Jan 14, 2011

Originally Posted by capt_jordi

what do you see the beauty in that others do not?

While taking pictures for my new years resolution, (photography based) I realized I would love to make people see beauty in things that they would not usually think of as beautiful.

So I am looking for suggestions. Even if its just something you think has potential, or something that you would love to see in a beautiful way.

I myself see beauty in decay. In a forgotten about house that someone just up and left 20 years ago, most see an eye sore, probably full of mold, dirt, and rats. I see a look into someones past, into what they loved, and see what they were so proud of to call their own.
An abandoned building to me makes me think about what people treasured in the past, and think about what people worked there, lived there, loved there. It also makes me wonder what buildings we will forget about in the future. Will the sunsphere end up being a rusted health hazard? Will we ever learn to actually protect some of the most historical buildings in our town? Or will we just walk by them in the future and complain about what a mess they are and the homeless taking shelter in them?

Do you feel that way about anything?

I agree with you 100%! My family thinks my photography is depressing since i choose unsual subjects for my photographs.

AJ.....those windmills scared the snot out of me!! because the first time i was driving to the mid-west I came upon a hill of them in the distance...it was early morning (it was dawn) and their centers were glowing red...I guess it was they had a light ontop of them so airplanes won't hit them....I FREAKED out...because I was alone on the road (DH was sleeping in the passenger seat) because the night before I had seen the remake of World of the Worlds and they sorta reminded me of the machines. LOL

it was early and i was tired.

-_aj_- · Jan 15, 2011

I think they are magnificent, ill see if I have any more pics of them

vampcow · Jan 15, 2011

I think they are too...now. They just freaked me out when I first saw a field of them. We don't have them were I live. DH thought i was nuts.

he opened an eye...and was like...honey...those are wind turbines they provide power they aren't alien spacecraft. LOL then he mumbled something about cutting back on caffeine and sci-fi movies.

Capt. Jordi...where was the burned building taken and what was it? looks like a school.

capt_jordi · Jan 15, 2011

The burnt out building was the admin building for the Morristown College / Knoxville college - Morristown campus.
Founded1881.
Closed 1994.
Burnt Oct. 2010
The bricks for the building were made by hand by the students that attended the school.
The historic campus of Morristown College is listed in the National Register of Historic Places for its architectural significance and its important contributions to black education. Its significant architectural examples included Queen Anne and Georgian Revival styles. But the campus has been neglected, threatening the existence of these historic buildings.

vampcow · Jan 15, 2011

that is so sad. Was the fire arson? I know alot of the old neglected building that burn are the result of arson. A great example of that is the famous ballroom that was in an abandoned amusement park in the mid-west. I remember reading that it was being debated being restored but a bunch of teenagers set it on fire and I remember reading that they just let it burn.

capt_jordi · Jan 15, 2011

They know it had to be arson since there was no electricity to the building and it was a calm night. Plus it went up quick. But they arent sure. Homeless had been known to stay in the building for warmth, so they may have started a fire and it just got out of control. But I have a feeling it was moronic teenagers. The place was covered in very stupid racist graffiti and almost all of it was spelled wrong...

The ballroom was most likely Chippewa Park. Its completely gone now

I loved seeing pictures of that place. Another really interesting one is Six Flags New Orleans. It has been abandoned since Katrina.
There were a lot of amusement parks that were just left to rot. Back in their hayday almost every town had a little mom and pop amusement park. And then like with most things, the big companies moved in and put the small ones out of business. Although Japan has some amazing abandonments esp. amusement parks!

nurseangel · Jan 15, 2011

What beautiful pictures. I think this is a very interesting topic.

nekochan · Jan 15, 2011

I love photos of old abandoned places, like this website has:

http://www.opacity.us/

Some of my favorite galleries there:

http://www.opacity.us/site106_manten...e_hospital.htm

http://www.opacity.us/site41_the_enchanted_forest.htm

http://www.opacity.us/site92_marquet...e_hospital.htm

http://www.opacity.us/site30_pennhurst_state_school.htm

taterbug · Jan 15, 2011

Originally Posted by capt_jordi

The burnt out building was the admin building for the Morristown College / Knoxville college - Morristown campus.
Founded1881.
Closed 1994.
Burnt Oct. 2010
The bricks for the building were made by hand by the students that attended the school.
The historic campus of Morristown College is listed in the National Register of Historic Places for its architectural significance and its important contributions to black education. Its significant architectural examples included Queen Anne and Georgian Revival styles. But the campus has been neglected, threatening the existence of these historic buildings.

I thought that photo looked familiar!!! That's in my hometown!

capt_jordi · Jan 16, 2011

Originally Posted by Nekochan

I love photos of old abandoned places, like this website has:

http://www.opacity.us/

Some of my favorite galleries there:

http://www.opacity.us/site106_manten...e_hospital.htm

http://www.opacity.us/site41_the_enchanted_forest.htm

http://www.opacity.us/site92_marquet...e_hospital.htm

http://www.opacity.us/site30_pennhurst_state_school.htm

Thank you! I love seeing pictures of Pennhurst! I think I may be addicted to that site now!

Originally Posted by taterbug

I thought that photo looked familiar!!! That's in my hometown!

Awesome!

capt_jordi · Jan 16, 2011

Here are 2 from week 3. I cant decide between them. Taken at a muddy half melted park!

nurseangel · Jan 16, 2011

They are both beautiful pictures, but I like the second one best. It looks like it curves on to infinity.

My good friend is from a very poor area in West Virginia. She always described it as a horrible place that everyone wanted to leave. She took her then husband to visit there once and he said it was worse than Viet Nam (his country.) When she showed me pictures of her town, I thought it was absolutely beautiful. An old building, an old bridge. I can understand why people would want to leave a place of such poverty, where there were no jobs. But the place itself looked so pretty.

capt_jordi · Jan 17, 2011

Originally Posted by nurseangel

They are both beautiful pictures, but I like the second one best. It looks like it curves on to infinity.

My good friend is from a very poor area in West Virginia. She always described it as a horrible place that everyone wanted to leave. She took her then husband to visit there once and he said it was worse than Viet Nam (his country.) When she showed me pictures of her town, I thought it was absolutely beautiful. An old building, an old bridge. I can understand why people would want to leave an place of such poverty, where there were no jobs. But the place itself looked so pretty.

I agree. We have traveled through the coal towns of virginia many times to hand out food at food pantries. The area is beautiful. There are so many abandoned places, and its just such a different way of life. Also in that area, they will use junk to help fill in sink holes and creek beds and stuff. Its pretty common to see the nose of a crushed 50's car sticking out of a creek bed.

unseen beauty

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