Terrible Beauty of Industry Photo

Photographer’s Note

This photo taken late at night at the industrial complex. In the vicinity of these gigantic petrochemical complexes, my nose was treated to a handful of different wonderful aromas from these poisoning gasses. No wonder I woke up with a slight headache this morning...

Tech: 2 minute exposure, tungsten WB, minimal photoshop editing.

bombilla, andante, Kirych, kiks, DonGusti, vagabondtravels, Davids has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

bigboroboy (1009) 2007-03-29 7:56

This is one of the best/strongest images I have seen on TE for a long time. Spot on exposure. The framing is dramatic and effective. This could have been used as a poster for some kind of anti-pollution charity or something. GREAT! How much post-production did you do?

PHIL

marianita (3356) 2007-03-29 7:59

Bennett,
wow! i think that is all taht must be said. very dramatic photo, with teh sky filling up...and we can imagine all those gasses you mentioned!you captured it excellently.by focusing on the sky it makes it sooooo dramatic
well taken
marianna

rigoletto (25942) 2007-03-29 8:04

Hello Bennet!
I think for the first time i am face to face with a 2 minute exposure (though i have seen 6 hours exposures before).
And what a confrontation this is! Amazing graphics! I will almost fall in love with those poisonus gases. Excellent contrasting colors and lively sharpness. Incredible that there is minimal postprocessing in this wonderful photo.
Cheers,
Deniz

mpetrovic (1479) 2007-03-29 8:10

wow, this is absolutely stunning piece of art! NEver thought how long exposure can catch industrial smoke so good! I am totaly speachless, this is extraordinary shot.
marko.

dumanica (5054) 2007-03-29 8:13

Very intresting tecnique and capture. TFS Duman:)

bombilla (3402) 2007-03-29 8:16

You suffer for your work. And we all suffer for our work, as it were. The strange beauty of the quasi-apocalyptic industrial scenes is an irony that never ceases to fascinate me. Why are those smog-laced skies so glorious in the evening. Why do we stand in awe and, yes, delight before the giant plumes of steam emerging from a nuclear powerplant stack? It's a great shot, as the others have pointed out. So strong and pleasing in its symmetry and graphism that we almost forget what it represents. That tension is the stuff of art. -Hugh

clnaef (6289) 2007-03-29 8:16

Bonjour,
Magnifique effet de style.
Bonne journée.
clnaef

deud (1841) 2007-03-29 8:18

great shot! amazing presentation. great visual impact, composition. tfs

MariosCYP (770) 2007-03-29 8:45

Very clever. I never thought of it :)

Regards from Cyprus,

Marios

Dpbours (216) 2007-03-29 8:46

Hi Bennett,

That shot is worth the headache! Thanks for sharing!

Dennis

jasmis (49691) 2007-03-29 8:54

This photo is really beautiful without irony. Long time of exposure make the show. I like such industrial mood. See here: http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Europe/France/North/photo324823.htm
Regards.

triptych2003 (1396) 2007-03-29 9:47

hi bennett

i like the effect that the long exposure makes with the gasses. simple composition that works very well for my liking. great job as usual!

Kirych (2696) 2007-03-29 9:53

Interesting note and wonderful capture.
Unusual capture and composition.
TFS. Tanya.

vincz (19039) 2007-03-30 3:26

Very impressive picture, terrible beauty indeed. What a shot, it could be used in magazines to highlight waht we are doinf to the atmosphere. A great one.

vagabondtravels (6097) 2007-03-30 4:34

Hi Bennett

Nice work. Spot on with the exposure. Great technically. Very thought provoking. Well done.
Ben

BrianGraney (1734) 2007-03-30 5:58

Another superb night-time shot from you!
Lucky that the middle chimney wasn't smoking - the W shape of the white smoke against the grey sky is fantastic.
Love it.
Thanks
Brian

Uzi (1148) 2007-04-17 14:27

I always belive that industry has hidden beauty inside
You show it in best way
well done
cheers
Iza

manub (920) 2007-04-30 22:26

Magnificent result! makes me think of Dom Garcia's work
www.domgarcia.com (look at "frontières")

Just great.
e

NikosG (196) 2007-05-09 0:32

Hey Bennett, Wonderful night photos all around, but I really enjoyed this one. Very originial. Obviously, the minute exposure creates this great effect, but what's really interesting that over that time the smoke distributes so nicely in an inverted cone... was there very little wind that night??

Thanks, Nick G.

dijjac (1569) 2007-07-23 7:44

Hi bennet
Trés originale composition, la vitesse lente permet un effet angoissant sur ces cheminées.
amicalement
jacques

fompositpro (38) 2007-07-29 0:01

inspiring. going to have to read that darn instruction manual to figure out TE now. thanks a lot! cheers, jj