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 hedd
    
Location: Ottawa, ON, CA
Gender: Male
 |  |  | Thamesford Mill
< on 8/1/2006 8:45 PM >
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MODIFICATION: I just realized that I should have posted this in the 'UE Photo Critiques' forum instead... maybe a friendly admin/moderator could move it for me? 
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Hi all,
I just recently joined the board (I posted a little introduction http://www.uer.ca/...page=33&pp#post641).
This location isn't listed in the DB (at least publicly), but it was a really cool site. I discovered it while driving to London, Ontario for a wedding a few weeks ago, and made my wife promise that we'd stop on the way home so I could check it out.
I did a bit of research on the location when I got home... I can't find the site now, but I am pretty sure I remember reading somewhere that it was built in 1898 (to replace an earlier mill destroyed in a fire), and closed sometime in the 1980s.
This was my first real "photographic outing" or urban exploration experience, but it was fascinating... I am really looking forward to exploring some of the other sites in the DB - especially once I gain a full membership.
I'm not sure what the norm is here, but for you photography "purists" let me say up front that I've touched up most of these to some degree in Photoshop... some modifications are obvious (black & white, blurs, etc) while others are more subtle (color balancing, etc).
I welcome all feedback, but preferably the constructive kind.
[last edit 8/2/2006 2:40 PM by hedd - edited 1 times]
- BG |
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manitou
 
Location: Mississauga/Toronto/Waterloo
Gender: Male
I was born with an inherent knowledge of every abandonment in the world!
| | Re: Thamesford Mill
<Reply # 1 on 8/1/2006 10:44 PM >
| | | | I thought that place had been torn down but apparently I heard incorrectly. I am glad that I did.
Some of your compositions are quite good. However other shots look like they should be more tightly cropped.
Watch your metering as well, again, in some photos it is spot on, but in others the glare ruins the shot.
Overall well done though. I am glad to see some interior shots from that place.
www.dkphotogroup.com
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hedd
Location: Ottawa, ON, CA
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Thamesford Mill
<Reply # 2 on 8/2/2006 5:58 PM >
| | | | manitou - thanks very much for the feedback. Could you single out a few examples that could have benefitted from cropping, or where the metering is off? I'm fairly new at this so I'm still looking for examples of what *not* to do.
Thanks.
- BG |
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hedd
Location: Ottawa, ON, CA
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Thamesford Mill
<Reply # 3 on 8/3/2006 9:19 PM >
| | | | Hi all,
I'd really appreciate some criticism from the more experienced members out there - anything specific that would help me improve my future work. In other words, not just "it sucks" by WHY it sucks, and what you would have done differently, etc. I'm hoping to go out again this weekend and I'd like to get a few tips beforehand.
Thanks.
- BG |
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distorted void
Location: Illinois
Gender: Male
What you risk shows what you value.
| |  | Re: Thamesford Mill
<Reply # 4 on 8/3/2006 9:22 PM >
| | | | sweet thats all i got to say
I love doing things in which others have no idea even exist, dont you? |
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blackhawk
This member has been banned. See the banlist for more information.
Location: Mission Control
UER newbie
| | | Re: Thamesford Mill
<Reply # 5 on 8/4/2006 10:04 PM >
| | | | What was the power source for the open belt drive train? Quit a sweet site indeed. You should spend more time there. Thank you for sharing.
Just when I thought I was out... they pulled me back in.
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I am the Bear
Location: Seattle Wa
Gender: Male
| | Re: Thamesford Mill
<Reply # 6 on 8/6/2006 3:14 AM >
| | | |
that one is a little distracting because of the blown out window
several of them are really grainy, which is icky to look at. i dont know if they were shot on different rolls of film or what.
these are all very solid and theres not much to say about them. each one is set up well and almost all of them are interesting to look at
just wait around a bit and some of the real ballers might come out from their caves and tell you what they think.
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hedd
Location: Ottawa, ON, CA
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Thamesford Mill
<Reply # 7 on 8/6/2006 4:06 PM >
| | | | Hi guys, and thanks for the comments. blackhawk - I have no idea what the power source was. I couldn't identify most of the machinery I saw there, let alone deduce how it worked.
Bear - thanks for the critique. None of the shots are film - they were all with my crappy little 5 MP digital camera (http://www.dprevie...1panasoniclc80.asp). As for the graininess, that's probably just the result of my trying to salvage some under-exposed shots using Photoshop.
If I improve maybe someday I'll be able to justify the investment in a 'real' camera.
- BG |
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I am the Bear
Location: Seattle Wa
Gender: Male
| | Re: Thamesford Mill
<Reply # 8 on 8/7/2006 4:13 AM >
| | | | Posted by hedd
Hi guys, and thanks for the comments. blackhawk - I have no idea what the power source was. I couldn't identify most of the machinery I saw there, let alone deduce how it worked.
Bear - thanks for the critique. None of the shots are film - they were all with my crappy little 5 MP digital camera (http://www.dprevie...1panasoniclc80.asp). As for the graininess, that's probably just the result of my trying to salvage some under-exposed shots using Photoshop.
If I improve maybe someday I'll be able to justify the investment in a 'real' camera.
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ah i understand. well you can make the best of what you have by experimenting by pressing the "menu" button with the the knob in different settings. or whatever you have to do to unlock the full potential of your camera. i'm still finding new things i can do with my nikon coolpix 4600. for instance, it has a "fireworks" setting, which can be useful for shooting objects in low light.
yours has something called EV compensation wich can be turned up when shooting in dark places, or turned down when shooting in bright places. it also has a night portrait setting, and iso settings that can help you better control the exposure.
also, investing in a camera may not be as hard as you think. you can ebay a decent camera and a set of lenses for under 50 bucks these days.
[last edit 8/7/2006 4:16 AM by I am the Bear - edited 1 times]
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Benjammer
| | | Re: Thamesford Mill
<Reply # 9 on 8/11/2006 11:19 PM >
| | | | Some of those are really cool, I like the dreamy effect you added to some of those, or did they just turn out that way somehow?
YOu've inspired me to Diffuse blur some of my RL hearn Photos
[last edit 8/12/2006 12:17 AM by Benjammer - edited 1 times]
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hedd
Location: Ottawa, ON, CA
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Thamesford Mill
<Reply # 10 on 8/13/2006 3:57 PM >
| | | | Thanks Benjammer! And you're correct: I am using diffuse glow in a few of those shots. The blur in a couple is by accident though; I didn't have a tripod. I'm a big fan of diffuse glow, and I thought this place in particular was an ideal place for it.
I'm hoping to make a trip down to Hearn in September, it looks like a really cool place.
- BG |
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Core
Location: MI
Gender: Male
Warning: Some side effects may occur
| | | Re: Thamesford Mill
<Reply # 11 on 8/14/2006 7:52 PM >
| | | | Nice shots, nicely composed and exposed.
However *cracks knuckles* on your third shot, the composition would be better if you were more to the right, or if you cropped out the factory in the background leaving just the broken window and the wall. In number five the composition is fine but the content of the pic itself is rather boring, you try to spice it up with the blur effect but it essentially has nothing going for it. In number six the pic has the feeling of looking from above as you look down the corridor, I think it would be better composition-wise if you were looking down the corridor from a level perspective. In shot nine it's gears and a spiderweb, not the greatest content. In shot ten it looks as if the sign is partially destroyed but we don't know that unless we see the whole thing, take a step back to include the whole thing plus a bit of the wall as a 'border'. Shot eleven is like number five, not very interesting although you tried to spice it up with the blur. Shot twelve could use some more light and be sharper, nice composition though. Thirteen I feel would be improved by moving to the right or left while shooting the ductwork, otherwise it's great. Shot fourteen needs more pics from different angles, it's nice and interesting I just want to see more of it from different perspectives. Shot sixteen is alright, but the window glare takes away from it. Shot seventeen, I want to see some shots of the pully wheels over the vats, climb up the ladder and take some shots looking down the axle of the wheels. Shot eighteen I think does not need the blur effect, it's a stronger pic with the sharpness on the edges and the detail that you lose with the blur. And lastly, shot nineteen has a fuzzy/grainy feel to it that needs to be cleaned up either in photoshop or in the composition (step back, focus, step closer etc) plus a touch more light wouldn't hurt.
[last edit 8/14/2006 7:55 PM by Core - edited 2 times]
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hedd
Location: Ottawa, ON, CA
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Thamesford Mill
<Reply # 12 on 8/15/2006 5:47 PM >
| | | | Alright, a criticism with some meat to it!
Thanks Core for being very specific. That was essentially my first official "UE set" so I appreciate the comments a lot. A lot of what you said I'd been kinda thinking in the back of my head too, so in the future I'll allow those little hunches to direct my work a little better (and be more selective about which shots to keep/purge).
I have a couple feeble excuses to offer though...
1. Shot ten (the "FIRE" warning) - I wholeheartedly agree with your comments, but that was the best angle I could get. The sign itself was high up (I was standing on a block of wood and holding the camera way overhead), plus the bottom of the sign was mostly obscured by a pipe running across it. You can see a bit of it in the bottom-right corner.
2. On shot eighteen the blur is unintentional. I didn't have a tripod, and only realized afterwards that it was blurred like that. Actually, same deal for shot five too. I tried to play it off as best as I could in Photoshop.
Again, many thanks.
- BG |
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Core
Location: MI
Gender: Male
Warning: Some side effects may occur
| | | Re: Thamesford Mill
<Reply # 13 on 8/15/2006 8:20 PM >
| | | | You're welcome Hedd. I understant about shot ten, sometimes you just can't get a good shot and that was the best you could get, shot 18 and 5 *shrugs* if it's an unintentional blur I personally would discard it unless it's a good shot. The blur on your pics is good but the content is just not the greatest. I've been doing photography for awhile now and one thing I've come to realize is that the devil is truly in the details. I've scrapped pics simply because they were slightly, just ever so slightly, out of focus, or the picture wasn't that great content wise and those little details take away from the overall photo. You've got some great talent, now you just have to refine it; and listen to your hunches.
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TRAINS
Foaming at the Mouth
Location: Canada
Gender: Male
Ask me about my coupling equipment!
| | Re: Thamesford Mill
<Reply # 14 on 8/20/2006 5:37 AM >
| | | | Nice stuff man. You've inspired me to take the 10 minute drive and finally explore it!
At one time, many many years ago, there was a water wheel in the river that provided physical rotation to the machines.
I am not sure when the wheel was removed, but I believe that the mill was converted to another power method before it was closed. I'll see what info I can dig up...
Sorry I'm not up to writing a larger critique right now, but personally, I'm not a fan of unintentional or added blur. I hate blur, but do not confuse blur with bokeh. Bokeh is good.
Some of the shots are a little too edited for me. I prefer crisp images that are clear. I do like the colour of the rusty window though, I think that is well done.
But that's the beauty of photography. It's an art, and you do what you want. If your photos make yourself feel good, then dammit, you're a successful photographer. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
[last edit 8/20/2006 5:38 AM by TRAINS - edited 1 times]
Baby like the way I wake her up, 'Cause I'm a gangsta, I grab her by the butt, Pull her to my side, I'm in deep, Woke that ass up just to put her to sleep |
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hedd
Location: Ottawa, ON, CA
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Thamesford Mill
<Reply # 15 on 8/20/2006 2:11 PM >
| | | | Hey FireDragonLightning, thanks for the comments, and I'd really appreciate hearing whatever info you can dig up on the mill!
- BG |
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TRAINS
Foaming at the Mouth
Location: Canada
Gender: Male
Ask me about my coupling equipment!
| | Re: Thamesford Mill
<Reply # 16 on 8/23/2006 1:04 AM >
| | | | Actually, that mill owes my grandparents a rather nice sum of money... (They own a feed hauling trucking company).
So, if you find a few hundred laying around in there, fire me an email! Hahah
I'll see what else I can find when I have the time...
Baby like the way I wake her up, 'Cause I'm a gangsta, I grab her by the butt, Pull her to my side, I'm in deep, Woke that ass up just to put her to sleep |
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hedd
Location: Ottawa, ON, CA
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Thamesford Mill
<Reply # 17 on 8/23/2006 2:57 AM >
| | | | LOL... so THAT'S what those bags of cash were for...sorry I spent it all on a new camera.
- BG |
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drawnaway
Location: Rochester, NY
Gender: Female
Eat it!
| | | Re: Thamesford Mill
<Reply # 18 on 8/23/2006 4:36 AM >
| | | | Most of them are overly grainy. Grain is appealing in b/w photos, but not so much in color. Try using a lower ISO film/digital setting. Also your highlights have a tendency to be blown out. Other than that, you have some great compositions going for you in most of the images. Keep shooting!
"I refuse to prove that I exist," says God. "For proof denies faith and without faith I am nothing." |
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