Dereliction

One of the most fascinating subjects I like to photograph are derelict buildings.

This was the Wolverhampton University site at Compton Park on 26th May 2012. The site has been out of university use since March 2012 and is now being redeveloped. I had the opportunity to take this photos thanks to a Flickr contact. The demolition works have continued and so these photos are a nice record of the site in the midst of it's change.

If you are looking to do derelict photography, one thing I will stress is, you enter the sites at your OWN risk. I have a construction background and have hard hat and steel toe cap boots at the ready but there is a risk as every site is different. I am not a professional construction worker trained to deal with a demolition site but I am sensible and careful with everything I do.

Sometimes you have to deal with security or cameras. The key thing is BE VERY AWARE and  NEVER go in ALONE!

Floors can give way. Weak glass can shatter in the wind. Sides of buildings can crumble away. An empty building has it's own distinct set of noises. LISTEN! If something doesn't sound right, your gut should tell you it isn't right! And get out of there!

This is a typical corridor you may come across, holes in floor, electrical cables and other obstacles hanging down in your way. Don't be a hero and try to manouevre through. In this case the shot I wanted was right here!

With every derelict site, the things to look for are signs, the little details which put the old meaning of the site into context. The lampshades and curtains here show the age and era of the decoration. in a place where time has stood still, they almost look like new!

Abandoned letters, brochures and other personal items were all found at the Compton site. In previous  visits to other derelict sites, I have come across medical records, photos etc.

I particularly like this shot, the tyremarks of the plant machinery apparent, with the abandoned broken record. Gives the illusion of no respect for the belongings of the previous inhabitants either by themselves or by the redevelopment process.

Clues of the building's previous life lie everywhere. Every image tells a story!

To see more.....

Here is the complete set of photos I took on Flickr.