One of my first abandoned building shots, captured at the Lonaconing Silk Mill many years ago. I sold many copies of this print to folks from all over the country and it continues to garner interest. I titled the piece ‘Mirthless” as it had a melancholy feel to me and I didn't like melancholy as a title for this. I recently sold another copy and the buyer asked me to share my thoughts about the image and the title so I thought I would do so here. This image is part of my Urbex gallery.
My thoughts as I composed it—I wanted a taller than usual shot to accentuate the windows. I included some of the ceiling to give the image more “visual height” which also added some dimension. I wanted to frame the shot, putting the windows off-center a bit, I felt it added a slightly off-balanced look, which would create some tension within the image, and hold the viewers’ attention.
I also chose the location of the chair carefully so that it would catch the light and shadows on the top of the chair. I used all-natural lighting for this photo. I liked the way the filthy windows diffused the light. The softer light helped to create a somber feeling. The tree shadows added to the mood as well.
The faded brick wall, the dead leaves on the floor, the industrial equipment all added to the overall expression of this shot. A shot that represented a time capsule of days gone by, feelings of lives interrupted, lost, deserted. Ruminative thoughts, solemn moments. Isolation and despair…mirthless.