industrial space

I recently was invited to take a tour of the Blue Heron Paper Mill, now defunct, abandoned and destined for gentrification. The site is literally right on the Willamette River, in Oregon City. This is the kind of special place where Native Americans used to pluck salmon from the waterfalls, but has been dammed for a power plant since 1895, but that is another story. This paper mill is special too, at least in my eyes. I am attracted to these industrial environments of old, I am not sure if it is the gritty textures, or something about the abandonment that speaks to me. My attraction and empathy could stem from the legacy of those who stood before us – for better or worse. The shear amount of concrete, materials and energy to build such a place, only to have the times change and the entire enterprise become obsolete, is in itself a haunting story. This image at first blush, may seem simplistic… another graphic photograph. However, I find that it tells a tragic story, the dead-end of a dream, a shadowed course, and the dangers of the industrial age. In addition, the composition is conflicted, the strong yellow graphics draw the eye toward the center of the image, typically this would lead to a point of illumination or the “hero” of the image. In this case, they lead to shadow, darkness and danger. I really liked Robert’s image “The Doors”, and seeing these images side by side really works for me… a simple composition playing off a textured nocturnal image. View more of my photography of the paper mill here. Please feel free to share with the buttons below and/or comment below that. Thanks!