Penitentiary

Albert Dickson

A thousand lives, a hundred years, dust, peeling paint, this place is palpable.

The End Of the Row


Hell Block


Prison Laundry


Solitary


Let me know what you street shooters think. I am a nature photog so this is a new tact for me.

arroyoshark

Dunno, seems kind of "confining" to me.


Nice shots ! I particularly like Numbr 4.

Skippy

Albert Dickson wrote:

A thousand lives, a hundred years, dust, peeling paint, this place is palpable.

The End Of the Row
Hell Block
Prison Laundry
Solitary
Let me know what you street shooters think. I am a nature photog so this is a new tact for me.

Ohhhhhh gosh Jail is not a place I ever want to end up in.
Looks a harsh place ... Skippy
.

David_S85

Love that last shot posted. Needs some more work in post, but a super cool subject.

Albert Dickson

Thank you all for the comments.
David, What did you have in mind for the "work in Post" for the 4th image. I seriously would like your input.

David_S85

Albert Dickson wrote:

David, What did you have in mind for the "work in Post" for the 4th image. I seriously would like your input.

Straightening, for one.

Is this the full frame image you posted? I can't tell if it is a door or a window (or a mirror?) I'm looking through. Even though the subject is obviously the orange and dominant barred doorway beyond, not knowing what I am peering through leaves me wanting to know more about the space. Be it door, window or mirror, not revealing more of it vertically (up & down) just leaves me at a bit of a loss.

I do like the negative space (the blackness) in the foreground, as it brings off the subject more. I'm not sure the 3:2 ratio fits the subject. Try other croppings? Subject offset and not in the middle?

The muted colors of all those images, overall, is very haunting. That odd areas are brightly colored is not usually what someone thinks of for a prison environment. I find industrial shots like these creepy, yet inviting. Do you have more of this place? Any close-ups of locks, hinges, etc.?

DRabbit

As I said in another thread, I love these kind of locations. Which old prison was it? I want to visit the one in Philly so bad...

I like the shots... but I'd love to see them treated with a bit more contrast and saturation... and the composition on the third one is a bit odd.

Albert Dickson

I see what you mean.

David_S85 wrote:

Straightening, for one.

Be it door, window or mirror, not revealing more of it vertically (up & down) just leaves me at a bit of a loss.

Try other croppings? Subject offset and not in the middle?

That odd areas are brightly colored is not usually what someone thinks of for a prison environment. I find industrial shots like these creepy, yet inviting. Do you have more of this place? Any close-ups of locks, hinges, etc.?

David, Thanks for your input. I was thinking the same thing about the horizontal format not fitting and the incompleteness of the foreground door. Actually this is taken from within a Solitary confinement cell looking out at an opposing cell. I am going to reshoot this series. I like it but feel I did not give it the best advantage. The "odd areas of light" are natural from windows and doors and are the only sources of light in these buildings. Exposures were quite long.

Albert Dickson

DRabbit wrote:

As I said in another thread, I love these kind of locations. Which old prison was it? I want to visit the one in Philly so bad...

I like the shots... but I'd love to see them treated with a bit more contrast and saturation... and the composition on the third one is a bit odd.

Hi Amy. Thanks for your thoughts. The lack of saturation is probably due to the very late afternoon light streaming in through the masive verticle windows. I am glad you think the laundy image is a bit odd. This was actually my favorite building in the prison. It has thi imense pyamid shaped skylight that threw some interesting glows on things. As I told David, I am going to reshoot this and I will repost in another thread. Thanks again.

P.S. It's the Old Idaho State Pen, and before that it was the Territory Prison. It housed Inmates from 1870 until 1973. The Gallows are on the 2nd floor of Maximum Securtity along with Death Row. I intentionaly did not shoot here. It seemed too private.

Art Scott

THis is quite an interesting shoot......I like them all but would like to have seen more of the foreground in Solitary.....so in essence I think it ould have been much more powerful if the whole doorway you were looking thru was seen top to bottom, with a touch of the floorin leading you to the Solitary Door.....I did like the treatment of the Door in the origianal posting.....

Good luck with your re-shoot.

Albert Dickson

I think it would have been much more powerful if the whole doorway you were looking thru was seen top to bottom, with a touch of the floorin leading you to the Solitary Door.....[/quote]

Perhaps this is more what you and David are sugesting. Part of my problem with framing this shot is the size of the interior of the cell I am shooting from. I am pinned against the back wall with little L to R lattitude. These guys didi not rate spacious accomidations. The ceiling is very high and the only light in the cell comes from a chimney pipe in the ceiling and the bottom 6 inches of the door. I am shooting this at a focal length of 18mm, f16 about 20sec.

David_S85

OK, so that is a door. I was beginning to think is was a reflection in a mirror (not that it would be a bad thing). Your first pic posted of it didn't convey 'door' to me. Now I see it -- and it is good!

There was a part of the ceiling in the next room that was lighter and distracting. If you're going to re-shoot, try to only get that orangish wall in the shot. Also, a small step ladder might help (and getting the tripod set higher) to capture more of the green doorway and less of the ceiling. Or use a portrait orientation to get more vertical space. A perspective correction or two will probably be necessary in post.

Overall, I think this composition has a lot of appeal. Re-shoots are not a bad thing. You can choose the light at a better time of day (or just different) and try multiple things you never thought to do the first go. Don't forget to get close-ups of other elements there.

Albert Dickson

Thanks David
I do appreciate the critique and sugestions. A big help.

Art Scott

Yes that is exactly what i was refering to.

A lot more powerful..Fantastic.