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Hand in 29th March 2020
Judged 7th April 2020
Judge Pete Boyes
The topic was inspired by a book of the same title which depicts beautiful and fascinating images taken by “Urban Explorers” who dedicate themselves to seeking out and photographing abandoned buildings around the world, including hospitals, factories, theatres, powerplants etc. It goes without saying that when they enter these buildings they often do so illegally and in some cases at no small personal risk to themselves. No society would encourage its members to take any risks, legally or personally, in pursuit of their photography, but not all of the images are of the buildings themselves, including also individual items and artefacts which are in the process of rotting, rusting, or generally falling apart, and these can be beautiful in their own right. Decay can of course also be found in nature eg. a faded flower or skeletal leaf. Abandoned and decaying vehicles and farm machinery can also provide scope for fascinating images of decay, as can also rotting timber or even simply peeling paintwork. The possibilities are endless and are limited only by your imagination.
So your brief is to produce images which demonstrate “Beauty in Decay” (and remember that some examples of decay could in no way ever be described as beautiful) utilising all the usual photographic tools such as composition, depth of field, and of course lighting (natural or otherwise) which can transform an otherwise “flat” image into a captivating one. By all means include images of buildings, but where appropriate do bear in mind the issues of legality and personal safety.
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