Urban Decay

[Daniel]

My contribution (taken in the vicinity of an abandoned mine in central Germany close to Dortmund):

[smc1377]

Originally Posted by starpause

i know the argument, i was just surprised at the lack of respect for other artists on this thread!

i've got nothing against graffiti shots--photos are a great way to make a record of the writing on the walls. i'd just suggest shooting it as you'd shoot an art slide ... here are some tips:

http://www.graffiti.org/faq/photofaq.html

The more I thought about this, the more I see your point. I ask myself, "Would I take a picture of just a part of the Mona Lisa, like say just zooming in on her face?" And if so, am I cheating myself and Leonardo Da Vinci?

[Daniel]

Originally Posted by hpebley3

Many see graffiti as defacing property; a lack of respect for other's property. Hence a lowering (decaying) of the community standard.

There are amazing graffitis and there are not so nice ones (e.g. certain tags). You will find nice graffitis in great adorable places in cities and people pay graffiti artists for them spraying their walls (or at least the paint in some cases).

Now if you look at an abandoned (decaying) place outside a big city (industrial hall, factory, train station, ...) you will - with great certainty - find graffitis there, both - nice and not so nice kinds.

One power of photography (as I see it) is that you build upon the assumptions of the people who are looking at your pictures. Ask yourself the question: are there more attractive urban areas with graffitis or are there more abandoned decaying urban areas with graffitis?

[Chipis & Pellitos]

Here is an example I found on a recent walk.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/pstatha...7594493519501/

There's a bunch more in this set on flickr here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pstathakos

[mdwsta4]

couple of oldies...











cheers,
matt

[Botany]

Shot in Savannah, Georgia

[jiminyClickit]

Botany,

Your first post says much about decay, and better said in black and white (or sepia).

[ssanyal]

This one was taken in the streets of jaffa, near tel-aviv.

[Murtasma]

[dirtyone30]

This is my first attempt, please feel free to comment/critique.