Like to shoot industrial stuff; going to Eastern/Central Europe

[susan_bowen]

All the guide books, etc. just tell tourists about the "pretty" sites. I've

seen references to "rusting old factories" as a negative... but me, that's at

least in part of what I want to see.

 

Can people who have been to Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, and Hungary

recommend areas that have a lot of factories, grain elevators, industrial

sites, particularly if accessible enough to photograph. Thanks.

[tedg]

If you would like to see more derelict, abandoned, toxic/HAZMAT steel works and factories than anywhere else in Europe pay a visit to Bulgaria. Sofia is a great place to visit from a photo and historical standpoint (cheapish too!) AND....for what you want to shoot there are BUCKETS of monster abandoned soviet-era plants littering the countryside within a 20 minute drive of center Sofia. The main road between Sofia and the Macedonia border will keep you plenty busy with "rusting old factories"!

[richard_f1]

I know Romania is not on your list of countries but it is right next to Hungary and still has plenty of rugged and depressing Stalinist-style factories to see.

 

There is a train line going to the junction of Arad and near there is a town which used to service a filthy factory of some kind. I can't recall the name, sorry, but you will find it mentioned in the Romania Lonely Planet.

 

The town suffered terribly - apparently only in recent years did the snow start falling white. Many of the residents have or had all kinds of terrible medical conditions too.

 

You can see the black soot all over the factory facilities, though they have scrubbed down the town. The factory itself is pretty decrepit now. It is right by the train tracks.

 

I had a shot of it, from the train, if I get time, and you're interested, I could scan it and post it or email it to you. It's not a very good photo, just a grab as the train sped past. Once you find the name, you can get a slow local train there (a photo op in itself).

 

Out at Zarnesti, a small town out of Brasov, there are some pretty crumbly old factory sites too. You can go out there and stay (it is close to "Dracula's" castle. It is easy to get local buses, there is no need to pay rip-off fees to taxi drivers.

 

I didn't see much of that when I was in Slovakia, it is a very clean looking place (at least where I was - Bratislava and the Tatras).

 

good luck.

[susan_bowen]

Thanks everyone. I've discovered this whole movement (a young people thing) called "urban exploration" which involves scouting out and photographing the kind of sites I'm talking about. There is a web-ring by that name. Through that I've found out that southern Poland is a good bet and that is on my original itinerary (more or less).

[lheusinkveld]

You could try Plsen, just outside Prague, it was certainly a very industrial town when I was there some years ago. Parts of Prague are still pretty industrial, and that has the advantage of excellent public transportation. Lodz in Poland was very "untouristy" as well, at least it was in the late 90's.

[jeffpolaski]

Browse some Rodchenko photos.

[frank_skomial]

Old days you could have been arrested for taking pictures of industrial objects in communist dominated countries.

 

Now it is different. You could pretend that you take pictures for possible purchase of those "rustic" dumpsters, and they will be happy to show you all the glory inside/out.

[soboyle www.oboylephoto.co]

Susan

I've done a lot of this type of photography here in New England, but haven't been to europe to indulge myself (yet). I would be interested in hearing about your trip when you get back, and how you found the access to the ruins there.

Cheers

Shaun O'Boyle

www.oboylephoto.com/ruins