AMUSEMENT CENTER

Should be viewed large.

 

Taken on what was the Fort Ord military reservation near Monterey,

California. Some of the land from this huge military base is now being

used for the University of California Monterey campus. There are

hundreds (if not thousands) of old abandoned buildings at this site.

Sounds like an awesome place to shoot. May have to take a little turn over that way :). I'm not sure what kind of filter (if any) you are using here, but I wish I could see this image in straight b&w. I don't know if the manipulation is totally working here. I think the tonal range in this image would be absolutely stunning. If this was mine I think I would crop in a little bit closer to get rid of some of the shrubs on the left or I would have moved the camera over to the right a bit cause that sky looks killer (too bad there is so little of it) but that is purely my take on it. I think it works this way too. Nicely done. Cheers, Catherine.

Thanks for you helpful comments. I'm attaching the original as it came from the camera. It had some highlights that were blown way out, and I could not get a good shot of the entrance because of the brush that has grown up all around. I wanted the letters of the sign to be as visible as possible, so that kind of dictated the spot from which I took the image.

 

As far as exploring this old place, I recommend it highly. I could easily spend a day or more here. Worst thing is that they do all they can to discourage trespassing. I don't know if the police department would give some slack to an earnest photographer or not. I guess I should try to find out before so much is lost. It is a fabulous place for those of us who like the ghosts of the past.

David, I prefer the original shot. The rendition appears to me tad dark. But it gives the impression of a haunted house alright.

The original shot shows just what an amazing job you did. Looks like if you entered you'd be amused TO DEATH. The black sky adds the right finishing touch. Marjorie

a sinister amusement center? I like the way you digi-treated the photo - to my taste it itensifies the contradiction of that place. Anyway, I bet that this is how people who don't drink V8 (or a similar vegetable juice) see the world. That's an interesting name for a military amusement center: "Retreat". Hey, why not call it "Get us outa here!" Cheers, Micheal

I like it. It does look darkly suggestive and ironic (amusement!), and I like the framing, including all the brush on the left. The dark mono works for me (comparing to your camera shot, I think you made a good choice), although the tones have gone too weird primarily on those leaves, with their blue and red tints. Otherwise, a winner here. I sure hope you'll trespass some more here...wish I could accompany you!

Fair enough. I know there are lots of folks who will not appreciate the heavy handed processing. Thanks for your opinion.

Thanks for your comment and rate. Glad you liked it. Also glad you thought it was an improvement over the original.

I too thought the use of "Retreat" was a nifty touch of irony. Thanks for your thoughts.

It was truly processed bigtime. First converted it to monotone with sepia tone. Then solarized. A few other minor adjustments and done. So the weird colors came in on the solarization. Thanks for your thoughts on this.

It has to be seen large, it is better than the original, and the "amusment center "is your usual well seen irony, especially that the vegetation is so dense that you need wings to enter..... I still would have lighted it a tiny bit, as it is very dark, but in general it fits well your style ;-)) and has a story, past, and a saying.

Thanks. I would not argue against lightening it up a bit. At the time I did it, it didn't seem so dark, but after posting it seemed to have darkened up a some.

Seeing this larger is definitely better. The result of your processing gives the composition an eerie mood, which I find fitting because the reality of the place has been altered. The amusement center is no longer so, it has become a ghost. I particularly like the dark areas, especially the one next to the sign with the "shadow" of the branch.

Indeed, quite ghostly. Your treatment makes it absolutely eerie. I always imagine a time-machine type experience in which I blink my eyes and I'm transported back a couple decades. Having spent many hours on a military base (with an ex-active duty spouse), I wonder if this place was ever amusing. Just because it's labeled that way, doesn't make it so. Case in point: Honest Joe's Used Car Sales...

Hi Dave

 

After seeing what you had to work with I'm very impressed. I'm still not sure I'm a big fan of the heavy post processing but that is purely personal taste. I love the way in which you treated the sky, I actually thought that was pretty much unaltered so that's a big compliment to your PS skills.

 

Again, great job.

 

Cheers,

Catherine

Thanks. I find my mind often wanders off to think about the poor young men who may have had the closest thing to fun their military service provided, by spending a few hours here. I imagine shortly thereafter they were shipped off to Viet Nam, to experience hell. No doubt many never had a chance for more amusement in their lives.

I'd kind of repeat my comments to Adan above. My guess is it was a poor substitute for amusement, but the best that could be had under the circumstances. You can tell by the type of building that it was undoubtedly for enlisted men. Those who mostly were drafted and had little ideological attachment to their suffering. You seem too young to have experienced the Viet Nam war, but, if you did, I think you know the suffering of which I speak. Certainly, if you have been on military bases, you know what an artificial environment it is.

Thanks. Knowing that a lot of folks do not like heavy processing, I'm happy on those occasions when I do it and they at least think it is better than the original. That's success of sorts.

Dave, the original shot does not do anything for me, but I really like the processed one. Love those sepia tones with the little touch of blue. Whatever you did gives the house a very ominous look. It seems like 'amusement' is just a ploy to draw people in, but they will never make it out again. Spooky! On the other hand, maybe you found ole Dick's undisclosed location, did you? B :)

Thanks for the look. It's really not an amusement center. It's a place designed to keep you from thinking and feeling. As a society, we are masters of that. I'm glad it appears sinister, because that's the way it should be.

Spot on processing here, Dave. It takes a special talent and a lot of insight to see the possibilities in an otherwise ordinary photo.

Or maybe a desperate photographer grasping at straws. But thanks for the kind compliment.