Comrades: The First Chapter
Comrades
I first met Andy, during spring of this year, if I am remembering correctly. He came by my workplace, a couple of times, and we quickly bonded over our shared interest. Our passion for analog photography, and basically anything film related. A scheduled cup of coffee, and a talk about decades old film cameras, made us quickly realize that celluloid film wasn't the only shared interest, since we both like to “explore” abandoned buildings, and the forgotten history behind them. This combination ended up, being the driving force behind several longs phone conversations, that resulted in this blog.
Time was of the essence, if we wanted to go on some adventures together, before Andy had to move across the pond. We quickly packed our bags with cameras, and tripods - filled our pockets with rolls of film, and went on two different trips before the move. I am pretty confident that Andy's photos from these two trips - will blow your socks off. But for now - you’ll have to settle with the photos I took.
The first trip
We decided that the first trip, should be to a couple of abandoned locations in Nørresundby. Places I’ve already been to many times, but also places that I like coming back to. These are places I have regularly visited during the last 4-5 years. There is something about slowly watching these places decaying over time. Nature taking back what rightfully belongs to it. At the first two places we visited, were some abandoned cars, slowing being eaten by brambles, and an old abandoned warehouse, or some sort of industrial building left behind. The warehouse has really transformed over time. The first couple of times I went there, exploring alone - I always had this eery feeling, that somebody was watching me. But after a couple of big fires, all there is left is an empty graffitied shell, in the process of being demolished completely.
an old Renault Clio left behind, shot on Kentmere 200 with the Olympus Mju
the interior of the Clio, shot on Kentmere 200 with the Olympus Mju, and it’s internal flash
graffitied walls, and a floor filled with trash, shot on fairly recent expired portra 160 with the Mju
the warehouse as seen from the harbor side, shot on Kentmere 200, with the Canon A1 - since this photo were taken, all entry from this side, has been blocked by trees. Trees chopped and layered on top of each other, to block all entry.
signs of demolition, most definitely in an attempt to stop another fire being lit, Kentmere 200 with Canon A1
This was my first time shooting Harman’s Kentmere 200, and what immediately jumped into my eyes was the halation in the highlight. It clearly shows in the two shots above, where the light enters from the ceiling and hitting the floor. It gives the highlights a soft outer glow that really intrigues me. For a budget film, or for the budget b/w film, Kentmere 200 really made an impact on me. As someone who always preferred T-Max over HP5, Kentmere went straight on top of T-Max, and became my go-to film, for b/w photography. It being the cheapest option on the market, is just a sweet benefit.
After a visit to the warehouse, our next stop was a small street, with a row of abandoned houses, in the middle of a populated area, near Lindholm train station, along with an abandoned bicycle store. We met a guy who used to live in one of the houses, and he gave us an explanation as to why all the houses were abandoned. There were plans to demolish all houses, and use the ground for a apartment complex, but a gang of local bats put an end to the development. This is definitely not the first time local bats have caused trouble with developing plans in the council of Aalborg, and it seems random, if the council rules in favor of the bats or not, like with the motorway across Egholm.
same subject, different approaches. To the left Kentmere 200 on the Canon A1, and to the right, expired portra 160 on the Mju
same concept, and conflicted as to which version I like best. There is something about the Kentmere halation effect that really speaks to me on the photo to the left, a glow that draws your attention (titled the divine fridge by Andy, and I). But the shot to the right, has a tiny bit more interesting framing in my opinion, with a wall to the right, and a layered foreground, with the plant.
Below are some Kentmere shots, all shot on the Canon A1
There’s something uncanny about mannequins if you ask me, their human like appearance. Even though they scare me a bit, I feel somehow drawn to them, meaning I have to photograph them. There is a small part of my brain, that thinks about all the mischief they get up to, when we are not looking.
After searching around the premises of the houses, we visited the abandoned bicycle store, as the last location of our first trip.
The photos below are all from our last location, shot on Kentmere with the Canon A1
The photo with “dæk udsalg” (tire sale), definitely being my favorite of the day. So much so that I printed a copy of it.
Once we get the map site up and running, the locations mentioned on the post will be available on the map, for you to do your own exploring.
The second trip
It was a no brainer, the frist trip only being a small appetizer for adventures to come. We quickly went on another trip, a trip that involved some known places, and some completely new places to both of us. We both played around with expired film, and by expired I mean 20-30 years expired. I gotta leave some crumbs and a little cliffhanger. The second trip will be posted with the next issue 02, so stay tuned, and keep an eye out.
Mr. Andy R. Țurcan
Written by Martin Junge Kjøbeløv