Posted by Laurie (New Jersey, United States) on 6 June 2007 in Cityscape & Urban and Portfolio.
This is the old Bethlehem Steel works in Bethlehem Pennsylvania. Bethlehem Steel closed the plant back in 1995. The old property has been being slowly redeveloped.
Its my understanding that there are plans for a casino and other entertainment/arts venues and the Smithsonian Institute plans on building a museum there. The only place Smithsonian has built a museum outside of Washington DC, to the best of my knowledge.
I explored the property a couple of weeks ago. It was a very hot and hazy day. This was taken at midday which was not really optimal. I would have loved to have been there early in the morning but because of morning obligations with the kids that was definitely out of the question.
I did get really close to the buildings and I have to say it was really creepy walking around there. Of course I couldn't get too close because they have everything fenced off. Although I did walk beneath what remained of the massive blow pipes that brought forced air into the blast furnaces. You could hear the steel girders and pipes creaking in the wind. It was as if there were ghosts there. It was actually rather sad. It was where much of the steel that helped build the nation was forged.
I went back later nearing sunset hoping to get that late day light but it became quite solid overcast and even more hazy and so it was not to be.
I have quite a few more photos from the site which I may post over the next few days.
Please visit my other photoblog Capturethisphotography.com
This photo of the Bucknell Quad is a 2 page feature photo in the Summer 2008 issue of Bucknell Magazine.
Your comments are very much appreciated. I know the time and effort it takes to visit and leave comments and although I don't get to reply to them nearly as often as I like, please know that I do really appreciate them. You are what keeps me going. I make every effort to reply to questions but I may miss one or two and I apologize for that. If you really need me to get an answer to you quickly, the best way is to use the contact form on Am3.
As of July 2008 I have decided to post the same photos here as on Capturethisphotography.com but check the archives for photos not posted here.
VFXY Photos
The look is amazing! Nice capture! :)
6 Jun 2007 4:49am
@HorseRotorVator: Thanks.
Incredible commentary and photo. I lived outside Allentown for a while and it's amazing how many generations of families were steel workers and were so lost without the plants. So sad.
6 Jun 2007 5:43am
@Jen: Thanks. Yes it was truly the end of an era.
I love abandoned industrial areas like this. I'm looking forward to your next photos!
6 Jun 2007 5:52am
@dee: Thanks. I will be posting one shortly.
Nice shot, that would be great to walk around a place like that.
6 Jun 2007 7:32am
@DTW: Thanks. I really wanted to get inside the fence but no it wasn't going to happen.
Great colors/industrial shot!
6 Jun 2007 10:51am
@badala: Thanks.
interesting industrial decay shot,well done
6 Jun 2007 11:25am
@Kheoh Yee Wei: Thanks.
A sad commentary on the industry in the USA. Great shot of the factory. Looking forward to seeing some more.
6 Jun 2007 12:30pm
@photowannabe: Thanks. So true.
This place has a magic atmosphere. Good shot!
6 Jun 2007 4:50pm
@Henri Rabagny: Thanks.
Oh my, truly our history. I can only hope we are not going to regret exporting all our heavy industry. Kind of disturbing when I think about it.
Great image, very evocative.
6 Jun 2007 8:52pm
@MontereyJohn: Thanks. I worry too.
I bet I could blow through a dozen memory cards in there.
6 Jun 2007 9:49pm
@Angry Buddha: Thanks. I restrained myself, mainly because I couldn't get inside the fence and so I could only do so much.
Great shot! Abandned buildings like these make nice subjects for photos. A morning or evening shot would be wonderful.
7 Jun 2007 2:37am
@Stunner: Thanks. Yes I wanted to get there for the sunset, but it ended up poor conditions. I would have come early but I had to take Jon to his violin/viola lessons up North Jersey at 10 am so there was no way to be there for the early sun...sigh.
Very cool details, Laurie! I like this very much.
7 Jun 2007 5:29am
@Behrooz: Thanks.
Laurie - this is a nice shot especially given the shooting conditions. This looks like a location you could really explore and capture in so many different ways.
Excellent commentary too. Reminds me of the Billy Joel song... I was talking to someone recently about another town in the US that used to host two prominent companies and is now a depressing shadow of its former self.
I guess all things are a cycle of growth and decay. Still everything in decay can be transformed once again into something new and beautiful. Keeps life interesting!
7 Jun 2007 6:05am
@Jason Kravitz: Thanks. I love that song!
I like the contrast of the clouds and sky against the foreboding dark of the plant and the stacks. I would burn in the blast furnace part of the plant a little to show a bit more detail. It's sad how American industry has come to this. Having grown up in a once-thriving steel town, it's sad to see American industry, and "stillmills" in particular, rusting away into history. By the way, I was finally able to get the GIF image of the frustrated computer user from your other blog to download and work. Thanks!
7 Jun 2007 11:36am
@Russ: Thanks. I didn't think about burning in the furnace since the large size from which I worked really didn't seem to need it as it showed lots of detail.
I'm glad you got that GIF file. It is pretty cathartic.
Wow, this is beautiful. Love the vantage point from which you shot it. Looks so strong! Historical...
7 Jun 2007 2:31pm
@April: Thanks.
Lovely
Suby
7 Jun 2007 5:44pm
@Suby: Thanks.
Great composition !
7 Jun 2007 11:48pm
@Reza: Thanks.
Nice documentary photo.
8 Jun 2007 7:46am
@Evie: Thanks.
What an impressive place! I like the strength of your image!
8 Jun 2007 12:13pm
@Still: Thanks.
just great...
9 Jun 2007 6:15pm
@reza mohseni: Thanks.
nice
10 Jun 2007 12:21am
@mahdi: Thanks.
Nice shot and description on the place. Looks decadent and rusty. Waiting your next shots.
10 Jun 2007 7:45am
@adalove: Thanks.
I live not to far from this and I understand fully the saddness behind this steel factory and lost of jobs for the area....at one time this was a thriving, beautiful factory, but in all honesty...it's depressing when driving by and I'm ready to see it come down. Now, I got that song going through my head now by Billy Joel....Well we're living here in Allentown. Where all the factories have shut down......
10 Jun 2007 8:28am
@Candace: Thanks. I can certainly understand that.
Stunning! The color of sky and building are nice contrast!
11 Jun 2007 11:42am
@miu*: Thanks.
like this image a lot ! great work on the textues and the clouds, great colours too. + great place to shoot robin
11 Jun 2007 3:45pm
@Robin & Maria: Thanks. It's a pretty amazing place. Must have been something when it was still operating.
Excellent atmosphere! Very good composition!
20 Jun 2007 7:12pm
@Alain: Thanks.
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NIKON D2001/160 secondF/13.0ISO 20051 mm (35mm equiv.)
abandonedsteelworksbethlehem