From the footbridge across the railway line, the space outside the scrapyard can look a little like a lunar landscape, or a cratered battlefield. It’s very much an industrial space with a scattering of industrial skips and a gritty, oily surface with a scent of oil and chemicals. Beyond it is a second railway bridge that leads to the northern end of Rother Valley Country Park, and there is a footpath that skirts the edge of the scrapyard and this open area (or, as the figure in the first picture is doing, you can just cut the corner).
It’s not a pretty place, but there are photographs to be had. The skips catch the light and, when the angle is right, can be contrasty subjects with interesting shadows.
The puddles, when it has been raining, also offer opportunities to find reflections of the objects present and the surrounding structures.
Olympus XA3 & Ilford HP5+ (@800asa). Ilfotec DD-X 1+4 10mins @ 20°
Taken on 3 March 2024
Steel City Snapper photography 