Quiet
Very aesthetically pleasing to my eyes. Piano at abandoned Westborough State Hospital, MA
Very aesthetically pleasing to my eyes. Piano at abandoned Westborough State Hospital, MA
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May, 2016Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken inside the abandoned Westborough State Hospital in Westborough, MA. Massachusetts has so many beautiful abandoned hospitals or state schools remaining that still speak such loud stories after so many years.Time
This photo was taken sometime in the late afternoon. I can't remember the exact time, as I had been exploring the hospital's campus for hours before coming to this spot.Lighting
At abandoned locations, natural light can provide some of the best assistance in setting the mood or tone, and for dramatic affect. In this photo, the piano is illuminated by the windows close to the center, while the rest of the shot is darker and creates a natural vignette in a way. Your eyes are instantly drawn to the aging piano and details in the surrounding area. In my opinion, using flash would've ruined this photo and made it look completely different. Instead of allowing the natural light to illuminate the room/details, I would be relying on an light source coming from the opposite direction of the sunlight. Keep in mind the details and subjects you want to stand out before using flash.Equipment
I used a Canon EOS Rebel T3 with a basic 18-55mm lens. Nothing special or "flashy" ;)Inspiration
While exploring places with such strong history, it's hard to not feel some type of emotion, whether it be sadness or amazement. Or a combination of both, like I usually find myself experiencing. I usually wonder things like, who walked these hallways? Do these walls hold good memories, or only bad? For this specific photo, I wondered, what songs were played on this piano that now sits covered in dust? Did kind workers play this instrument while singing songs to calm patients down and make them happy? Was this form of entertainment one of the few joys the patients had? Through this photo, the music can still be heard in my ears, and hopefully the ears of others. I also hoped this photo might make someone stop, think, reflect, and feel something that stays with them as well.Editing
The only post-processing I did to this photo was to straighten it out a bit. I have edited it since posting on viewbug by cropping the photo slightly, as well as lowering the highlights, though those things are not shown in this exact photo.In my camera bag
Being an amateur, the extent of my equipment is still pretty small, so I usually carry all that I have. I have my Canon EOS Rebel T3, which I got for my birthday six years ago (my first "real" camera). My typical lens is the standard 18-55mm lens that came with the camera body. I also have a 75-300mm telephoto lens. Depending on the place I'm going to shoot/the type of photography, I will also bring a tripod. Although most of what I have is lower-end, I find that it's more what the person behind the lens can see and capture that matter, rather than the money you can afford to spend on photo equipment. Though I hope to upgrade when the time is right.Feedback
Keep your eyes open for any and everything around you. Take in the beauty of the details, and let them speak for you. Try to take your photos WITHOUT flash, only relying on the natural light. Always think about composition in a photo like this as well. If I had taken the photo in portrait position, it would've eliminated half of the natural light and details of the peeling paint, damaged floor, ripped curtains, etc. Also, I could have taken the photo with less visible floor space, but the details on the floor brought an added layer to the photo. Overall, if something looks cool to you, or if light is shining in a perfect way on an object, don't wait, just take some photos!
