Beauty in Urban Industrial Photography

Decaying cities, abandoned factories, glass-covered empty lots -- what could be uglier?

But, being an engineer and urban creature, I've actually been fascinated by the industrial zones of cities. Here in New England, many of the river cities had an extensive network of canals. In the 1900s, the factories were powered by canal water passing through turbines.

I just returned from a trip to Lowell where I took some pictures of the canals and factories in the fading light of late afternoon with the oncoming of winter.

As with people, with the right lighting, even the ugly can take on a striking beauty.

Above: Dam building over the Hamilton Canal, bathed in the warm light of a setting sun.

Below: Another canal in Lowell

Below: Old factory, reflecting the setting sun. Even the grass in the abandoned lot takes on the look of "amber waves" when bathed in such warm light.


































Above: water rushes out of a conduit below the dam.

Below: waiting platform for a trolley shuttle service that uses historic cars from the same era as the factories.