Auschwitz

AndyBakerUK

AndyBakerUK

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Andy
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Had the opportunity to visit Auschwitz last week, very interesting if not incredibly disturbing place. Only had to chance to process a small amount of them so far but looking for feedback in regards to the pp styling as well as the pics themselves as I'd like to apply similar processing to the remaining.

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Sorry this place gives me the horrors. My father was amongst the first medical team to go in there at the end of the war, and I remember the terrible nightmares he had all his life, from the terrible sights he encountered. This is somewhere I could definitely never visit.
 
hillwalkinggirl said:
Sorry this place gives me the horrors. My father was amongst the first medical team to go in there at the end of the war, and I remember the terrible nightmares he had all his life, from the terrible sights he encountered. This is somewhere I could definitely never visit.
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I think visiting might help understand how your father felt in my opinion. I visited this place as a 16 year old and it definitely makes an impact on you, for the better.

With regards to the photographs I think they do the feeling and mood of the place justice. From what I recall when I was last there, not a single person in the group spoke during the visit.
 
hillwalkinggirl said:
Sorry this place gives me the horrors. My father was amongst the first medical team to go in there at the end of the war, and I remember the terrible nightmares he had all his life, from the terrible sights he encountered. This is somewhere I could definitely never visit.
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I can understand that, there were a couple of areas/displays which I couldn't face, mainly those that featured children. :(
 
Was there a while ago with my gf but only had a point and shoot. Very horrible place and had the unfortunate experience of having some american guys in their early twenties in our group laughing and joking. You won't believe this but they even starting racing each other down the Death Walk. The tour guide was not impressed especially considering he was Jewish and you could see the strain it was causing him. :(

If anyone goes look out for this scary but often unseen point; there is no wildlife around including birds. It's almost like they know from all those years ago.

SV500093.JPG
 
Very moving pictutes, I imagine they only show a little of the true horror of the place.
 
been a long time since i went there, still looks the same CREEPY:crying:
 
Extremely moving. I like how you did those shots. Atmospheric.
 
I've never been, but am sure it's a moving experience. I'm not sure how I would feel taking photography's, yes they remind people of the horror to a forgetfully world, but should we treat it as a tourist event.

I do like the treatment on most of the shots especially #1
 
Great shots from what I imagine to be a very creepy place but a place that nonetheless is well worth a visit, if only in an effort to better understand what went on then.
i visited the national holocaust memorial museum in washington DC and that was bad enough so i cant imagine what Auschwitz must be like.
 
Why wouldn't you take photos of this place? If anything I think the more photos that there are circulating on the internet from Auschwitz the better. I holds huge historical and cultural significance and the more people are aware of what it looks like, not just its name, the better.
 
KayJay said:
I think visiting might help understand how your father felt in my opinion. I visited this place as a 16 year old and it definitely makes an impact on you, for the better.

With regards to the photographs I think they do the feeling and mood of the place justice. From what I recall when I was last there, not a single person in the group spoke during the visit.
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No I wouldn't go there. I know how my father felt and this is the reason that I wouldn't go. The things that he actually told me when I was old enough to understand helped me to realize the impact that it had on him. Going there would bring it all back and that is something that I don't want.
 
A very emotive subject well captured (y)
 
hillwalkinggirl said:
No I wouldn't go there. I know how my father felt and this is the reason that I wouldn't go. The things that he actually told me when I was old enough to understand helped me to realize the impact that it had on him. Going there would bring it all back and that is something that I don't want.
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Fair enough. But you're fine looking at images? Not trying to start an argument or anything, just trying to understand your feelings.

Either way I thought it's one of the places everyone, well most anyway, should go and visit.
 
To be fair, we're all different. Some people can cope with the emotional torture of stuff like this - some people can't, so why subject yourself to it if you know you're likely to be distressed?

I'm glad the place is still there and that generations to come can visit there if they want to, and try to cope with the fact that one race actually tried to completely wipe out another in this genocide factory, and that it was only one of many such places. Unbelievable that this actually happened, and such a short while ago in the the living memory of many people!
 
These photos don't affect me as much as some of the people here, simply because I have a basic understanding of what went on here. I think I should read the book and visit it.

As far as the processing goes, it portrays the basic understand i have of Auschwitz well.
 
KayJay said:
Fair enough. But you're fine looking at images? Not trying to start an argument or anything, just trying to understand your feelings.

Either way I thought it's one of the places everyone, well most anyway, should go and visit.
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The photos are fine, they only really show the building and not the horrors that occurred inside there. It would be a far more traumatic thing to actually be there and feel the mood of the place. I can understand people going there because if you had no direct involvement or memory of the time then it would seem to be history and just like going to a museum.

All I know is that my father would never have returned there. I'm just curious for what purpose you went there at the age of 16.
 
I'm not disputing that at all, I'm just of the opinion that if you really want to know the truth about anything then the best thing is to try and experience it for yourself. I remember walking through some of the chambers and seeing the glass enclosures which still held many belongings from those imprissoned and persecuted there, including piles and piles of human hair, glasses, shows, clothes. It's really does move you and changes your perspective on so many things.

I also think it's important in photography that images encourage discussion and sometimes argument. Without that photos are just photos.

On a slightly different note, when a lot of people think of Poland they think of Auschwitz, but Poland is one of the most beautiful countries I've ever visited and the people the most friendly outside of India.
 
hillwalkinggirl said:
The photos are fine, they only really show the building and not the horrors that occurred inside there. It would be a far more traumatic thing to actually be there and feel the mood of the place. I can understand people going there because if you had no direct involvement or memory of the time then it would seem to be history and just like going to a museum.

All I know is that my father would never have returned there. I'm just curious for what purpose you went there at the age of 16.
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You're missing the point. It's not just a tourist attraction nor just a museum.

I went there at the age of 16 as an educational visit to Poland. I visited some huge salt mines, saw some classical concerts and visited places such as Auschwitz. I also disagree that if you have no connection to the place that you cannot understand what happened there. Of course you can't truly understand what it was like unless you yourself had been there at the time the camp was active. You see what I'm getting at?

Please don't think I'm trying to wind you up or upset you.

I remember some of the stories my great uncle told me about fighting for India during World War 2. A true warrior. They didn't scare me but made me want to understand why people do the things that they do.
 
I think the mono images work best -probably because they're so similar to the usual images we see from that time when colour film was still a rarity.
 
1 , 7 and 10 are my picks from that bunch. The latter reminds me of a poster that I bought from Auschwitz. 1 for various reasons. The perspective on 7 is good too.
 
gman said:
Was there a while ago with my gf but only had a point and shoot. Very horrible place and had the unfortunate experience of having some american guys in their early twenties in our group laughing and joking. You won't believe this but they even starting racing each other down the Death Walk. The tour guide was not impressed especially considering he was Jewish and you could see the strain it was causing him. :(

If anyone goes look out for this scary but often unseen point; there is no wildlife around including birds. It's almost like they know from all those years ago.

SV500093.JPG
Click to expand...

KayJay said:
You're missing the point. It's not just a tourist attraction nor just a museum.

I went there at the age of 16 as an educational visit to Poland. I visited some huge salt mines, saw some classical concerts and visited places such as Auschwitz. I also disagree that if you have no connection to the place that you cannot understand what happened there. Of course you can't truly understand what it was like unless you yourself had been there at the time the camp was active. You see what I'm getting at?

Please don't think I'm trying to wind you up or upset you.

I remember some of the stories my great uncle told me about fighting for India during World War 2. A true warrior. They didn't scare me but made me want to understand why people do the things that they do.
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KayJay said:
I'm not disputing that at all, I'm just of the opinion that if you really want to know the truth about anything then the best thing is to try and experience it for yourself. I remember walking through some of the chambers and seeing the glass enclosures which still held many belongings from those imprissoned and persecuted there, including piles and piles of human hair, glasses, shows, clothes. It's really does move you and changes your perspective on so many things.

I also think it's important in photography that images encourage discussion and sometimes argument. Without that photos are just photos.

On a slightly different note, when a lot of people think of Poland they think of Auschwitz, but Poland is one of the most beautiful countries I've ever visited and the people the most friendly outside of India.
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Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me, but when you read gmans thread above you can see that many people have a macabre and disrespectful attitude to it. I understand that this is not your attitude and the reasons that you feel you needed to visit. I visited a monastry in Greece where hundreds of Greeks were slain by the Turks. Their skulls were all in cases. I took photos of these, so I can understand that people will take photos. Not having any close involvement I was shocked but not affected in the way that Auschwitz affects me.

The photos have certainly encouraged discussion, though not argument, so I think that they must have served their purpose.

I also find the Polish people very nice.
 
I went two years ago and took one photograph, some places don`t need photographic evidence to be firmly engraved on your mind.

Not a criticism ,just my thoughts.

PS....every right wing idiot should be made to visit.There were loads of German and Russian school kids there when we went, apparently they have to go.
 
Pictures are really good and help reminding all of us of what mankind is capable of ... in a horrible way!:(

fracster said:
PS....every right wing idiot should be made to visit.There were loads of German and Russian school kids there when we went, apparently they have to go.
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Let's not get into a political argument here! Genocide is neither a right- nor left-wing issue. It is a human problem which is unfortunately still going on because of people's aspiration to power (eg. Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe). An issue not getting all the attention it deserves, unfortunately.
 
hillwalkinggirl said:
Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me, but when you read gmans thread above you can see that many people have a macabre and disrespectful attitude to it.
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:shrug: Unless I'm reading this wrong the only disrespectful attitude I read in this thread was about the american tourists, which I my eyes was totally shocking.
 
Wile E. coyote said:
:shrug: Unless I'm reading this wrong the only disrespectful attitude I read in this thread was about the american tourists, which I my eyes was totally shocking.
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That's how I read it, they are well captured images, it's somewhere I would like to visit, I think i'd probably have to go on my own as my wife and kids wouldn't want to go.

There's no getting away from it Auschwitz is part of history, I think it's good it's still there, if it'd been demolished and a stone stuck in the ground where it used to be the holocaust would be less remembered, while it's still there it's a constant memorial to the people that died and what happened there
 
hillwalkinggirl said:
I also find the Polish people very nice.
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I agree, they were very nice to us and Krakow (where we went) has a lovely square. I picked up a handmade chess board for about £2 :D Fantastic! The salt mine is also worth checking out and whilst on the subject of the German occupatioon I was amazed to see that there was no engraved Nazi symbols in it - which the guide couldn't explain either!

We were luck in that the Pope was visiting on the day we were leaving so there was lots going on beforehand! Apparently drink was banned during the Pope's visit and there was an article in the paper about a stag party who had to sit and drink coffee with the nuns instead :LOL:

Sorry to lead this off topic. Maybe I'm not reading things correctly but I don't see why someone should feel obliged to experience something terrible especially when they have experienced it already through their own family. Why do that to yourself for a second time? I'm sure once is enough.
 
Those are a set of incredibly powerful shots with processing that has enhanced the imagery and meaning of the place. Like many, I agree that it is good that Auschwitz still exists as a reminder to the world. My partner is Jewish and whilst most of his family had already moved to the UK or America before the round up of jews started, some didn't and distant relatives were lost to the concentration camps. Would we visit? Yes, I think we would if the opportunity arose, but its perfectly understandable that some people couldn't face it and with images like these, you certainly 'get the idea'
 
Some good photos there. I like the ones best that look timeless, i.e. without tourists, herras fencing or colour in them. Just my personal opinion for you there.

Although I'm sure the moderators don't want a political/historical debate started here, for what it's worth I would recommend that anyone with a further interest in this camp reads Eyewitness Auschwitz by Filip Muller. It's quite a read.
 
I'd be worried if the moderators would stifle discussion resulting from these images. That would go against the biggest principles of photography.
 
Great shots of an awful place but somewhere everyone should make an effort to visit, I have always wanted to go but not managed yet. The more people see it the less likely it is to happen again. The gate house shots are an iconic image of our world I feel and should be seen in the same light as ground zero among others.
 
Great shots, very emotive, as we can see from some of the posts. I think #1 seems to be the most poiniant, the fact that it has people in it, makes it, for me, the most effective. It is almost like some of the pictures you see in books on the subject. Good job on capturing a very hard to deal with subject.
 
I think you have done a wonderful job of photographing such an emotive subject so sensitively. It can't have been an easy subject at all.

Photography has always been capable of influencing people and recording places such as this is an important reminder of our own human frailties.
 
Thanks for all the positive replies.

There were so many visitors/tourist there when I went it didn’t feel uncomfortable taking photos, which at first distracted from the actual horror of the place, but as soon as you go inside the buildings and read the displays it hits you.

Nasty place with a horrific background but glad I visited. Will post up the other images once I finish them.
 
Nice set here, i like what you,ve done with a few of them, captures the atmosphere well, i was in Gdansk recently and wanted to take a trip to Aucswitzch but not knowing poland did,ent realize the distance between both parts, and due to time was,ent able to get there, but definately a place worth visiting, it definately makes you think about how incredible it is what one human being can do to another in the name of war, but still i guess we probably have,nt learnt to much from all this given the fact it,s still going on in many parts of the world today.

Just an after thought if anyone is thinking about going i would recommend summertime, as poland is very cold in winter and can look quite dismal and depressing,(a bit like england :D)
 
This place has always captured my attension.

i have never been, but I do want to go to see it first hand.

Every time a tv documentery is on about WWII or the camp I have to watch it. I will admit I do get scared by the images and also by what happened there.

I plan to vistit poland prolly later this year or early next year, there are a few places I want to see.

very moving pictures but they always say a picture tells a thousand words, and any pictures of this camp always speak lound and clear.

Mike
 
Well captured images. I haven't been to Auschwitz but when I lived in Soltau, West Germany in 1975-80 I twice visited Belsen. I did take a few photos at the time, but my memory of the visits and its atmosphere will be with me forever. Like someone mentioned above, Belsen too did not have any birds or trees/shrubs and the eerie thing that spooked me as we walked past all of the long mounds with figures like 33,000 buried here, 45,000 buried there - were the mole hills everywhere!

I was always led to believe that a human body when buried would provide an abundance of nutrients into the soil and this would encourage fauna/flora. Belsen in the 1970's had none of this, and looked barron. These places are so sad, but should be there as a reminder to future generations of the horrors of war.
 
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