Steel works, Port Talbot

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Jeremy Moore
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You don't get much more man-made than this so it doesn't look like it will fit in the Landscape forum. But what is this but a landscape? And while we're at it this must be taken from one of the best viewpoints in Wales. You may not like what you see but you do see it very clearly. It does make me think, anyway, about the sort of world that we live in._9070483.jpg
 
I had the whiff of sulphur as I opened the page that you get driving past it on the M4, I can see the works from my bedroom window it feels sometimes like it was randomly dropped on our beautiful coastline, I wonder what Port Talbot would have looked like if the works hadn’t been put there?
 
Indeed. In my view the area under the steelworks would be a protected area like the Gwent Levels. You can get a hint of that from the fields to the south of the steel works site towards Kenfig. Living nearby you may not fully agree but the whole area must be one of the most photogenic in Wales.
 
I agree it is a very photogenic place ,I’m down in Swansea so the steel works is across the bay, I’m lucky to be spoilt for choice with the Gower, Brecon Beacons and various other beautiful places on my doorstep.
 
Fab spot for photos. I initially managed to walk up the wrong hill for the shot I had in mind but still liked the outcome: https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/threads/one-morning-in-port-talbot.666475/

Thanks for the link to the previous thread about the location. It was interesting to see that both you and that George guy had been there as well (with his LF camera). I probably stood in your/his footsteps to take some of mine. The light was pretty gentle yesterday morning on my visit and I've played it pretty safe with my processing so far. The interesting thing for me (photographically speaking) was the white balance. In the main pic it just looks wrong - too pink / salmon - but I now think it's a pretty accurate record. The whole central area is suffused with orangey coloured smoke from the various processes going on there. You can see that from the following short telephoto shot (132mm) where the foreground looks normal, while the central area of the works looks pink.

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That is not a landscape but an architectural picture. A good environmental shot - stick it into LPOTY - in the urban section or something. It's suitably grim to do well.

No concerns over the WB or processing - the greens in the tree's usually give the game away about bad colour/tones/wb. It is what it is.
 
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Used to pass there weekly on the M4 years back, it was real;y busy then and a grim polluted look, seems quite environmentally friendy by comparison now. :)
 
I like this kind of industrial subject as they have a certain kind of atmosphere. Might suit monochrome too with all the steam.
 
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