HDR, really cool or really overdone?

The first time I saw a photo done in HDR I thought it was amazing and I was impressed at how unique it made the photograph look. Then I saw it again, and again, and again. Now HDR reminds me a bit of the band Nickelback (sorry if you are a fan). The first time I heard them I thought they sounded great, but as time passed all the songs started to sound the same and they seemed to be on the radio everywhere.  Just like I can't seem to escape this band, HDR images seems to pop up everywhere I look as well. It has become even worse now that anyone with an Iphone can find an app for $.99 that will add the HDR effect with the push of one button and instantly upload to their Facebook or instagram. Don't get me wrong, I don't hate HDR images (or Nickelback for that matter) I have even used the effect myself from time to time, but I do feel a bit burnt out on it since it is everywhere I look. It's the same with all of these black and white photos that show just a little bit of color on a hat or something to that effect. These are great effects that if used at the right time can be quite amazing, but I don't think we need to add them to everything. Do you agree? I would love to hear you opinion on this so feel free to comment!

-Jason.

Packard Plant April 2012

Picture property of Jason Moultrie Photography. No debri was injured in the making of this picture.

Pulling into the Packard Plant in Detroit we saw an instant reminder of how dangerous this exploration was going to be. A newer blue car was parked in a lot we pulled into, its windows had been smashed and the driver side door was wide open. At first we assumed that this was a stolen car and that the thieves ditched it here once they were done with it. We were wrong. We later found out that the car belonged to other explorers who were inside the building when their car was broken into. This is one of the risks you take going to these locations and venturing out into neighborhoods that most people would lock their doors traveling thru. As horrible as it was for that to happen to those people things could have been much worse than a stolen radio and broken glass. If caught by the police you can be ticketed or arrested for trespassing, you could be robbed or even shot, and walking thru abandoned building always has a chance of being injured or being killed by the unsafe conditions. In this blog I am not suggesting that anyone go into this building, I am just sharing my experience, however if you do go please be careful and a cautious as possible and never go at night or alone.

Unlike other abandoned buildings in the area you can just walk right into the Packard Plant and as soon as I did I felt as if I had been transported to a place far away from the city of Detroit. The destruction and decay in this building is reminiscent of a scene from Saving Private Ryan, with broken walls and debris everywhere as if a huge battle had just taken place there. For as much broken glass, bricks and garbage that line the walkways there is just as much graffiti that covers the walls. Some of it is just simple tags of vulgarity left by random vandals  but some graffiti are nothing less that amazing works of art. You can tell just by looking at these murals how much effort and pride was put into painting them, and I can only imagine the time and dedication it took to do so. These paintings could easily be displayed in the DIA, but instead that are shown only in this urban gallery for just a select few of us who are lucky to see.

Our group spent close to three hours inside exploring and probably came close to covering only a quarter of the space. We traveled thru abandoned offices, up and down crumbling stairs, and a cross a roof where trees and other vegetation grow wild. I saw random furniture, burnt cars, tons of tires, and even a couple boats. I am very thankful to have had the chance to explore this building and see these things with my own eyes before it is torn down and lost forever. Mostly I am grateful that my friends and I left with some great pictures, a great story, and most importantly unharmed with our lives.