I do enjoy shooting large warehouses in industrial areas of Sydney, areas that I would normally not venture as I live close to the city centre and have few opportunities to visit. Admittedly, it a bit of drive each time as these logistical centres are perched more towards the out-lying, less residential suburbs.
Recently I captured a new build for ESR Australia, a complex of 3 separate warehouses at Villawood. I photographed the exterior and interior of warehouse 2 and 3, with warehouse 1 still receiving the finishing touches on the build, before being handed over to the tenants. So not yet ready to be photographed.
As I have mentioned before there is something very “zen” about photographing architecture and particularly these warehouse complexes. You are normally alone in this industrial landscape full of concrete and metal, walking exaggerated distances to circumnavigate these large structures from all angles and working, generally, up to dusk, hoping for the light to soften and illuminate your subject more sensually than in the stark midday sun.
One can never be sure of how the light will fall. Sometimes by chance or diving providence everything just falls into place….the light is pleasing, the shadows are right, the highlights are right, the sky is interesting enough to enhance the image the way you would like (for example I like a bit of cloud formation), may be a cloud obscures the direct sun at the right time, at the right place, for a great shot. Suffice to say you don’t always get what you would like with so many variables. Occasionally you do and it’s magic!
