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Old Town Hall photography competition

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Middlesbrough Old Town Hall: A Testament to Time's Relentless March

An atmospheric black and white photograph of the Old Town Hall by Nana Kofi Asamoah-Adu

By Nana Kofi Asamoah-Adu

Amidst a backdrop of overgrown grass and encroaching vegetation, the historic Middlesbrough Old Town Hall stands as a poignant symbol of a bygone era, its majesty faded, and its structure left to the ravages of time. The building's exterior, disfigured by fractures that run along its weathered façade, presents a scene of profound desolation. Boarded-up and shattered windows further accentuate its abandonment, each detail contributing to an overwhelming sense of neglect and historical decay.

This photograph was meticulously crafted to convey a narrative of abandonment and solitude, where every element serves to deepen the viewer’s connection to the story of this once-vibrant edifice. Captured on a weekday, when the streets were devoid of the usual bustle, the image is infused with an eerie stillness, amplified by the overcast skies that cast a sombre, muted light over the scene.

Key elements of the composition

Clock tower

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The clock, now frozen in time, serves as a poignant focal point. Its stillness, a stark contrast to its intended purpose, mirrors the building's fall into disuse and symbolizes the cessation of the vibrancy that once surrounded this public landmark.

Lighting

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The deliberate use of minimal lighting heightens the sense of mystery and foreboding, shrouding the building in shadows that speak to its forgotten past.

Architecture

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The town hall's architectural design, once a beacon for public gatherings and a symbol of community, now stands as a relic of history. Its current state, juxtaposed with the surrounding environment, tells a silent story of time's unyielding advance.

Environment

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The overgrown and untamed environment encircling the building acts as a visual metaphor for the passage of time, enhancing the narrative of decay and the relentless reclaiming of human achievements by nature.

Photographic technique and process

The image was captured using a Canon 6D camera, equipped with a 24–70 mm lens set at 30 mm. With an ISO of 500, a shutter speed of 1/320, and an aperture of f/16, the photograph was designed to achieve a deep focus and a sombre tone.

Post-processing workflow

1. Sky masking

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The first step involved importing the image into Photoshop CC and applying a mask to the sky. The exposure slider was dragged significantly to the left (approximately -3.5) to create a dark, foreboding atmosphere that complements the building's ruin.

2. Black and white conversion

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The image was then converted to black and white to strip it of any remaining vitality, reinforcing the theme of desolation. All colour sliders were adjusted towards the left (between -87 to -90) to darken the overall composition, creating a plain, monochromatic effect.

3. Building masking

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A mask was applied to the building itself, further decreasing the exposure (-3.5) to emphasize its dark, abandoned state, rendering it as a shadow of its former self.

4. Radial gradient application

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A radial gradient was introduced to simulate the direction of light striking key areas of the structure, such as the rooftop, clock tower, and the pathway leading to the entrance. The exposure within these gradients was increased (+2.5 to +3.5), adding subtle contrast, texture and clarity, while also highlighting the architectural details that remain.

5. Linear gradient enhancement

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Linear gradients were applied from the top right and bottom left corners of the image, intersecting with the subject to create a vignette effect. The exposure slider was adjusted to the left (-2.0), darkening the corners and guiding the viewer’s eye towards the town hall.

6. Vignette application

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To further focus attention on the old town hall, a vignette was added by adjusting the optics tab. The vignette slider was dragged to the far left, intensifying the darkening effect and centralizing the visual impact on the subject.

In sum, this image of the Middlesbrough Old Town Hall is not merely a photograph; it is a visual narrative that encapsulates the inevitability of time and the melancholy beauty of abandonment. Through careful composition and deliberate post-processing, the photograph conveys a deep sense of history, loss, and the relentless encroachment of nature upon the structures of human endeavour.