Urbex Photo Essay: IM Power Plant

Posted by Danny Barter in Photo Essays, Urbex | 6 comments

The silent watcher

IM Power Plant is one of the foremost abandoned power plants on the continent. This coal fired monstrosity had been top of my to do list for some time.  A recent visit to Belgium, provided the perfect opportunity for myself and a small team, to visit and explore the wonders of industrial symmetry contained within.

We arrived at the site at 9pm and after initially being harassed by Belgian police found ourselves a quiet spot for some urban camping.  Our sleep was rudely interrupted by what turned out to be regular security patrols – Little did they know how close they came to finding us. Once it had gotten to 5am in the morning we dressed and ready ourselves for what was to be quite an experience. IM was our oyster and I for one wanted to peel back its shell and dive right in.

After walking around for what seemed like an eternity I started to take pictures. I already had a visual style in mind for IM, it was just a matter of implementing it. I generally prefer my industrial images to have a cinematic feel. I want them to appear as if stills from a big budget sci-fi movie.  This is  achieved  with 6 bracket HDR’s or with highly processed singular raws.  I grade my images with consistent tones, taken straight from preferred films to obtain my overall look.

The Nautilus

Scorponok

Once finished with the main complex we crossed a small footbridge and entered the crown jewel of IM.

Tartarus

This cooling tower is one of the most unique I have had the pleasure of being inside. Not only do you get the sublime aural overload that comes of being in one of these acoustically appealing structures but the mix of concrete and wooden construction makes for some stunning composition opportunities.

The Cyclops

Standing at the edge of the abyss

That was my take on this industrial gem, thank you for reading and until next time…

HI my name is Daniel and I am 28 year old photographer. Two of my greatest passions in life are photography and exploration. The images I capture represent not only moments of this passion but also a philosophy by which I live my life. I strive to chronicle the spectrum of human experience through the unique eye of a camera lens. Specifically, I endeavour to reveal the nature of society through the artifices they build, the relics they leave behind, and the small stories contained within.

This quest, has taken me as far as the desolate exclusion zone around Chernobyl, as a deep as the secret vaults of London, on top of towering steel monoliths, and into the vast industrial wastelands that have found themselves surplus to requirements in the 21st century. These almost invisible frontiers surround us but relatively few seek to engage with their hidden depths.

If you are interested in Chernobyl my first book is out this October. Here is a little sneak preview: http://danielbarter.co.uk/chernobyl-book/

My Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/subversivephotos/

My Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/DanielBarterPhotography