Asylum
Forest Haven is a former asylum for the mentally retarded, located near Laurel, Maryland. It housed 1,100 patients before being closed in 1991 and subsequently abandoned. There was a long history of brutality, exploitation and abuse at the place; and once inside, imagining what occurred within the deteriorating walls is powerful and visceral.
The asylum has been discovered by local photographers, although it has recently come under guard and is now more difficult to reach. However, the majority of images I've seen have been "overcooked" HDRs or photos manipulated to add "atmosphere," usually at the expense of detail. My belief is that the place is so steeped in history that such treatments are unnecessary. But that's only an opinion.
The interior of the building is extremely dark in most areas; so dark, in fact, that in many places, you can see only the silhouette of your hand in front of your face. So, for these shots, I used five shot HDRs, long exposures and small apertures. This technique opened up the spaces and revealed a wealth of detail, giving the viewer much more to consider.
The asylum has been discovered by local photographers, although it has recently come under guard and is now more difficult to reach. However, the majority of images I've seen have been "overcooked" HDRs or photos manipulated to add "atmosphere," usually at the expense of detail. My belief is that the place is so steeped in history that such treatments are unnecessary. But that's only an opinion.
The interior of the building is extremely dark in most areas; so dark, in fact, that in many places, you can see only the silhouette of your hand in front of your face. So, for these shots, I used five shot HDRs, long exposures and small apertures. This technique opened up the spaces and revealed a wealth of detail, giving the viewer much more to consider.
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