Mozal Factory

[Benbro88]

Hey everyone,

These here are pictures of the Mozal aluminum factory in Mozambique. Because it is such an environmental hazard, the rules dictate it should be at least 30 km away from any towns, however, it is only located a few km from one of the capital's largest residential areas. Because of the health risks involved with this, I went to a nearby graveyard to take pictures and so illustrate this problem.

Here's a few of my favorite ones, and it would really helpful to see what other people think of them! Feel free to make any comments you like
(on the day I went there, in the late afternoon, a farmer happened to be burning his field right behind the graveyard, which I thought I'd use for some dramatic effects :P)

[carregwen]

Hi Ben

I like #2 and #5 best. The composition and exposure in them seems to be much better than the others. Interesting subject - I love anything to do with dereliction, waste-lands, industrial. Are you a student in Cambridge?

[Antonio Correia]

For me the second and the last ones are the best :

The sign in the foreground ( reserved, grave number ) in it's own meaning and the overall color dramatizes the image while in the last one it's the end of life with the symbol at the foreground.

[Letrow]

I like number 1 best. However, without your explanation I wouldn't have made the connection. The plant is too far away to stand out as such. I am not sure whether you could get the desired effect with another lens.

[Benbro88]

Rob - yeah I see what you mean with the exposure being better. It is a fascinating subject, and does add a bit more power to pictures. Do you have any such pictures? They would be interesting to see . And yes I am a student at Cambridge

Peter - that's a good point! I seem to have read somewhere that by using a telephoto lens, you can press the background close to the foreground... or something like that. Maybe that would help? Thanks for the input

[carregwen]

Do you have any such pictures? They would be interesting to see .

Ben

You might not have seen these What a load of old junk - fairly typical of what I like to do. There's a flickr link at the top to see more.

Have you discovered the Queens Head at Newton yet? Used to be my local. Old world shabby-chic charm, especially from the landlord

[Shadowman]

#4 does it for me, menacing burn against the glowing sun.

[rpcrowe]

Excellent editorial photojournalism. Getting your point across by taking advantage of any factor out there. I am not saying this in a degrogatory way. I think that you have done a great job!

[Benbro88]

Richard - Thanks a lot! I'm still learning so it's always nice to hear encouraging comments! I care a lot about the problems in Mozambique (and Africa in general) and photography, so I thought it would be a good idea to combine the two

John - Thanks (secretly I think I like that one best as well...)

[Antonio Correia]

Hello Ben
I have a close friend - whom I went to school with - who is an investigator and has been (or is) president of the CEsA which stands for "Centro de Estudos sobre Africa e do Desenvolvimento" if you wish to Google and get some more info.

It's in Portuguese - the page I mean - but perhaps you can speak the language and you might be interested in reading since you are concerned about the problems in Mozambique and Africa in general.

[Benbro88]

Thanks, I will definitely have a look! (And I'm currently learning portuguese so it will be good practice too )

[Antonio Correia]

Thanks, I will definitely have a look! (And I'm currently learning portuguese so it will be good practice too )

Be careful Ben. Portuguese is a difficult language to learn.

[arith]

#2,#3,#4,#5 are my favourites. That isn't all of them is it. Portuguese is difficult Russian is difficult and English is easy for everybody except for me or Shakespeare. I don't think I could learn another language now, no point anyway.
The reserved grave; thank you for my Portuguese friend for translating, reminded me of the only time the vicar visited me, and I was a bit suspicious of his motives but found out he was only trying to sell me a slot in the graveyard.

I wouldn't like to go there though. Looks cold and dark.

It goes without saying I think your photo's are great.

[arith]

Ben

You might not have seen these What a load of old junk - fairly typical of what I like to do. There's a flickr link at the top to see more.

Have you discovered the Queens Head at Newton yet? Used to be my local. Old world shabby-chic charm, especially from the landlord

I knew it, I saw 'Hot Fuzz' and know exactly what it's like.
http://www.cambridge-camra.org.uk/al...eens-head.html