Women and Abandoned Buildings

this is a philosophical question which I couldn't post in the glamour section. But after seeing a few photos here (and there) I was wondering what the attraction is for photographing attractiive women in a setting reminisent of Berlin 1946? rotting ceilings, destroyed walls, detritus all over the floors just makes me think "uncomfotable" more than "sexy". Certainly I am missing something, but I don't knwo what it is?

is this a european as opposed to an american thing?

i would think its more of a "diamond in the rough" philosophy...

seeing something beautiful in a place thats obviously not kinda makes it more beautiful.

I think a few things make it attractive to the eye.

Mainly, I believe it is contrast. Everything about the two is contrasting.

Scene is hard, model is soft.
Scene is ugly, model is attractive.
Scene is run down, model is kept up.
Scene is washed out, model is warm.
Scene is dead, model is full of life.

Not only do these thigns draw an eye in, but it also really draws out all of the thigns we find beautiful about the people we are photographing. I've not done a shoot like this, but I certainly see these qualities on others' works. I can definately see how it really draws and captivates an audience.

That's my take, anyways.
Bruce

We Europeans just love to see women on building sites. It's a cultural thing.

I just like to look at old buildings.

Yeah... well... my wife didn't buy that explanation either.

hee hee

some of the answers just make me laugh

I much prefer Abandoned Women to Buildings

I would like to know how these photographers find these locations?!?!?

I mean what, are they just driving down the street with there model and see an old abandoned building and say "Hey lets go shoot in there, there shouldn't be too many drug addicts and murderers in there. What say you?"

The model: "Ok, bob the photographer, lets go so I can stand naked and maybe even have one of the homeless guys pose with me."

Ok, maybe alittle extreme but you get the idea right?

Some of the locations people have found are great. Get the damn model out the way, make her carry your camera bag or something, the buildings seem to have even more photographic opportunities than the woman people like to stick in front of them.

Good Grief - I've been shooting ugly women in front of tall, slender, new buildings - no wonder nobody buys my stuff.
What ISO setting should I use?

Juxtapositions my good sir, juxtapositions.

Many of these locations are not necessarily abandoned! Just yesterday, a photographer was shooting a model in my office building, which is an older warehouse building that has been remodeled for new businesses.

The offices, main entries and hallways have all been updated or cleaned up to look old, but attractive and trendy . . . but the basements, storage areas, freight elevators and shipping areas have not been touched for years and have the artistic "abandoned" look.

For me, I can take about 20 steps outside my techy office and step back 100 years to a wooden freight elevator area that has peeled paint, scratched up walls and floors and windows with broken glass. Now if I can only find a sexy model I'd be all set!

I think the same wayas you do Bruce. Same reason I think men, when being posed for photos that end up on teenage girls' walls, pose together with cuddly pets. It's about the contrast.