Our world is full of corrugated metal and unintentionally it can be quite beautiful. But first it needs to be separated from those thoughts of urban decay and degradation that block our minds from seeing its gorgeous colours and patterns. Then it can shine and show us new worlds.
Exactly how it ends up depends on the blend of metals in it, its treatment with, for example, paint, and its exposure to the elements. Iron turning to rust is where the magic really happens. To my eye, corrugated rusty metal that has been allowed to weather for years can contain some fantastic landscapes. It just takes a little bit of imagination that we all have within us.
The sources for the above photos:
Cracked paintwork is another great element to add to these abstract worlds that you can find on corrugated metal. I live in Thailand and I'm sure it's the powerful sun heating the metal every day that plays havoc with any paint that's been applied to it. It cracks up then starts flaking off and the artistic creations it produces get better and better. Especially if the weathering has several paint layers to play with.
This "ugly" fence of corrugated metal that everybody drives passed without a second glance is one of my favourite spots in our local town. I'm not sure how much it has actually changed since I first found it but every time I go there my photos are different.
Years ago back in my homeland, England, I once had my camera set-up on a tripod taking photographs of corrugated metal when a young man stopped and asked me what I was doing. I explained and let him look through the view-finder (this was pre-digital so I couldn't actually show him any pictures). I thought I'd reached him, perhaps made my first convert, but as he turned to go he said, "Well, it's your life, innit?"
