Abandoned mental hospital – revisit

[janok]

The abandoned mental hospital at Lier (Norway) is a favorite place for “urban explorers”. I guess that one day they will tear down this place, so today I visited the place for the third time. It is the first time I had the chance to use my 4.5mm inside. I came home with 930 pictures on the memory card (5 bracketing x 2 – RAW and JPEG) – so I have plenty to work with this weekend. This one of the shots from this trip – CS5 lens-correction, Photomatix and Topaz Adjust applied.


Lier Mental Hopital - adjusted by janokiese, on Flickr

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[vipgraphx]

Not to crazy about the lens choice in this image. Cool processing though.

Can I ask you a question...I notice you use Topaz Adjust. I also have that software but find I like Nik color effex more. Very similar programs but I like the control point in Nik software.

What filters do you use in Topaz adjust if you don't mind me asking? If its a secret no worries and I understand.

Looking forward to seeing the rest of your shots!

[janok]

Thanks for the feedback :-) I know that many people get a turnoff from the distortion from the 4.5mm lens. I find it fun to play with – taking objects that people know have straight lines and curve them.
The workflow on these pictures are:

• 5 shots +/- 2AV
• Apply 50% lens correction on all 5 pictures
• Generate both a tone mapped and a exposure fusion copy of the picture in Photomatix
• Blend in all 7 copies (5 +2) into one layer (layer1) in CS5 based on interesting areas of all 7 pictures
• Apply Topaz Denoise5 (strong or moderate) on layer1
• Copy layer1 and apply “Dynamic Pop” from Topaz Adjust5
• Mask in the original tiles from layer1 since they appear dirty with Dynamic Pop and merge it into layer2
• Apply Spicify from Topaz Adjust5 on a copy of layer1 and place it below layer2
• Mask in some of the colorful sections (just a few single areas) from layer2 into layer1

This is the workflow that I will follow on most of the pictures from this location. Hope that is was understandable and of some help.

[PhotoTish]

I really like this photo and thank you for adding how you achieved this effect. This looks an interesting place to photograph - I think if there were a building here even remotely like this, the health & safety would prohibit anyone entering.

[rokvi]

I like the lens distortion. Makes me wonder if thats how some of the patients there saw it.

[ann]

Thanks for the feedback :-) I know that many people get a turnoff from the distortion from the 4.5mm lens. I find it fun to play with – taking objects that people know have straight lines and curve them.
The workflow on these pictures are:

• 5 shots +/- 2AV
• Apply 50% lens correction on all 5 pictures
• Generate both a tone mapped and a exposure fusion copy of the picture in Photomatix
• Blend in all 7 copies (5 +2) into one layer (layer1) in CS5 based on interesting areas of all 7 pictures
• Apply Topaz Denoise5 (strong or moderate) on layer1
• Copy layer1 and apply “Dynamic Pop” from Topaz Adjust5
• Mask in the original tiles from layer1 since they appear dirty with Dynamic Pop and merge it into layer2
• Apply Spicify from Topaz Adjust5 on a copy of layer1 and place it below layer2
• Mask in some of the colorful sections (just a few single areas) from layer2 into layer1

This is the workflow that I will follow on most of the pictures from this location. Hope that is was understandable and of some help.

My eyes are glazing over and my brain just froze No wonder your work is so nice.

[janok]

Hi vipgraphx - here comes another shot from the trip (even more spaced out). They used to test out LSD on the patients. Perhaps this is how they looked at the world:


Lier Mental Hospital by janokiese, on Flickr

[paigew]

I like the first one! Love the distortion I am not so crazy about the processing in #2....a tiny bit overdone for my taste.

[Trever1t]

I do like the distortion and yeah, it gives the mental aspect weight. You put a lot of effort into each image, it shows.

[vipgraphx]

Hi vipgraphx - here comes another shot from the trip (even more spaced out). They used to test out LSD on the patients. Perhaps this is how they looked at the world:


Lier Mental Hospital by janokiese, on Flickr

Thanks for the break down however a little confusing. Many different ways to process HDR.

WOW LSD testing, yeah I think you captured exactly what they must have seen. Is it creepy being in that building knowing all this? I like the fisheye better on this second photo and really enjoy looking at all the textures from cracked peeling paint to the wood and floors.

Cool. Post more!

[Joel_W]

More of your outstanding work. IMHO, the 4.5 mm distortion works well with the confined space of the bathroom, but not so much for the more open space leading into the room and hallway. Processing as usual is just amazing.

[janok]

The red curtains seem to need a touch of an interior-decorator. Based on the feedback, this picture has not been processed that hard. Let me know if you see any difference :-)


Lier Mentalsykehus by janokiese, on Flickr

[janok]

Someone has been really upset in this bathroom:


Lier Mentalsykehus by janokiese, on Flickr