Marc Bijl

In response to the three week project on "Windows/Mirrors" I have decided to portray the side of "Windows" through what I call, "Visual Pollution". With this, I am trying to expose the ugliest sides of urban culture and hopefully cause my viewers to notice the effects of these run-down houses and garbage covering the streets.

In my search for a photographer with similar work I came across Marc Bijl's blog, New Oceans. I was particularly fond of his work involving Camp Pirotte in Aachen (Germany). He really captured the aftermath of an abandoned building as it slowly becomes ruins. 

"It's always fascinating to see how abandoned buildings change into a ruins."- Marc Bijl

The dim lighting indoors in contrast to the bright sunlight outside of the windows really adds to the effect of abandonment. The repetition in the broken glass windows keeps your eyes constantly moving throughout the composition. The composition would not be as strong without the graffiti under the window and would definitely not be the same without the abandoned bricks on the window sill.

Here's a closer look at the windows from the previous image. Once again, the soft light compared to the harsh sunlight from outside gives the image an abandoned effect. This image gives a sort of comparison between nature and man-made objects by depicting the grass through the broken window. The repetition of the light tannish color in the brick wall and the grass outside gives the image a great sense of unity.

This image is the final close up on the broken window shards. Bijl uses a tilted perspective to add to the sharp effect of the broken glass. The minimal depth of field allows the viewer to focus mainly on the decay of this building. The bright sunlight really illuminates the glass shards and gives them a fierce glow.