Is It Odd To Photograph Pylons?

Being someone who has environmental leanings, i have often found it rather disturbing that here in the UK, applications for wind turbines can be rejected with one of the main reasons being that people complain they will be able to see them. “I’ll be able to see them from my house!” “I’ll be able to see them on the hill over there, it’s just not right!” Yet mention to these same people that you can see the line of electricity pylons from their house, or that you can see lines of them across that same hill, and strangely enough, they don’t have a problem. “But they’ve been there for years, we’re used to them!”. They can’t seem to see how crazy that is. The fact we have sprawling cities, roads, railways, huge industrial areas etc, then surely wind farms can’t be any worse….can they?

To highlight this attitude people around DRAX coal fired power station, the largest in Britain, were asked about the wind farm built next to it. They complained about the wind farm, yet said the huge ugly power station was ok because they were used to it. Maybe if they give themselves a little time then they’ll get used to the wind turbines too, they’re certainly less ugly that a huge power station, and they don’t give out the pollution either.

Another irony is that houses are often placed right next to pylons, this despite the concerns they can cause cancer to those living nearby. Yet an application for a handful of wind turbines can be rejected mainly because someone will be able to see them from their house a couple of miles away, and of course, they may upset visitors to the area due their presence on the landscape, just like the pylons don’t!

The upshot of all this is that i started taking photos of pylons. Whilst the aim was to show how many there are in our countryside, especially around power stations, i gradually started to see them for the compositional value they can offer an image. The structure of them can also be quite interesting, especially if you get nice and close to them. So although they’re really quite ugly in the landscape, i have come to see them as a very attractive/interesting photography subject.

Pylon

I like this as it shows the scale of the pylon against the enormity of the sky, and it has good composition with nice balance.

IMG 8240

The pylon here offers a nice addition in what would otherwise be a blank space, and it sits nicely across from the sign on the right. It's actually the same pylon as in the previous photo.

Pylons/Power

The legs of the pylon create a good frame for the power station behind. This was taken after a large, peaceful, climate change protest at the coal fired power station at Kingsnorth, Kent, UK

Pylon

A comment by a lovely young lady about this photo..."Upward viewpoint makes the lines elegant and graceful, like a tunnel or a web that makes the eyes move effortlessly to the farthest point. Bold bars contrast beautifully with the fine, straight wires that stretch across the middle. The tree foliage along the edges against the solid, black lines make it a relishing visual dessert. That is behind the WHOA!! I've got to say one of your finest, no joke!!" She got what i was trying to do, and said it far more eloquently than i would have.

Pylons

A busy photograph, yet with good balance.

As an add on to reasons given for objecting to wind turbines, i think the funniest has to be against an application for just five on a hill (near a line of pylons) The local complainants claimed that people walking on a nearby footpath would feel like the blades were coming down to chop their heads off!

P.T.

About PurpleT

Much of my photography is art and documentary. I try to capture a scene as i see it in my mind, whether that be black and white, colour, or somewhere in between. I try to make an interesting, and/or attractive image from what i see around me, not just what would be expected, but also subjects that would be seen boring, mundane, or ugly by many. But they all have an interest as art photography. I have also spent nearly twenty years working as a life model, then the human figure in art is very important to me, and is something i try to bring into my work at times.
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136 Responses to Is It Odd To Photograph Pylons?

  1. Pingback: Is It Odd To Photograph Pylons? (via PurpleT Photography) « Popularity Contest

  2. Tooty Nolan says:

    I recall, many years ago I found myself beneath a pylon with a camera in my hand. I was just in the process of snapping a straight-up photo (much like yours) when I heard a thundering noise. Much to my horror I’d inadvertantly wandered into a feild that contained a bull. I had two choices of action – climb up the pylon and hope that a farmer passed by before nightfall – or charge the bull. I charged the bull. I survived – but I’ve never been tempted to photograph a pylon again.

  3. In response to the title question: Yes.

    But it’s totally ok to be a little odd, I say…

    Interesting post — thank you for sharing, and congrats on being Freshly Pressed! 🙂

    • PurpleT says:

      I’m glad you think it’s ok to be a little odd as most of my friends seem to think i am……..

      Thanks for the comment 🙂

  4. In your Bridle Way Only picture, the pylon looks like a mournful monster looming out of the fog to EAT PEOPLE. I like it. =)

  5. CrystalSpins says:

    It may be odd, but it is certainly beautiful the way you do it. Thanks for sharing.

    Crystal
    http://www.crystalspins.com

  6. Not when they look this good.

  7. First of all, I really don’t find it odd that you wish to photograph electricity pylons. People have their own interests and their own causes for doing what they do. You want to show people that if they have electricity pylons, they can have wind turbines too. And that’s a good point. People think that that will spoil the scenery for them, but when the wind turbines actually kick in and drive the coal fired plants out, I’m sure people will begin to appreciate them. There are a lot of reasons out there to build a wind turbine, and the most important reason: It’s completely environmental friendly. Why don’t people see that? I’ve never liked the callousness of people like that, neither have I liked the selfishness. The wind turbine might spoil the view of the nice ol’ hill for you, but would you want that ugly coal fired plant to spoil the view of our planet Earth from space? I don’t think you would.
    Ashley, aka TheEverydayMuser

    • Ashely,
      Go to the library and check out a copy of Ishmael written by Daniel Quinn. By the way, I totally agree with you.

    • PurpleT says:

      I agree Ashley.
      At one time there no big power stations or pylons. People mostly didn’t want them but they came anyway. People now complain about new, cleaner technology, that could help take over. The world changes and we move forward. I hope we move forward with greater sustainability and less pollution.

      Thanks for your input.

  8. Audio Field Recorder says:

    Forget the pylons and look at those lovely clouds http://www.flickr.com/groups/cloudsoc/

  9. Cy Quick says:

    I was walking with Fred Daldry, the warden of the Bournemouth YMCA, on a group walk in the Test Vally in 1976. Pylons appeared through the giant weeds (some call them trees) to our right.

    “Ah… The pylons…” Fred said.

    I pretended to misunderstand him.

    “Yes! And some awful people want to do away with them… gracefully tip-toeing, fairy-like, through the mist… and bury the delicate lace-like cables underground!” I said in horrified, choking-back-the-emotion tones.

    “Hah!” said Fred.

    By the way, I love the SIGHT of windmills but are they not a big-biz con? Not even the latest very big ones can be cost-effective we are now told. The get-rich-quick merchants have fooled the Green poseurs but good. I hope thay at least create plenty of jobs …manufacturing, installing, repairing, repairing, repairing…

    • engineer says:

      If you want a discussion on sustainable energy and how much we need compared to how much we use, then have a look at this free book online by a Cambridge professor. It really puts it all in simple terms and tailors the discussion for us here in the UK.

      http://www.withouthotair.com/

  10. Brooke says:

    These are great! I just started a 52-week photo challenge and our first subject was “electricity” so the flickr group is just filled with powerlines, pylons, towers and some really clever stuff. These are definitely engaging though – great captures.

    • PurpleT says:

      Thanks, i’m glad you like them.

      Good luck with the photo challenge. I just had a look, there’s some nice stuff there 🙂

  11. jimgilmore2010 says:

    THE POLITICS OF THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT.

    These structures are evidence of who has the power, (the money and influence) to erect large-scale, very expensive, and semi-permanent structures that usually degrade our natural environment. We should always question the trade-off between commerce and ecology (aesthetics.) But we stop seeing these structures because they are so common and so ubiquitous. We need to be reminded: there they are…are they worth it???

    http://jimgilmore2010.wordpress.com/

  12. WI Snowflake says:

    I am not a photography but I enjoyed your photographs. The angles of the iron within the photos give a sense of strength. Thanks for sharing.

    • PurpleT says:

      Thank you, i’m glad you enjoyed them. The beauty of art is that there’s something out there for everyone to enjoy 🙂

  13. Cool photos- especially the last one! I love the symmetry of it. I never thought about it- but this really did highlights the fact how used to we are to ugly monsters like pylons in our environment…

    • PurpleT says:

      I like the symmetry of the last one too, it took me ages to get it right…….

      We’ve built a lot of ugliness into our landscapes. I like to try and make something interesting, and maybe even attractive out of some of it, but also to hopefully make people think, so i’m really pleased you thought about it now.

      Thank you for the comment 🙂

  14. soniclizzz says:

    Apparently, it’s more common than you should think. I know several people who tells their driver to stop the car to go out to photograph pylons, actually.

    • PurpleT says:

      There does seem to be quite a few people who like to photograph them. My friends tend to shake their heads and try to ignore me when i get excited and run off to find a good shot of a pylon, hence the reason for the question 🙂
      Mind you, my friends just tend to think i’m a bit odd no matter what i’m doing…..

  15. acrankywomansview says:

    answering the question- a little but, glad you did. That first one is gorgeous!! and I like the one looking up into the pylon- looks like a man made spider web and gave me a sense of looking at a mini ifle (spelling?) tower. Pylons (here in Maine) always kind of give me the creeps. Kind of like a breeze in an empty field in August.

    • PurpleT says:

      I have a large print of the first one, and it looks really good 🙂

      Eiffel…..i checked the spelling as i always get it wrong too…

      Interesting that pylons give you the creeps. I’ve never thought of them like that. I’ll have to search photos of the ones in Maine. I saw some in Spain years ago that were like big metal people striding across the land. It’s quite amazing how different they are around the world.

  16. A little weird, yes, but it makes for some cool photos!

  17. Brandie says:

    I really like the viewpoint of the photo where you’re looking up at the pylon and agree it does have a web-like quality that makes it more interesting.

  18. Alison says:

    I do not think it is odd to photograph pylons. Many well-known photographers have photographed pylons because of the gorgeous lines they create in photographs which you have photographed beautifully. Is it odd that I can stare at a wind farm for hours on end and not get bored? Yes. But mostly because I think it is odd that some people do not want a view filled with wind turbines! 😉

    • PurpleT says:

      I don’t think it’s odd to stare at a wind farm for hours. If there was one near me i’d do the same. I think there’s something quite majestic and hypnotizing about them.
      Of course i’d also pull out my camera and run excitedly around them looking to that “perfect” shot 🙂

  19. Michelle says:

    I spent last weekend photography some pylons near my home in New Mexico. They are definitely a part of the landscape.

    http://michellesprouse.wordpress.com/2011/01/08/beautiful-new-mexico-skies/

    I think I’d prefer the cleaner energy of wind turbines, even if it meant adjusting to a new skyline.

  20. humanitarikim says:

    Everything beautiful is a little bit odd. Revel in it!

  21. Sarah Hanlon says:

    I’m so glad you were able to take an issue like this and put it into perspective. We have the same problem here in upstate NY… the locals want wind turbines but most of the folks who come up on weekends from New York City complain that they’ll ruin the beautiful countryside. As if their $3 million mansions don’t do enough of that already….

    Great post. 🙂

  22. Brian says:

    some of those are quite beautiful, especially the black and white photo of the sign on the dirt road. So no, it’s not weird.

    Also, I’ve found myself drawn to a few of those towers myself…there are more than a few of them on my own site.

  23. knotrune says:

    Lovely photos with very striking compositions. I think many of the photos are of slightly odd subjects 🙂

    I never understood wind turbine nimbys. I’d not consider a house too near a pylon, but I’d not mind a turbine, some of them are quite beautiful. Apparently the pale grey ones are not easy for birds to see though, so they ought to be all painted purple. I think that would be gorgeous, but would probably give most people a heart attack!

  24. I think both are equally impressive structures and inspiring to photograph!

  25. Excellent point!
    I have had this exact conversation with family members, and have lost horridly to loud stupidity, and stubbornness. Is it just me, or do you find that the louder someone is pigheadedly protesting an alternative view to their own, the more Luddite it is that they sound?

  26. aka gringita says:

    I will never look at pylons the same way again. Thanks so much for sharing these photos.

    BTW, I tend to agree that the turbines are no more view-obstructing than the alternatives and actually may be nicer while in operation… the only problem arises if they break down and get abandoned to falling-down disrepair. Then they really can become an eyesore.

  27. Saw this on the WP.com front page. I love taking photos of pylons. I actually think they are beautiful structures.

    There was a BBC documentary series on The National Grid recently and they talked about how people were opposed to the pylons, originally thinking they were like something from the Day of The Triffids, but that people got used to them and that they can even enhance a landscape these days.

    I also think it is silly to object to wind farms because you are able to see them. You will get used to the sight and like pylons, I think they can enhance a landscape. Although I do feel that they can be noisy, so I can understand wanting to avoid that. Offshore ones can also provide problems for migrating birds, so I do think planners need to consider that when looking for suitable sites.

  28. Harden Photo says:

    Is it odd to photograph pylons?

    Certainly not. Firstly, they are there, they are a part of the landscape whether or not they are deemed desirable. And secondly, they stand in stark, rigid, contrast to the ebb and flow of the landscape surrounding them. That sort of juxtaposition can be immediately pleasing, or incredibly off putting, depending on the scene.

    Personally, I’ve always found mechanical, unnatural, things in close proximity to organics intriguing. It’s the give and play of the way they interact so gracefully where grace ought not reside.

    In essence, I agree with you that they are certainly a worthy subject matter. If for no other reason than they offer a visual misstep to an otherwise normal scene. Allowing the photographer to take what we see every day and alter our vision just slightly enough that the world seems askew, so that we are allowed to see in a new way. I believe you’ve done that here.

    Fine work sir.

  29. Among the attributes of a fine photographer is the ability to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. Well done.
    -Jen
    http://sasfiction.wordpress.com

  30. whenquiet says:

    I get a spidery extraterrestrial feel from your photographs. And I hear the constant electrical mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Nice job!

  31. Stunning pictures, you have a lovely eye for finding the beauty if things you otherwise find lacking.

    Disagree on the strength of your argument re wind turbines though, because of a flaw in your own reasoning. The wind turbines are being put up in addition to the power plants, not instead of them. I very much doubt people would complain if the price of having the power plants dismantled was extra wind turbines, but that’s not what’s on offer. It may be a long-term goal, but at this point it is unrealistic to suggest it (doesn’t generate enough power as I understand it). So what’s being debated is “do you want the countryside to look at” or “do you want the countryside to look at, with these wind turbines now across it”. That’s what people are objecting to.

    Doesn’t detract from your talent as a photographer though 🙂

    • oulitladder says:

      I think I have to agree with two last sentiments in this comment – great pictures.

      However, a line of pylons across a hill is just a slight cut in the countryside, while wind turbines appear to swarm an area and completely obscure the countryside. So I can see why people would object to it.

      That’s not to say that I’m against the idea of windfarms in principal, but that I’d much rather we were developing more offshore windfarms than bringing them in-land.

  32. ellendesigns says:

    Spatially satisfying, thanks for posting…

  33. rtcrita says:

    Now you’ve made me want to dig up the photos I took of some of these years ago when traveling from Kansas to New Mexico. Or was it through Nevada on the way to Las Vegas? Hmmm…. I don’t remember which. Anyway, I thought they were horrible at first, seeing them in the landscape and ruining the view of complete nature out in the middle of nowhere. Then, as I got closer, they became more interesting to me — especially as the view from our vehicle kept changing and I saw them from all sorts of angles.
    So, in answer to your question … no.

  34. squeagan says:

    I have always thought they looked interesting…..not so much pretty, but if you take them away from a landscape it’s sort of empty. Never knew what they were called though, thank you xD

  35. There is quite the controversy in the valley where we are the at moment regarding the wind turbines. Whatever anyone’s stand is, for or against, I am just glad that they are leaving the frost protection machines alone for once.

    There is a certain group of people who love the idea of living near vineyards and wineries. I may be biased but I will admit that there is something very beautiful about driving through a valley full of vineyards. But, if you choose to live near vineyards (especially if the vineyards were there FIRST) then you have to deal with the practical aspects of the vineyards including frost protection. This includes sometimes machines that are nosy, sometimes even helicopters. You choose to live there, they were there first, why complain?

    Sorry, mini rant over. Your photo’s are beautiful, I am a great believer in art being created out of nothing and beauty found in the unusual. Keep up the good work.

  36. Jessica says:

    I don’t think it’s odd at all. I do it all the time. I live right next to a very long stretch of power line and not to far away from a few others. I think that if you have the right surroundings and lighting that the pictures can turn out beautifully, just as yours have. Keep it up. ♥ Jessica.

  37. Barb says:

    I too take photos of pylons! It’s true we do get used to them. There is a huge protest against plyons happening in Somerset across the levels. For more information visit: http://www.pylon-moor-pressure.co.uk/

  38. Brea says:

    I live in North Dakota, U.S. We have hundreds of the wind turbines scattered in “wind farms” across the state, due to the fact that our state is mostly plains – with very few trees to interfere with wind.

    They are lovely.

    Rather like watching a metronome, or a ticking clock, the turbines seem to almost move in slow motion, and from a distance, are fairly silent. They can actually be rather hypnotic to watch, as there will be dozens of them clustered together, creating a “field” effect of movement.

    I really liked your photographs, thank you for putting them up!

  39. Amazing photos – no it’s not strange really. I spend a fair bit of time taking photos of the insides of railways station roofs – something about metal construction that looks good in photographs, that’s why I like your pylons.

  40. kayorsonsweaver says:

    Damn NIMBYs. My parents live in an area with many growing wind farms. It used to bother some people, but those are now in the minority. It seems to come up every time though. There’s talk of offshore turbines going up in the great lakes and people are freaking out about their views being ruined. Funny, nobody whines about smog anymore.

  41. fikalo says:

    This makes so much sense. Great concept.

    I used to live in an area known for its coal and gas power stations and it seemed insane that the locals became very heated and angry when wind turbines were first introduced. I would much rather see a giant fan than acres of dirty, smoky, stinky coal and gas power plants!

  42. Pingback: Is It Odd To Photograph Pylons? (via PurpleT Photography) « The Amalgamation

  43. Well, I don’t know if I’d say I’d like to hang those in my living room or anything, but may be great for the office… it kinda says industrial age, and make you remember that our power doesn’t just come out of the socket.

  44. archiegrrl says:

    I once met a Native American artist who used both pylon and cul-de-sac motifs along with his tribe’s traditional designs in his art. The geometrics of both worked together surprisingly well!

  45. I like those who can find beauty in the least likely of places. Reminds me of that artist who poured different colors of paint down the toilet, flushed then photographed.

    The view from my backyard is of beautiful rolling hills and the ocean beyond. Horrific pylons stretch across those distant hills, but at sunset they kind of remind me of the golden gate bridge… guess I’m attempting to see a glimmer of beauty as well 🙂

  46. Connie T says:

    I lived two houses down from this big electric lines. Every time it rained it sizzles and zaps. I was afraid to live near them. They built a house right beside them. The builder said they men were getting shocked everytime they touched metal. I would hate to be the people living in that house. I have also read that it makes you start to forget things. I am glad I moved. I will never live next to power lines again.
    I like the looks of windmills myself.

  47. Lakia Gordon says:

    Loved the article…thanks for sharing

  48. opticbard says:

    I have always thought pylons are wonderful photographic subjects. However I have never thought to put the different view points/landscapes all together in a essay like you did. Great job.

    On the note of wind turbines. We have them in Southern Alberta, and to be honest, they are beautiful. I loves seeing the rows of them when I drove down there this past summer.

  49. bigred73 says:

    Not strange at all. It’s very interesting!

    My thing is pictures of bridges…not entirely different from pylons…

  50. leadinglight says:

    I love the fact your photographs have a purpose behind them.

  51. Deasy says:

    Pylons remind me of the Eiffel Tower, and that makes for a great subject. Perhaps those who aren’t able to travel to Paris use Pylons as a substitute. Whatever the reasons, Pylons also have great geometric features, so no, it’s definitely not weird to photograph pylons! ^^

  52. plumerainbow says:

    Interesting perspective on the pylons. Thanks for sharing.

  53. Perhaps it is the latent engineer in me, but I really enjoyed the pictures. Your last picture with the drooping power lines really caught my imagination – the black and white photo created a charcoal/pencil type of artistry. Thanks for your work!

  54. makingup3000 says:

    I love seeing wind turbines on the hill. It looks so serene.

  55. toemailer says:

    Human nature, go figure.

  56. jamie ball says:

    I think that the windmills look better than a bunch of power lines

  57. mdutiel says:

    I love these shots. I am completely on board with the idea of using pylons as subjects for photographs. I lived in a neighborhood that had these pylons running straight through the middle and talked about climbing them (among other things) all throughout grade school. great shots!!

  58. 7978moments says:

    not odd at all. I think they are an interesting subject to photograph. They allow creativity; and they have an interesting darkness solitude. I enjoy taking pictures of them as well.

  59. Kim says:

    I have to admit I am oddly draw to shooting pylons as well (perhaps it’s an electrical pull) but haven’t posted any yet. I haven’t quite got it but I am inspired to keep at it. I love your shots! I also love the look of the wind turbines. This summer we were driving north of Toronto and came a cross a field of them and my jaw dropped. They look so mighty and are very pleasing to the eye. I look forward to taking that drive again with my camera in tow. I can’t wait until you get some in your area so we can all enjoy your shots of them. 🙂

  60. michael hill says:

    You’ve stumbled upon an interesting observation about human nature – the fact that there is almost unbreakable resistance to anything which is different, or presents either a new paradigm or a variation on a paradigm which we are not prepared to process. One of the trite arguments for wind power that come up in mainstream media is that wind turbines confuse and kill birds. There’s not much evidence to support this, and with a little thought seems to be entirely illogical. In fact, it seems to be a knee-jerk emotional reaction to something which, in fundamental terms, is merely new and different. It’s a curious psychological phenomenon, to be sure. The recent holidays caused me to think about this very thing. Every holiday season the news media are full of (money-making) news stories about travel chaos and how people are inconvenienced and even traumatised when roads are snowed over and flights cancelled. It happens every year. What would happen if there was a suggestion to change a few things in this fiasco? For example, time-shifting and staggering holidays to ease the insane stampede? This is a very slight paradigm shift, and I’m sure it would result in an indignant response at best. I could illustrate a few more examples of this. I will indulge you with one example, that being the north American resistance to using standardised MKS measurement units, usually referred to as “the metric system”. I remember in the late 1970’s here in Canada there was serious debate in the federal government about adapting the MKS system, and there was widespread reaction to it to the point of petitions being circulated and highly charged rhetoric being heard everywhere. I was working in the trucking business at the time and remember getting into exasperating debates about this, one in particular. A cashier in a truck stop restaurant wanted me to sign a petition against the adoption of the MKS system, and I argued that it would be a big step forward, since it is a very simple, straightforward and logical system. However, my argument fell on deaf ears, and as usual there was an emotional response as if this person had been personally threatened in some way. I beleieve this is one reason that change is so hard won. It is impossible to show someone a new way of thinking about something if they are psychologically “boxed in” about something. Anyway, I like your photos of towers, I’ve taken a few myself. They are interesting visually.

  61. Congratulations for being Freshly Pressed!

    I love the way you composed your photos. We have pylons too near where I live. You just gave me an idea to use them as subject for my photography. Thanks!

    Cheers,
    Adrian
    http://seekersportal.wordpress.com

    • PurpleT says:

      Thanks Adrian.

      Go take photos of them, we should never ignore the mundane simply because we’re used to it being there. There’s the possibility of a good image in most things 🙂

      Tim

  62. rahconteur says:

    Good story. Keep them coming — rahconteur.wordpress.com

  63. richannkur says:

    Too good… something really different. Thanks for sharing.

  64. GB says:

    that’s not odd. (: what’s odd is that when i was 4 or 5 i thought at the top of the pylons lived bunnies. now, that’s odd. : )) i like your pics, keep up the good work.

  65. interesting article, is the first entered in this site and will not be the last

    Greetings

  66. Pingback: pylons. « rESeRvOir dOgS

  67. barrycyrus says:

    Of course not! Coolness! 🙂

  68. Alex Ingram. says:

    Since the invention of the camera, in all its many technological forms, NOTHING!, including ones own anus, a fireplug, a cloud or a mite of dirt, has proven to be too unusual to be photographed or considered as art by somebody. The big argument seems to be one of taste, or rather good taste, and or social merit. Those two issues not with standing, I never hesitate to pull shutter on anything,esp since the development of the digital camera and archive. That,s what the delete key, your brain, and skill as an editor come into play.
    Respectfully yours

    ohicur12

    • PurpleT says:

      Well said.

      Art is so subjective, and has been argued about for so long. Taste is also subjective i guess, and some will use what many consider bad taste to challenge the rest. Robert Mapplethorpe comes to mind.

      We’re free to view or not. There is much i don’t like, but i’m usually willing to at least view most things with an open mind, though society, and the law, will always have limits to what is allowed, and with some things that’s the way it should be.

      Thanks for your input.

  69. voiceofstkaths says:

    hi

  70. ldsrr91 says:

    In America they are called Transmission Towers, and they have an expression for those who don’t want to be associated with them.

    It is called “The Not In My Backyard Syndrome.”

    DS

  71. Mickey finn says:

    I read your blog post with great interest, as a child my ambition was to get in a helicopter and follow every single electric pylon in the UK I was fasinated by them and still am – great post

    • PurpleT says:

      Follow every pylon….Now that would be quite a project!

      They are fascinating. Structurally they can be very interesting, but also in the way they seemingly march across the landscape.

  72. mjcache says:

    The industrial art is totally cool: great angles and striking designs

    • PurpleT says:

      Thanks. People do seem to think i’m a bit odd when i suddenly see something in them that gets me excited, but i think the photos show the worth of it 🙂

  73. I love the balance of lines, patterns and light. Nice job!

  74. dicegirlx says:

    i do not think it is odd. i didnt read all of what you wrote, because you write A LOT but i read the title, and i hav taken a picture of one before, and i think they are actually quite beautiful

    • PurpleT says:

      Sometimes i write a lot, sometimes not. I wanted to explain why i’d started taking them, but i also hope the photos stand alone as art 🙂

  75. shesmyhusband says:

    I love the fact that you appreciate structure and lines! I personally don’t think it’s odd to photograph ANYTHING you enjoy. Kudos!

    • PurpleT says:

      Thank you. I just enjoy taking photos as much as i can. I’m always looking out for something interesting to capture. Friends are used to me wandering off in mid conversation because something has caught my eye. They like the photos so they don’t mind 🙂

  76. elizabeth says:

    I’ve always thought they looked alien in the landscape. The composition in your images is brilliant. This is such a good environmental project and taken from your own personal perspective, really like the images, they are very strong.

    Elizabeth
    http://thisismycloud.wordpress.com

    • PurpleT says:

      They are alien, but they’ve been there so long everyone is used to them. It’d probably look strange for a while if they were all suddenly removed.

      I’m really pleased you like the images.

      Thanks for the comment Elizabeth.

  77. Maria Ho says:

    Congrats on being Freshly Pressed!
    I think pylons are one of the most photograph-worthy objects on this planet :). We have a big powerline just outside our house marked for doom and going underground sometime during this year. I plan to make some documentation of it as it is now, checking how many different angles I can find of my neighbour pylons.

    And what you say about being used to old stuff and reluctant to new stuff is very relevant for public art. Lots and lots (if not almost all) new pieces are rejected, debated and hated in media. Give it a couple of years and ppl have grown a relation to it, speak of it with affection and would be very upset if it someone threatens to take it away…

  78. bunnyisms says:

    Very interesting pictures of pylons. I definitely agree that they are a somewhat interesting subject to photograph. Many times I have wondered how the landscape would look if the pylons disappeared. But what would replace them?

  79. Artswebshow says:

    That’s not odd at all, there are no rules about what are good subjects for photography.
    As for wind turbines, anyone who opposes the construction of them now should take a serious thought about the future of energy in this country.
    Blackouts because the wind pylons spoiled their view.
    It just plain silly

  80. Pingback: Weekend Artists and Adventures | Clap Stomp Snap

    • PurpleT says:

      Thanks, it’s nice to have been able to inspire you 🙂

      I like the tank in the beach, that’s just my kind of thing.

  81. Sara W says:

    Great post, looking forward to the next one. ~SW

  82. interesting article, is the first entered in this site and will not be the last
    Greetings

  83. Neil says:

    It may or may not be odd to photograph pylons, but it is certifiably dull.

    That said, I’ve made a proud contribution to the cause myself.

  84. emilymagpie says:

    Congratulations on your ‘freshly pressed’ status, Oh Purple One 🙂 Beautiful pictures as yours so regularly are and you’ve raised so many important points! Not only about wind turbines (which I personally think are a quite beautiful, calming addition to a landscape) but also about the beauty that can be found in the most surprising of places. You’ve given me a lovely, warm and fuzzy feeling inside – thank you 🙂

  85. ip camera says:

    Hey can I copy and paste this post on my web site? What references must I give? You might give this info for other people too.

  86. PurpleT says:

    Why thank you Miss Emily for your kind words. It’s nice to know i’ve given you a nice warm fuzzy feeling inside 🙂
    I always try to find beauty in things, or at least try to make a beautiful, or at least an interesting image from what should be ugliness. My favourite subjects being burnt out cars. I can get quite excited when i find them…lol

  87. strayimp says:

    I don’t think it’s particularly odd to photograph pylons. Why would it be?

    Dan Jones
    http://www.strayimpact.com

  88. kurtfb7199 says:

    haha, I bet you like the Transformers movies

    • PurpleT says:

      I didn’t think i would, but a friend showed me them last summer, and i have to admit, i did kinda like them….lol

  89. interesting article, is the first entered in this site and will not be the last

    Greetings Good

  90. Generation 26 says:

    These pictures are beautiful…in a sort of depressing way

  91. GB says:

    so where can i subscribe? mhm.

  92. One of my students did a photography project on the same subject – pylons. I’ll have to pass this on to him.

    (I think yours are better, though)

  93. touristjapan says:

    ขายเสื้อผ้าออนไลน์

    One of my students did a photography project on the same subject – pylons. I’ll have to pass this on to him.

  94. slowsimpleconscious says:

    wind turbines, in my eyes, are beautiful, i love them and love photographing them. I had never seen pylons in the same way but your photos are amazing and inspiring. I also love the upward looking one, like looking into a tangled, inescapable web. mmm… a day out with my camera might be calling! thanks!

    • PurpleT says:

      I think wind turbines can be very elegant. If there were any near me i’d photograph them.
      I’m glad you like my photos, and yes, you should have a day out with your camera 🙂

  95. st3ve says:

    If only it were possible to have an integrated wind turbine and electricity pylon set-up. Symbiosis in action!!

    Also, whilst photographing all these pylons, have you ever noticed that whilst they may be surrounded by weeds, actually under the pylon only short lush grass is growing. Why is this? Anyone any ideas?

    Thanks for looking.

  96. Pingback: Back To The Pylons (And No It’s Not Odd To Photograph Them) | PurpleT Photography

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