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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Forty One: Ruins and wrecks: photographing the rusted, busted past > Among the weeds, Astoria, Oregon, 2009
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22-JUN-2009

Among the weeds, Astoria, Oregon, 2009

This image is rich in haunting textures – the jumble of high weeds that surround the old house, the weathered boards on its sides, and even the smooth curtains that hang in the old bay windows. There were no signs of life and the only sound was the patter of rain drops all around me as I shot.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1
1/400s f/5.0 at 45.0mm iso100 hide exif
Full EXIF Info
Date/Time22-Jun-2009 09:21:18
MakePanasonic
ModelDMC-G1
Flash UsedNo
Focal Length45 mm
Exposure Time1/400 sec
Aperturef/5
ISO Equivalent100
Exposure Bias-0.66
White Balance
Metering Modemulti spot (3)
JPEG Quality
Exposure Programprogram (2)
Focus Distance

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Phil Douglis22-Jan-2015 03:07
Thank you, Guest. I wish we had had more time to explore this city and discover its ghosts.
Guest 21-Jan-2015 21:26
there are a lot of houses like this spread out through Astoria.
Phil Douglis03-Apr-2012 18:20
Thank so much for leaving this comment, Carrie. You give this image valuable context. The photograph becomes more than a haunting scene. With your background information, it become a sad commentary on how neighborhoods can decline when the "social contract" that defines a community begins to unravel. I hope that things will eventually sort themselves out and that this house will eventually become a symbol of hope, rather than an example of despair and decay.
Mom of Three 03-Apr-2012 09:55
This house is owned by the Flavel family...ironically the same family that donated the gorgeous museum that is now a tourist attraction. The sister is the last surviving Flavel. The brother died last year. They have stubbornly taken pride in not taking care of this property and the derelict retail block on commercial. Every year, as soon as the weeds get as high as the house, the city mows them down and slaps a lien on the property. Countless people have tried to buy it, but they flat out wont sell. Inside, it's hoarded with trash. There's a dead dog in the freezer. Its just nuts. Everyone hopes the house can outlast her, but it's a toss up at this point.
Phil Douglis22-Sep-2010 19:09
The curtains make the shot, Rick. They bring life within to the decay without. Thanks for being the first to comment on this image.
Rick Bricker21-Sep-2010 19:35
Nice capture.I love the still regal looking curtains seen through the windows.
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