Seeing eye activity

kids toys are not just for kids anymore. These marionette dolls captured my attention because they were grabbing the attention of more adults than kids. They had a really tactile nature and big bubbly eyes that made me want to stare them in the face! I also was getting up close and personal with my nephew to see the fun in the things he saw.

Mid review site model pics

Today we had our mid reviews on our latest and greatest developments with our projects. We got good feedback about what is and isn't working with our designs and where we could take it from here. We are to use this feedback to improve our projects for Friday. Here are pics of my model in our group site model. My concept is using pushing/pulling as a force to manipulate the structure. This relates to my urban artifact which is a branding tool. Branding tools require "force" to burn into things and make their mark.
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Urban Artifact

My urban artifact is this oversized nut found near the site. One of the tools urban explorers use is flashlights to get around their abandoned buildings at night, so although you can't particularly see it, there is a flashlight embedded in the center of the artifact. Some urban explorers feel as if vandalizing the sights once they've made their way is appropriate, but others don't feel the need to do so. The idea is that there would be a tool that could be used with maybe blacklight paint to stamp that you've been there so that at least you weren't visibly defacing a building.

7/4/09 Seeing eye activity

I found this pile of food, which seemed to be recently set out, behind the old Mikado (now Naked Fish) and in the pile of what used to be DV8. It was so odd to me because it was like someone knew someone was going to come and pick it up soon. It was so strategically placed out I wondered what type of arrangement the two people behind the food had. It wasn't enought food to last longer than like 2 days.

The next pic is of the back of a bar that I believe is out of business now (Mynt Lounge)? This is used as a patio, which I'm sure is mesmerizing at night. Although the whole wall is painted black, notice how it almost accentuates all the lines, textures, and materials. Also notice that the lights are still on in the string of Christmas lights, and it is the middle of the day.

Last pic is sparklers for the mood of the 4th of July. This would be my favorite picture of seeing things in a way you may not normally view things, and top picture for the seeing eye activity. Instead of capturing the excitement of someone's facial expressions from holding the sparklers, the focus is on the sparkler. Although I did not take it, I feel when I'm looking at it as if I can imagine being in that moment. What makes photography powerful for me is this exact emotional connection. (the pic was taken by my little sister Christine Olson, Christine Olson photography)

Site pictures

The specific site within the region we chose is ~230 south 550 west. It sits behind or basically on top of the junkyard of Thomas Electric Company. The inside had some really cool old motors and fans that we photographed. This building has been around since 1917. Across 2nd South used to be the red light district where prostitutes were housed after being moved from Regent Street in 1908 (in between state and main and in between 1st and 2nd south). This area is considered old Greek town. The closest Greek thing I can think of is the Greek orthodox church on 3rd south and 3rd west.

I really like these...

taken off this persons forum:

http://www.uer.ca/forum_search1.asp?fid=1&action=search&usersearch=Urban%20Pirate&match2=exact&searchcat=all&scope=1&searchdate=1&datedir=1&sort=1&sortmode=2&group=1&display=1

Urban expoloration websites if your still saying WTF....

http://www.opacity.us/
http://www.infiltration.org/
http://www.urban-travel.org/
http://www.weburbanist.com/galleries/

Smith & Edwards junkyard exploration

These pictures are from some house in the junkyard at Smith & Edward in Ogden. I'm not entirely certain why there is a house there, but it was among other random junk like a train and something that looked like a rocket.

more pictures...

Mikaela's shoes got some pricky things lodged in her shoes. I'm pretty sure there's still some in there. After these here photos we went north to the 800 north 500 west region where we were apparently in a Homeland Security property...we were asked to leave, no photos of those sensitive eroding bricks I guess.

1st urban explorer outing...

our first big exploration of salt lake city warranted a more appropriate feeling of salt lake crazy. We veered into a less scary area of 700 west 350 south and found some really old cars and industrial garbage. I was really liking the texture and colors found on these objects, so I took alot of photographs of this.