I missed a day and am catching up here. Just a few thoughts about change.
Everything is in a constant state of change. The universe, the solar system, the earth, our atmosphere, our oceans, our bodies, our cells.
I’ve always found rust to be really interesting. It’s the visible change of iron and other alloys over time. You can simply leave it at that, or you can think about it chemically, molecularly, as the iron becomes iron oxide. It’s physical, tangible evidence of time and change.
In my early days with a camera, I found rust to be a compelling subject. Cleveland, Ohio, where I’m from originally, is in the rust belt, the part of the midwest that was sharply affected by a decline in manufacturing. It was an economic impact and also a visual impact. Drive through downtown Cleveland and you’ll see many an empty, dilapidated building, a visual representation of the rust belt.
Cleveland also gets a lot of moisture in rain and snow, so there’s a lot of rust.
It’s an intersection of nature and man that can be really beautiful, if you choose to look at it that way. I choose to, and many years later I decided to try and make my own rust. Here are some interesting images of rusted steel panels. I used a cocktail of kosher salt, hydrogen peroxide, and vinegar over several days. Enjoy.
