• Matt Blaze@federate.socialOP
    1·
    12 days ago

    This is a composite of two side-by-side images, each captured with the Rodenstock 50mm/4.0 HR Digaron-W lens (@ f/5.6), shifted left and right +/- 12mm to produce a 205MP 2:1 aspect ratio final image.

    The Ravenswood plant, along the East River in Long Island City/Astoria Queens, was built by Con Ed in stages during the early- and mid- 1960’s. When opened, it had capacity for about 20% of the city’s electricity demand, as well as producing co-generated steam for the city’s steam loop.

    • Matt Blaze@federate.socialOP
      1·
      12 days ago

      Known locally as “Big Allis” (after Allis-Chalmers, the manufacturer of the largest of the four generators in the plant), Ravenswood is fired by both natural gas (now the primary fuel) and oil, and also has the capability (rarely used, as far as I know) to burn coal.

      Ravenswood has been linked to a spike in asthma and other respiratory disorders among local residents. There is pressure to decommission the generators and replace them with battery banks to store renewable energy from upstate.

      • Matt Blaze@federate.socialOP
        1·
        12 days ago

        For industrial subjects especially, I usually end up preferring the most straightforward and boring perspective I can find that just lets the subject speak for itself. The masters of this approach were Bernd and Hilla Becher, whose “Basic Forms” work richly repays your attention if you like this kind of stuff. https://www.sfmoma.org/artist/Bernd_and_Hilla_Becher/

        (They would have undoubtedly gone for an overcast day to capture Big Allis, but I liked the clouds.)

  • Chris Samuel@mastodon.acm.org
    1·
    12 days ago

    @mattblaze@federate.social the full size image definitely rewards inspection! That huge grab for instance (presumably for unloading coal) and what I presume are enormous electrical bus bars running from the lower centre off to the right.

    The resolution is incredible, wasn’t expecting to be able to clearly read the Plimsoll line markings on the barges in front. It seems the “Lemon Creek” in a previous life as a sewage barge had a run in with a tanker carrying molasses in 1991 - you can guess which spilt cargo.