Finding details in the city: part 2 – Georgetown – by Carlos Argott

By C. Argott

27 October, 2017

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Photography Project Street & Urban Photography
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In the same way that in my previous photo essay I focused on small details that I would’ve normally ignored. For this second part I decided to also go to a neighbourhood that I don’t usually visit, to try to find more of those hidden details of the city I live in. To that end, I chose Georgetown; a small rectangle of land isolated from the rest of Seattle by obstacles both natural and man made, that has maintained an aesthetic that feels more small town America than booming tech cultural melting pot.

I had high hopes to find more unique details to re-kindle my photographic relationship to this city… It did not disappoint. Once again, I grabbed my Leica and a roll of Lomography F2 film, this is done on purpose to provide some consistency to the different chapters in this body of work.

Since I’ve already provided my point of view on why I’m doing this in the first part [here] I’ll jump straight into the photos, once again, providing a small caption to explain my motivation or thinking behind the image. There are many ways of photographing a city, this one is my particular point of view.

The textures instantly jump at me, how different the base materials of this neighborhood seem from the ones in the International District
The character also seems more nationalistic, a very strong change from the multicultural experience I had before
Despite being (arguably) the oldest neighborhood in Seattle, its isolation means that gentrification hasn’t quite caught up with it
The industrial roots are very evident, yet the residents here have done their best to soften the harsh metal with some more natural details
Even the color palette is distinct, slightly more muted than the neon colors of the ID
Around every corner, a small slice of bottled time, suspended in decades long past gives this part of the city a very melancholic feel
So many textures, layered upon each other, all of them small reminders of an industry long forgotten in the city, mementos to a past before the tech boom happening just a few miles north
And in stark contrast to the old feeling of the area, the shiny new symbols of the encroaching gentrification gather in corners outside bars and breweries that slowly bring the gaze of the city down on this neighborhood
At some point, it even becomes difficult to know which slices of old americana are authentic, and which ones are being carefully curated to maintain the illusion of quaintness that is so in vogue nowadays
The history of the neighborhood, in almost geologic layers of dozens of seasons of concerts, very likely showing the changing character of the city

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About The Author

By C. Argott
Engineer by day; sailor, archer, fencer, salsa dancer by night. I've been carrying a camera around with me for about 2 decades and own a collection of over a dozen film cameras all of which get regular use. You can find my current attempts at a more art centric approach to photography in http://argott.photos
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Comments

Rasmus on Finding details in the city: part 2 – Georgetown – by Carlos Argott

Comment posted: 27/10/2017

Tight composition - like it a lot. I’ve had somewhat inconsistent results from the F2 rolls but when it’s good I really like it, particularly the muted colours.
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Jim Grey on Finding details in the city: part 2 – Georgetown – by Carlos Argott

Comment posted: 27/10/2017

Lovely images; they give a real sense of place.
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Stig on Finding details in the city: part 2 – Georgetown – by Carlos Argott

Comment posted: 28/10/2017

Very nice shots and some food for thought for myself I think, maybe linger a little longer before bypassing that scene you couldn't see anything in. Also I see they still love orange in Seattle, that truck shot reminds me of Fred Herzog :)
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Dan on Finding details in the city: part 2 – Georgetown – by Carlos Argott

Comment posted: 24/11/2017

Nice. Makes a pleasant change from the constant "street portrait" style of street photography that seems to be all the rage. No.7 my personal favourite.
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