It is suspected that the river Lea in east London was originally dammed by King Alfred in the 9th century to cot off a bunch of Vikings up-stream. Mills were later built on those dammed stretches, the domesday book recording at least 9 by 1086, and these rivers that were formed by that damming have remained a centre of industry almost ever since. The decline of manufacturing industry in the UK in the late 70's and through the 80's and 90's has left the area polluted and struggling: paths are thoroughly overgrown, abandoned and vandalised buildings litter the shores. At the end of this stretch of the Waterworks Strem can be seen the gleaming new money machines of London Docklands; and yet, amongst this dissolution and waste grows an iinredible amount of wildflowers, and habitats for herons, foxes, and many otherwise endangered species.
So it doesn't completely fit the challenge - but I felt it had the right mood, so I've submitted it. For the tech-heads: it's cropped, sharpened, and the contrast upped a lot, and then the saturation increased a fair chunk too, to bring out the weed on the water. Another point was the haze hanging over the city, but I'm not sure that'll really register without arkening the whole thing too far. I also like the leading lines of this composition.
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Oh my its way down here I did too like the leading lines in this and the greenish stuff and the electric (whatyoucalleit) stuff.I gave it a 9 . I thought it did fit the challenge just fine
It has a very strange look. The green on the water looks as though it is glowing, giving the appearance of toxic waste and a very desolate place. It is a little dark for me, I would like to be able to make out the structures a little better.
Rather than enhancing the mood of the murky waters, the darkness of the "walls" to the left and right of the river (are those trees?) become overpowering. Another time of day perhaps when the shadows are not so deep and this might have been more effective.
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