Björn Ylinenpää
сту

Been stalking around on this forum for quite a while now, and i thought that i should introduce myself. Thought i should do it by posting a photo taken with a Zorki-4 + Jupiter 8. The film used is Efke 50, developed in Rodinal.
This is a photograph from a dead and abandoned factory. Scharins Unitex was once one of the largest employers in my hometown. Together with the Rönnskär smelting works (still alive) they formed the industrial backbone around which my hometown was built. When the factory was at it's peak 1500 people worked there. It started out in the 19th century as a saw mill but later it produced wood pulp, fibreboard and impregnated wood. In the 1920's and 30's the unions and the workers fought for better wages and working conditions at Scharins. In 1932, a year after the Ådalen shootings where military killed five protesting workers, riots broke out at Scharins after the company hired strike breakers. A local policeman opened fire but nobody was hit. Had somebody been killed, then revolution wouldn't have been far away.
Bad management and harsh competiotion caused the steady decline of the company and in 1993 the factory closed for good. The arsenic, mercury and dioxins from Scharins polluted the soil and the sediment of the nearby river and today it is one of the most polluted placs in Sweden. Because of this nobody has claimed ownership or responsibilty for area, since swedish law states that the owner must decontaminate the area, which would be very expensive. So the buildings just sit there with broken windows and covered in graffiti.
For me Scharins tells so many stories. Walking around the deserted factory buildings you are struck by the silence, what really should be a place filled with movement and noise is quiet and empty. You can still find spare parts in there boxes, and in the office supply room you can find discettes and paper for the now ancient computers and printers waiting on their desks.
Scharins is very popular among local photographers, and everything has been photographed. Despite that i always return, fascinated by it's stories.
- - - -
What about me then? Well, I'm 21 years old. I study russian at the university in Umeå. I love photography and what it can tell us. Since I like mechanical things I own too many cameras, mostly from the FSU! However I would say that the cameras themselves doesn't mean much to me, they are secondary to the photography and storytelling. But that doesn't mean that the cameras aren't interesting themselves, they also tell us a story of the period that they were made in and about the people that designed and used them.
BTW, sorry for any spelling mistakes or grammatical errors. But you probably understand bad english better than perfect swedish!
This is a photograph from a dead and abandoned factory. Scharins Unitex was once one of the largest employers in my hometown. Together with the Rönnskär smelting works (still alive) they formed the industrial backbone around which my hometown was built. When the factory was at it's peak 1500 people worked there. It started out in the 19th century as a saw mill but later it produced wood pulp, fibreboard and impregnated wood. In the 1920's and 30's the unions and the workers fought for better wages and working conditions at Scharins. In 1932, a year after the Ådalen shootings where military killed five protesting workers, riots broke out at Scharins after the company hired strike breakers. A local policeman opened fire but nobody was hit. Had somebody been killed, then revolution wouldn't have been far away.
Bad management and harsh competiotion caused the steady decline of the company and in 1993 the factory closed for good. The arsenic, mercury and dioxins from Scharins polluted the soil and the sediment of the nearby river and today it is one of the most polluted placs in Sweden. Because of this nobody has claimed ownership or responsibilty for area, since swedish law states that the owner must decontaminate the area, which would be very expensive. So the buildings just sit there with broken windows and covered in graffiti.
For me Scharins tells so many stories. Walking around the deserted factory buildings you are struck by the silence, what really should be a place filled with movement and noise is quiet and empty. You can still find spare parts in there boxes, and in the office supply room you can find discettes and paper for the now ancient computers and printers waiting on their desks.
Scharins is very popular among local photographers, and everything has been photographed. Despite that i always return, fascinated by it's stories.
- - - -
What about me then? Well, I'm 21 years old. I study russian at the university in Umeå. I love photography and what it can tell us. Since I like mechanical things I own too many cameras, mostly from the FSU! However I would say that the cameras themselves doesn't mean much to me, they are secondary to the photography and storytelling. But that doesn't mean that the cameras aren't interesting themselves, they also tell us a story of the period that they were made in and about the people that designed and used them.
BTW, sorry for any spelling mistakes or grammatical errors. But you probably understand bad english better than perfect swedish!
rbiemer
Unabashed Amateur
Bjorn,
Welcome aboard! (and I apologize, but I can't get my key board to type the dots over the "o" in your name.)
Don't sweat spelling or grammar mistakes--your english is nowhere near bad--probably better than mine, in fact!
Rob
Welcome aboard! (and I apologize, but I can't get my key board to type the dots over the "o" in your name.)
Don't sweat spelling or grammar mistakes--your english is nowhere near bad--probably better than mine, in fact!
Rob
Will
Well-known
Wonderful First Post, your english is fine...
Björn Ylinenpää said:Been stalking around on this forum for quite a while now, and i thought that i should introduce myself. Thought i should do it by posting a photo taken with a Zorki-4 + Jupiter 8. The film used is Efke 50, developed in Rodinal.
View attachment 39448
This is a photograph from a dead and abandoned factory. Scharins Unitex was once one of the largest employers in my hometown. Together with the Rönnskär smelting works (still alive) they formed the industrial backbone around which my hometown was built. When the factory was at it's peak 1500 people worked there. It started out in the 19th century as a saw mill but later it produced wood pulp, fibreboard and impregnated wood. In the 1920's and 30's the unions and the workers fought for better wages and working conditions at Scharins. In 1932, a year after the Ådalen shootings where military killed five protesting workers, riots broke out at Scharins after the company hired strike breakers. A local policeman opened fire but nobody was hit. Had somebody been killed, then revolution wouldn't have been far away.
Bad management and harsh competiotion caused the steady decline of the company and in 1993 the factory closed for good. The arsenic, mercury and dioxins from Scharins polluted the soil and the sediment of the nearby river and today it is one of the most polluted placs in Sweden. Because of this nobody has claimed ownership or responsibilty for area, since swedish law states that the owner must decontaminate the area, which would be very expensive. So the buildings just sit there with broken windows and covered in graffiti.
For me Scharins tells so many stories. Walking around the deserted factory buildings you are struck by the silence, what really should be a place filled with movement and noise is quiet and empty. You can still find spare parts in there boxes, and in the office supply room you can find discettes and paper for the now ancient computers and printers waiting on their desks.
Scharins is very popular among local photographers, and everything has been photographed. Despite that i always return, fascinated by it's stories.
- - - -
What about me then? Well, I'm 21 years old. I study russian at the university in Umeå. I love photography and what it can tell us. Since I like mechanical things I own too many cameras, mostly from the FSU! However I would say that the cameras themselves doesn't mean much to me, they are secondary to the photography and storytelling. But that doesn't mean that the cameras aren't interesting themselves, they also tell us a story of the period that they were made in and about the people that designed and used them.
BTW, sorry for any spelling mistakes or grammatical errors. But you probably understand bad english better than perfect swedish!
dazedgonebye
Veteran
Welcome.
We should all take the advice on that wall as coming from our cameras.
We should all take the advice on that wall as coming from our cameras.
raftman
Established
Industrial themes and settings are my favorites in photography, including the abandoned and decaying variety. The photo you posted is a really cool example. Makes me seriously consider getting a Zorki-4, but I probably already have more cameras than I need.
Mauro
Mauro
Dear Bjorn,
welcome aboard!
You have posted a beautiful picture, and an interesting story about your area.
I share with you a strong interest in old mechanical cameras, I own two FSU (FED + KIEV) cameras and two Italians from the sixties: it is a pleasure to load a film roll and shot, while other photographers are concentrated on pixels and battery life!
A big CIAO from Italy
welcome aboard!
You have posted a beautiful picture, and an interesting story about your area.
I share with you a strong interest in old mechanical cameras, I own two FSU (FED + KIEV) cameras and two Italians from the sixties: it is a pleasure to load a film roll and shot, while other photographers are concentrated on pixels and battery life!
A big CIAO from Italy
micromoogman
Well-known
Then I'm not the only swede around anylonger... I've seen a few more though. How far up are you? Luleå? Haparanda? Anyhow, welcome!
I can tell you that I also love abandoned factories, houses, gas stations, railways...as well as the FSUs Smena8m, Chaika3, Kiev4a, Zorki 1b.
I can tell you that I also love abandoned factories, houses, gas stations, railways...as well as the FSUs Smena8m, Chaika3, Kiev4a, Zorki 1b.
Rogrund
Antti Sivén
Welcome!
Björn Ylinenpää
сту

Thanks!
micromoogan:
Not that far north. I'm from Skellefteå, but I got family north of Haparanda.
micromoogan:
Not that far north. I'm from Skellefteå, but I got family north of Haparanda.
Xmas
Veteran
Our appreciation is everyone in Sw has better English than us.
It is sad about the factory, al least it is a while since you had a war...
Noel
It is sad about the factory, al least it is a while since you had a war...
Noel
Superbus_
Established
Hi Bjorn, and welcome here!
This is a really interesting story about the factory. Do you have any other photos from that place? I'm interested in it. I'm also an owner of a zorki 4k, great camera.
This is a really interesting story about the factory. Do you have any other photos from that place? I'm interested in it. I'm also an owner of a zorki 4k, great camera.
BadMonkey
Humble Photographer
Björn,
Welcome and I've got to say that I'm very impressed with the shot! Expertly done, I keep looking for areas that yield this look/atmosphere you've captured.
Although I could create my own by taking paint spray in hand to an abandoned structure, he he.
I've also purchased a Zorki 4K with Jupitor-8 lens it should be here next week, I hope I don't have a lemon as I understand that this is a possibility.
Cheers!
Welcome and I've got to say that I'm very impressed with the shot! Expertly done, I keep looking for areas that yield this look/atmosphere you've captured.
Although I could create my own by taking paint spray in hand to an abandoned structure, he he.
I've also purchased a Zorki 4K with Jupitor-8 lens it should be here next week, I hope I don't have a lemon as I understand that this is a possibility.
Cheers!
Björn Ylinenpää said:Been stalking around on this forum for quite a while now, and i thought that i should introduce myself. Thought i should do it by posting a photo taken with a Zorki-4 + Jupiter 8. The film used is Efke 50, developed in Rodinal.
View attachment 39448
This is a photograph from a dead and abandoned factory. Scharins Unitex was once one of the largest employers in my hometown. Together with the Rönnskär smelting works (still alive) they formed the industrial backbone around which my hometown was built. When the factory was at it's peak 1500 people worked there. It started out in the 19th century as a saw mill but later it produced wood pulp, fibreboard and impregnated wood. In the 1920's and 30's the unions and the workers fought for better wages and working conditions at Scharins. In 1932, a year after the Ådalen shootings where military killed five protesting workers, riots broke out at Scharins after the company hired strike breakers. A local policeman opened fire but nobody was hit. Had somebody been killed, then revolution wouldn't have been far away.
Bad management and harsh competiotion caused the steady decline of the company and in 1993 the factory closed for good. The arsenic, mercury and dioxins from Scharins polluted the soil and the sediment of the nearby river and today it is one of the most polluted placs in Sweden. Because of this nobody has claimed ownership or responsibilty for area, since swedish law states that the owner must decontaminate the area, which would be very expensive. So the buildings just sit there with broken windows and covered in graffiti.
For me Scharins tells so many stories. Walking around the deserted factory buildings you are struck by the silence, what really should be a place filled with movement and noise is quiet and empty. You can still find spare parts in there boxes, and in the office supply room you can find discettes and paper for the now ancient computers and printers waiting on their desks.
Scharins is very popular among local photographers, and everything has been photographed. Despite that i always return, fascinated by it's stories.
- - - -
What about me then? Well, I'm 21 years old. I study russian at the university in Umeå. I love photography and what it can tell us. Since I like mechanical things I own too many cameras, mostly from the FSU! However I would say that the cameras themselves doesn't mean much to me, they are secondary to the photography and storytelling. But that doesn't mean that the cameras aren't interesting themselves, they also tell us a story of the period that they were made in and about the people that designed and used them.
BTW, sorry for any spelling mistakes or grammatical errors. But you probably understand bad english better than perfect swedish!
Mikael.N
Established
Välkommen landsmän
Välkommen landsmän
Hi i live in Luleå am i the north winner?i have gone the kiev trail,nice pics from skellefteå?
Välkommen landsmän
Hi i live in Luleå am i the north winner?i have gone the kiev trail,nice pics from skellefteå?
Muller
Established
Welcome! Abandoned locations like that are some of my favorite places to explore and photograph.
I'm also a member of the Cult of Zorki-4, having a -4 that I've been using quite often, and a -4K that has become a bit of a custom project.
Again, welcome!
I'm also a member of the Cult of Zorki-4, having a -4 that I've been using quite often, and a -4K that has become a bit of a custom project.
Again, welcome!