The Hand by taffy

The Hand

Weather reached the 60s today and it was amazing walking outside without a coat. Took my camera "over the river and through the" well, not woods, but city canyons. Spotted this in a sort of out of the way spot weaving my way back home. Photo was improved by comments from Jane @jgpittenger and Ross @rvwalker -- thank you!
Amazing picture.
April 12th, 2014  
Great composition and textures.
April 12th, 2014  
Love all that texture! Great B&W!
April 12th, 2014  
oh my god, this looks so creepy. I hope yourclick of the camera did not make it moving toward you.
April 12th, 2014  
This is fabulous. Love it totally
April 12th, 2014  
awesome!
April 12th, 2014  
Love mystery towers and all of that texture. Did you go in?
April 12th, 2014  
@nanm Definitely didn't! I saw the strange looking guy in the doorway, then the hand of the one smoking, and just kept on walking after snapping my shot! It was probably just the loading area for something, but it looked pretty creepy.
April 12th, 2014  
Wow..super gritty..fabulous in black and white...great textures!
April 12th, 2014  
Interesting shot.
April 12th, 2014  
Totally awesome!
April 12th, 2014  
Oh my word, I've only just seen the hand after reading the comments. It is a really creepy place but the shot is amazing.
April 12th, 2014  
i had to really look for the hand. i'd snap and run!!
April 12th, 2014  
Not sure I would be snapping there! Looks a bit of a dodgy area for you to be alone with your camera Taffy! Please take care! Great capture by the way - had to hunt for the hand - very creepy shot!
April 12th, 2014  
My goodness, what a shot - be careful! It has come out so well - you have a very steady hand.
April 12th, 2014  
Goodness, that's really creepy. I don't think I would have braved the capture in the first place!
April 12th, 2014  
Great textures on the walls
April 12th, 2014  
This is awesome - love the hand! Great b&w!
April 12th, 2014  
Super b/w shot depicting the run down area , and the" hand " adds to the eerie situation !!
April 12th, 2014  
A super capture
April 12th, 2014  
Great capture, the processing really adds to the portrayal of the dereliction
April 12th, 2014  
Did you realise, Taffy, that the number is the one I posted yesterday spelled backwards? What a coincidence! Gorgeous shot and perfect in b&w.
April 12th, 2014  
Love the b&w, with high contrast and gritty aspect. Very interesting capture, indeed.
April 12th, 2014  
I absolutely love this shot. Such mystery behind a door with so much story to tell. Fav
April 12th, 2014  
That pretty scary looking! Where were you roaming around for shots?
April 12th, 2014  
Great, and definitely creepy, and no I didn't see the hand either until I went looking for it!! Wonderful shot and well processed.
April 12th, 2014  
wow super gritty shot with all those textures - that door looks like its hanging in mid air!
April 12th, 2014  
Super capture - so much to discover, I only noticed the hand at second viewing. Really like this
April 12th, 2014  
Awesome shot! The sign gives it a European feel, but that hand really creeps me out!
April 12th, 2014  
someone has banned smoking indoors. The door held open with a slender rope is an additional fascinating detail. (Not sure I would have noticed the hand if it hadn't been in the title -- but I had noticed the little speck of white in the doorway.)
April 12th, 2014  
I haven't had time to look at any other versions yet, but your end result is stunning and certainly a fav. The tonality is perfect to bring out all the textures on the wall and I like the almost square crop to place the hand in the prime spot. Well done!
April 12th, 2014  
That hand is fantastic. Great in black and white, really atmospheric
April 12th, 2014  
Great b&w
April 12th, 2014  
It is fun to read the comments here after our earlier discussion. Fav.
April 12th, 2014  
I too only saw the hand after reading the comments. I wonder of the rope around the door knob was to hold the door open or was he "walking" the dog?
April 12th, 2014  
Great texture, the hand is fantastic!
April 12th, 2014  
That hand is kind of creepy. Great shot. Nicely composed. I love the texture of the building!
April 12th, 2014  
I ditto what Eric up there said! Wow. Fav! I cannot tell if the person is sitting with his back against the outside wall, hanging his hand out, or inside the door behind something? I cannot see the person! It is freaking me out. This photo is fabulous! But be safe and don't take pics if you think you are in a dangerous place...like you said, KEEP WALKING as you shoot the pic! haha
April 12th, 2014  
Wonderful find and capture.
April 12th, 2014  
What a wonderful shot, Taffy. Looks like it could be in a medieval city.
April 12th, 2014  
AC
Lovely capture... great textures!
April 12th, 2014  
Wonderful textures and composition!!
April 12th, 2014  
Whoahhhhh.We are get pushed partners! I am a little scared of what you might have in store for me.LOL.I really need to give my challenge to you some thought...
April 12th, 2014  
Would love to know what through that door.
April 12th, 2014  
B/w really brings out the grungy atmosphere. Didn't notice the hand at first. Not sure I'd want to see what it's attached to. I would have quickened my pace. Fav
April 12th, 2014  
Very creepy.
April 12th, 2014  
what a fab creepy shot.....didn't spot the hand initially
April 12th, 2014  
@yaorenliu @dibzgreasley @kathiecb @espyetta @yaorenliu @michaelelliott @salza
Aw...thanks for your kind comments and your concern that this might have been a dangerous area. Actually, I was across the street in front of a huge office complex with statues, flowers, and people walking to catch the metra (train to the suburbs) all around me. This was on the corner of a 6 lane main entrance to the city, coming in from the west, where the highway ends and it turns into a major street (Congress Expressway if anyone is looking at maps). So, very safe, and that's why it stood out -- it was such a downtrodden looking back entrance with two fairly creepy looking guys who were probably quite innocent -- stealing a smoke most likely (because all buildings are non-smoking). Michael -- this was south of the Loop and financial district, and about a mile from where I live near the university.
@skipt07 Skip, it really was just a rope holding the door open -- seemed to be attached to something on the side of the building.
April 12th, 2014  
You are one brave gal. Powerful image you came away with though. It has all sorts of intrigue and mystery to it; the open door says come in but the hand holding the cigarette changes any thought of that.
April 12th, 2014  
Taffy, I just need to know where that hand's body is?! h aha
April 12th, 2014  
Works well in b&w.......love the texture and composition.
Fav
April 13th, 2014  
wonderfully grungy shot!
April 13th, 2014  
Great find and nicely done in b/w
April 13th, 2014  
Nice, moody shot. Love the door that is tied open, wonder why? Great in B&W
April 13th, 2014  
Wow, an awesome capture...very intriguing. Love the atmosphere and the eeriness. Fav
April 13th, 2014  
Very mysterious. Great B&W
April 13th, 2014  
Awesome shot, that hand really makes you wonder what is happening here... probably as you describe :)
April 13th, 2014  
@radiogirl Thanks so much for the fav!
April 13th, 2014  
Wow. Fav! That smoking hand gives it just that extra that brings this building shot to a higher level. great!
April 13th, 2014  
Wonderful shot....took me a few seconds to see the hand. wow! FAV. Love the textures and b&w makes it full of mystery.
April 13th, 2014  
Took me a while to see the hand, too! Such an interesting shot...one that makes you wonder about the owner of the hand! Ha! Very eerie.
April 14th, 2014  
Brilliant shot, love the composition, textures and processing, very atmospheric and intriguing
April 14th, 2014  
Oh, this makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up! So creepy and so well spotted!
April 14th, 2014  
Love this image Taffy, it is so powerful. fav.
April 15th, 2014  
An effective capture and take care. Hope you are okay , read you had a fall.
April 16th, 2014  
Cool and creepy at the same time! kudos to you, I wouldn't have stayed long enough to click!
April 18th, 2014  
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