Click the photo to fit to screen or view larger
The story behind Welbeck Street Car Park
Welbeck Street car park was a prime example of brutalist architecture and could be found just north of Oxford Street in London. It had photographic potential from most directions but I think this angle gave it an elegance that was missing side-on. Sadly not everyone appreciated it and it has now been demolished to make way for a hotel. I’ll be surprised if the hotel is interesting enough to make this a fair exchange.
I wasn’t sure when I shot this how I would handle the black and white conversion but it quickly became clear that, with very little of interest in the sky, a high-key conversion would be best. This treatment also had the benefit of giving the concrete a virtual clean. It’s not always the best material for a black and white photo and a low-key treatment can make it look grubby, with not enough highlights to compensate.