Located in a deep valley, Tbilisi is a city of contrasts built along the riverbank of the Kura, and it is situated in the Republic of Georgia.
The architecture here marks a journey through the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries with balconies on the old houses to unique Soviet structures, right up to the ultra-modern skyscrapers and bridges. The past is not overly polished either to be honest, unlike in many other cities that renovate to the point where buildings lose any sense of authenticity. While that has happened to a limited extent, especially in the section of the Old Town around the slopes of Narikala Fortress, a lot of abandoned buildings in this beautiful place remain untouched by restoration projects.
There are acres of tired, graceful, old buildings with cracked walls and decades of layers of fading and peeling paint. Small and large abandoned places with leaning balconies and ancient wooden doors leading to courtyards with family biographies dating back centuries. Right up my street!
Here are just some of my architecture photography shots taken over the course of eighteen months of places that are now featured on my 1-day walking tours that take place until November this year.
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The Former Hotel London, A Stunning Staircase In The Heart Of Tbilisi
Most of the places pictured are actually homes or entrances to homes that are lived in, people should really respect that as well. Tbilisi is a fast-changing city, in fact, many of these places are already under threat or have been renovated/destroyed. The aesthetic of the old town and other areas East of the river really draw you in though - even to this day. I really hope as it develops it keeps some of this charm.
Soviet Twirls & Swirls - Former Cable Car Station In Tbilisi (Now Full Of Graffiti)
Circling Around - A Stunning Stairwell In Tbilisi
When it comes to photography, it's about style and colouring. So many photographs now travel and visit spots (including these) around the world. You can't stand out, or lay claim to a single location and pretend that this is then art. In fact - developing skills to progress as a photographer is the most important thing, followed by an editing style that usually develops over time. Breaking the rules can then create something special as you progress.
One of my favorite photographers of Architecture is actually Robert Paladori, he is a Canadian-American photographer known for his large-scale color images of urban environments and interiors - he visits places usually soon after disasters for example, but shoots on large format film. Outside of architecture - it is Elia Locardi, colourful and inspiring travel photography, and a leader in style creation.
Abandoned Cinema Built In The Early 1900s
S Curve - The Same Staircase, A Different Angle
Ideas for places to go and shoot is something I have started really working on in the last few years. I always ensure to back up on the go, I catalog in Adobe Lightroom and edit usually each works in Photoshop - occasionally adding colours or textures external to that with plugins if needed. I photograph my thumb occasionally - haha, this is if I have focus-stacked, it then reminds me I have done so when looking through my Lightroom catalog at a later date. For mapping places, I use Google maps.
The Most Popular Spot “Unknown”, Town House At 9 Geronti Kikodze St
Mezzanine - A Stunning Entertainment Hall That Lays Derelict
Seeing these beautiful treasures abandoned and forgotten makes me sad. Looking at all of these photos I can almost see the people of that time milling about .
As for the future of my work, I can't predict what will happen to this diminishing industry as time moves on. However, I would like to exhibit more in the coming years, mainly in Sweden, the US, and perhaps Italy. I just released two books at the tail end of last year - Fabrica (which, I am really proud of) and Abandoned Lebanon - those were my aims for 2021. I also hope to be able to get out and photograph the many places I researched over the last two years - that would be great!
Broken Baby - Another Entrance In Tbilisi Old Town
Wow. This photo is more striking to me then the architecture. Something about the crack and the way it splits the baby in half. Different people could take different meanings or lessons from it.
All Over The Place - The Heavily Decayed Entrance
Ehhhh... It's a fixer-upper! A new coat of paint... maybe new sheetrock...new walls...and a new roof and you are good to go!
The Patch Up - The Landing Of A Residential Block Is Now Receiving Some Much-Needed Love
Red Lines - Close To Sunset Whilst I Photographed This Beautiful Entrance Hall
No Entry - The Entrance To The Derelict Armenian Church, Surb Nshan
This is not just a derelict entrance to a church ... this looks like an amazingly old, like centuries old doors to a church! look at the doorstep stones, the bricks, the stone portal and the supporting columns on both sides.... there's much more to this door I'd reckon. Maybe 1300's? Someone please help, if you know more. Thanks!
Masquerade Ball - Hidden In Central Tbilisi, This Hall Is Used But Very Decayed
Broken Home - A House With Subsidence Issues
A Self-Portrait Inside That Entertainment Hall In Tbilisi
Golden - Looking Up At The Ceiling That Was Attempted To Be Repaired In A Former Cinema
It saddens me that places like this lay derelict while we build more things out of less beautiful materials.
Or we take down the old and replace it with c**p!
Load More Replies...Only a handful of these are abandoned.
Load More Replies...I find the beauty in things once lost. It is a beauty in how things are now in old age without tlc. It resonate with me in a deeper place. Sadly it cost a fortune to restore places like this. All while capturing how much upkeep it takes to make something in its former glory. Much like it does a person. We are much alike in today society with the upkeep it takes to keep one alive and healthy. Perseverance is the key. Yet there is beauty in both. Stable set of mind and stable set of care are needed In creating everlasting resistance to the elements. Just beautiful if you ask me.
Stunning now. Imagine what they must have looked like when they were not in ruin! PS I've recently played Splinter cell, so I was half expecting someone to sneak out from those pictures and assault me),
The beauty still shines through. Some comments here are so accurate. We let places like this decay or replace them with poorly made ugly crap.
Maybe message the person posting the photos and confirm it is plagiarism because some places look the same no matter how many photos you take of them, so I don't know if it's that big of a deal or they are unique. Everyone has a photo of the eiffel tower right?
Load More Replies...It saddens me that places like this lay derelict while we build more things out of less beautiful materials.
Or we take down the old and replace it with c**p!
Load More Replies...Only a handful of these are abandoned.
Load More Replies...I find the beauty in things once lost. It is a beauty in how things are now in old age without tlc. It resonate with me in a deeper place. Sadly it cost a fortune to restore places like this. All while capturing how much upkeep it takes to make something in its former glory. Much like it does a person. We are much alike in today society with the upkeep it takes to keep one alive and healthy. Perseverance is the key. Yet there is beauty in both. Stable set of mind and stable set of care are needed In creating everlasting resistance to the elements. Just beautiful if you ask me.
Stunning now. Imagine what they must have looked like when they were not in ruin! PS I've recently played Splinter cell, so I was half expecting someone to sneak out from those pictures and assault me),
The beauty still shines through. Some comments here are so accurate. We let places like this decay or replace them with poorly made ugly crap.
Maybe message the person posting the photos and confirm it is plagiarism because some places look the same no matter how many photos you take of them, so I don't know if it's that big of a deal or they are unique. Everyone has a photo of the eiffel tower right?
Load More Replies...