Seclusion View

by far the greatis pic on this entire site...NO DOUBT

can you imagine what it would be liket to be locked in this room and see nothing but a single eye staring in upon you..... god damn this pics is F'en AWSOME i actually cant stop looking at it

This is one amazing image. Your caption gives it justice. The wrinkles on this door bring a sadness to my heart i never would have felt without this powerful image. Thank you Motts.

Truly awesome . . .

madman, i was thinking the exact same thing, i couldnt begin to imagine being locked in a tiny cell , free to be looked at by anyone passing by.......creepy

Genius. What a unique and compelling shot!

Great picture!

wow, totally amazing pic!

It looks like a vew from a portal into another time.
I had to come back and look at it again....

You've outdone yourself with this one.
Wonderful, awesome, haunting

Beautiful

The cracked, organic look of the inside of this door is amazing.

this pic says it all

this is amazing, it gives you chills

The picture is excellent, but your poetic description adds a luster of remarkable fine-tuned beauty. Please, keep up this excellent work!

look through the hole into the mirror like thing and it looks like a dark figure is just standing there

Reminds me of Emmet Gowin's Spring Snow. Lovely composition.

Makes me think so many things but all in all i am speechles. stunning shot.

agree with all the comments above......must say this is the most compelling shot yet...you really catch the feeling of this old asylum if only the walls could talk

Yes it does have the quality of a clouded eye staring at the rooms and also like a portal in time.It also reminds me of a bizzare picture frame around a painting of an asylum.

...Imagine sitting in this little cell, and you hear a noise... you look out the peephole and see a bloodshot, dark, expressionless eye looking through that same peephole at you... you scream, but no one can hear you, no one will ever hear you... that eye takes a step back, so you can see who it belongs to... you see a pale, oh so pale skinned patient, with an expressionless face on a cocked head,and long, dark, scraggly hair ontop of that cocked head...that expression...the one that is not there..... it is so creepy..... a little taste of my imagination there!

Holy shootipoop! I have no words!

motts...where havent u been? lol

the image of "an old man's unblinking eye" is a powerful one. maybe i'm on the serious side of things (it is my nature), but it sort of speaks to the nature of responsibility...who had it? who respected it? who suffered under its weight? who translated it into evil? the eye shed's its tears.

This photo looks as close to the idea of the "padded cell" as any of yours I've seen. Were the walls indeed padded?

Oh, and I agree with the rest of the fan club....you should find someone to help you publish a book of these someday.

wow....shit u r amazing

why the heck are there no paranormal pic's or investagations of this place.You know there has to be strange things gooing on in it.

this is my first post... a bit behind on this shot but, given the particular nature of the photographs, not at all out of character, i suppose. first of all, motts, excellent, excellent work, not just the fine way you work your medium, but the haunting spirit you invoke as well. here, the clarity of the foreground, whilst keeping the focus on the background is intriguing as well as impressive. 2 exposures, perhaps? in any case, please keep up the great work!

motts, is there any way i can e-mail you? there is something i want to send you and also talk to you about, if it's ok with you....

thank you!

This digital "photograph" is a physical impossibility. I believe only a man like Ansel Adams could achieve a depth of field that deep, and he didn't use photoshop.

why, this is amazing people, we are looking at a physical impossibility !!!!!!!!! hmm, i think someone might just be a lil jealous of Motts . I wonder who it could be, hmmmmmmm...

Ansel Adams didn't use Photoshop?!? Oh man my world has shattered, I always thought that was his secret....lol ;-)

Gee Anna, I don't know who you could be talking about either...

I see no real need for you to attack me with profane words, I am not here to fight with you. I am here to comment on a fellow photographers work and to put in my two cents, if you will. And no I am not jealous of Mr. Mott's ability (No real offence Motts, I may have been inebriated at the time of my Northampton comments). I do enjoy seeing the repsonses of the more than loyal following on this website, though.

If there are any real pressing personal issues at stake here feel free to instant message me at pizzahead19.

Never attribute to malice what can be explained by stupidity. Don't assign to stupidity what might be due to ignorance. And try not to assume your opponent is the ignorant one-until you can show it isn't you.

motts, of course, you are correct! ansel most certainly enhanced his photos, e.g. burning in the sky to give his pictures greater depth and bolder relief. if it weren't for darkroom techniques, his photographs would be nothing more than snapshots. with the advent of digital photography, the classic darkroom manipulation (of which there are MANY ways!) is rendered obsolete, with such camera equipment, anyway. and no one can tell me that things like the "old" way of superimposing are really much different (i.e., better) than modern day photoshop. a lot of things have changed over the years and, imo, for the better. it is the way one is able to utilize the means that makes one a true artist, and not simply the means. or else, the louvre would only have cave paintings in it to this day.

FYI...

the latin abbreviation i.e., stands for "id est", which means "that is", "that is to say", "in other words" or "specifically" as opposed to the letters e.g. which stand for the latin phrase "exempli gratia", which means "for example". hellooooooo!!!!!! don't make yourself look bad! how embarassing....

i thought that was common knowledge. if you don't believe me, look it up!

geez, never underestimate the lack of intelligence of the human race....

please, be sure the brain is engaged before putting the mouth in gear (or fingers to keyboard).

Angel's right, I took Latin. An illusratred example may follow the use of i.e, but is not itself i.e.

I'm sure I'll be flamed now. : /

thank you, barbara. no reason for you to get flamed, my dear. you were merely stating fact.

(perhaps i use too many latin phrases. an antiquated language, ipso facto, might not be so easily understood by a fair percentage of people. i shall try to curb my usage.)

but i will never understand why people spew out such hateful words without provocation....
omnia vincit amor !!!!!!

As a wallpaper this shot is amazing! Thanks!

Hey Motts just wanted to thank you for the print the quality is excellent and so is the photo.

Beautifully haunting, this pic. Is there any way to e-mail Motts?

Jennifer - yes you can email Motts at motts at opacity.us
Sorry, Motts, I hope you don't mind me answering this question 8-)

Thank you so very much, Barbara. :)

Motts, I came to this shot from your link of your two favorite photos. I must agree with you. This is really moving. Thank you for sharing with us.

I found this site of yours I think two days ago and have spent countless hours going through your photographs. I have sent many people your website address. I have gawked and been immensely intrigued by I don't know how many of the absolutely incredible pictures I have seen on this website. But to come up with an explanation or something to say about this picture is just an impossibility. It will be burned into my mind for quite some time. You blew my mind with this photograph, and I don't know if I want to thank you or be mad at you for that. And please take all of this as the most sincere compliment I can think of to give considering my recent blown mind.

As a person who lives with mental illness in the 21st century, I can relate to the patient looking out the hole. It depicts a metaphor for the seclusion and lonliness that is felt when society treats you different. Ignorance provokes fear. Open the door and give me a hug.

**Hugs and Kisses** Michelle

Little late on the post here, but I felt the need to defend the use of Photoshop. When photography first started been viewed as art, those who considered themselves to be "true'" artists pooh-poohed the photographic artists as "hacks".
There are still some who consider photography to be "cheap" art. I am not one of them. As a photographic artist (featured in several private collections, including the permanent collection at the Chicago Musem of Art), I see photography as being no less a artistic medium than drawing, music, etc. Getting back to Photoshop...
It CAN be used as a crutch, but I have yet to see Motts as using it as anything more than a tool, much like Ansel Adams used "F/64 and be there" as a tool. Does the fact that Ansel Adams used filters, dodging/burning or push/pull processing make him any less of an artist? No, of course not. Photoshop is a tool, nothing more. Does Kevin still make his own processing chemicals? If not, would he consider buying them a "crutch"?

Wow great image here..how did you get that sharp depth of field with everything so in focus?

This is one of the greatest pictures in the history of photography in my opinion.

"This is one of the greatest pictures in the history of photography in my opinion." (quote)

So true!

I am truley impressed with this photo, and saw what Kevin Douglas had to say, and I am glad to see you stand up for your work .You truly are gifted at photography and it shows in each photo that you post. Please, PLEASE,Please keep posting these wonderful pictures!!!
8-)

omfg...this pic ramazing aswell..... you are ameally is amazing...it makes my mind wounder i love it...the chipping paint again is amazing...these pics make me happy lol you guys are amazing!

Just amagion beeing locked in there day in day out....looking throught that every days and see these things i love it!

Jen is yet more proof that our education system is failing... miserably...

(chuckles while misspelling this post)
I agree with you Dr. sketch, what are the children of the future learning, I guess they stopped requiring a spelun clas

I can't "amagine" what the future holds for us... But I sure as hell am glad I'm not an English teacher; I'd kick the holy hell out of a student if they turned in a paper with spelling like that...

*sigh*

mental illness is not to be feared. when you people speak of it I hear the word "violent" a lot also. Mental illness is
a real disease and most are not violent.
You need to stop watching all the weird movies and get with it.

oh man, this doesn't even look real! not to say that it isn't, but it's so surreal. what an amazing perspective this is. just...wow. really i can't find words to describe this. i've looked at alot of pictures on this site, this has to be one of my favorites if not the one favorite. top 2 or 3 no question about it. and i really agree with that description as well. all life has simple ceased to exist inside the chamber, a bird's eye view without the people, without the souls, without the time...

Hi Mr. Motts great shot(s). I was wondering: did you ever try to take some pics with a film camera? I'd be curious to see if using film could make different colors or different sensations.
Congratulations for all your amazing and talented pictures, i really like them all and i think as u just said that there are no softwares to turn a bad picture into a great picture. Your brain and your eyes make the difference and the way you cut the scene when you are about to shot and you picture the result in your mind to imagine how the pic will come out.
Never stop doing this!

wow just truly wow

"The eyes are the windows to the soul"

this is my first post here,and im sure you've heard it before ,but this is a truly beautiful picture.I'm also quite sure that a painter,however gifted,could not illustrate the view of seclusion as you have,motts...and this,in my eyes and opinion,makes you an artist in the truest sense of the word.thankyou.

Welcoem New Lynne although I think to avoid confusion you should change your name to Lynne2 maybe? :-)

this picture is so amazing it almost looks fake....what a great shot motts

o and btw.....what type of camera do you use.....cause i also like to explore some places but even during the day time its hard for the camera to catch certain things.......because its not bright enough in the lens but it is in the human eye.....the flash doesnt help either sometimes....so i was just wonderin if u would care to share your wonderful secret

Murph,

From the "About" page on this site:

"All photographs are from digital cameras; most are from a Canon 300D Rebel, some of the older photos and infrared shots were taken with a Sony F-707. I retouch the brightness and contrast and sometimes the color in post processing (as most are RAW files)."

Fantastic picture!!! Has anyone ever heard of "If you can't say anything nice about anybody, don't say anything at all?" I think every single picture you take is fantastic, Motts. There always has to be somebody out there that always thinks they know a little bit more than anybody else.

amazing, simply amazing.

This is definately one of your best!
So much captured in such a small frame.
And again, the feeling that I am right there. I'm feeling a little anxious that if I look in any closer there very well could be a chance that another eye might come into view from someone standing on the other side of this door.

Evokes feelings so complex that my vocabulary founders upon the crags of my awe.

Motts,this is probably one of the best.I really want to be a photographer,and you helped me realize with your amazing pics. thanx! luv, aly m.

*realize that*

This photo is amazing Motts. How do you do it?

With the help of soap and gnomes.

seriously...this is a truly haunting picture...im probably gonna have nightmares abotu it tonight...i couldnt even begin to think about how the patient must have felt being locked in this tiny room where anyone could just stare at you.....

my great and mildre''scaberella'' gardner was inn the norwich asylum

It's a very good picture, but it's giving me a serious case of the chills.

This is absolutely astounding. Definitely one of, if not the, most beautiful pictures I've ever seen.

That Is Some CRAZY SHIT

Poetic as it is beautiful.

This utterly took my breath away. Mr Motts, you are simply amazing.

I may never understand "how" you do this (there seems to be a discussion about all that here) I just ask that you "continue" doing this because your photos are divine!! Thank you...

I just love how you got detail in both the wall and what is in the hole. Your work shocks me! :)

It's sad that these beautiful buildings come to what they are now, that no one cares enough to restore and preserve what little bit of history is still left within these halls.

again, I echo what has been said...the shot and the wording are amazing! I get a sense of rue isolation here... not just isolated from the other patients, but inside myself...you are very very good at this!!

Very amazing must be one of my favs

one of my favs!! u do such good work!! love it

I love the way the light casts shadows on the wall and gives it a blue hue. The perspective from inside is supurb and makes one feel that they are inside looking out. I have felt that many times btw.

Mind blowing. Just plain mind blowing.

O....M....G....
That is the most awesome picture I have ever seen,BBEEEYYYOOOUUTTIIFFFUUULLL

The photographs that draw a person into another world, that are capable of filling the viewer with feeling(s)/inspiration and otherwise, those are the best photographs to exist.

This is one of those.

yep mucho creepy again, but i still like it.

fascinating....one of the most fascinating shots i've ever seen. i cant imagine how amazing it felt to walk through this abandoned hospital for the first time. im envious and would love to be doing what your doing

this pic is hot !!!! awsome photography!!!!

I have to say, this photograph creeps me out a little! Someone else commented that they were afraid to look too long for fear that another eye might look back. Yup, really freaked out by this surreal image! Fantastic!

"DARKEST HORRORS OF MENTAL ILLNESS" you say .... well, ADD THAT WITH JOHN CARPENTER AND YOU"LL GET the 1978 film -------&gt; HALLOWEEN <- :)

Fabulous shot showing artistic talent, an award-winning photo.

I have been looking at this site for about a month now and sllowly working my way back through the locations. This is one of my favorites.

I love your caption as much as the photo, Mr. Motts. Do you write at all?

This truly is amazing. Every artist looks for this.

As somoene who just did an Ironman, I think this is a great video and will hopefully debunk the myth that to consider your training CFE you either have to follow the website to a T or never swim/bike/run more than X miles/meters in one workout. There is still a fine line, and it&#8217;s possible converted/ing LSD athletes to CFE could slip back into the weekend long ride/run routine IF they don&#8217;t have a good training program in place.Also, it would be great to have a set location with a link to the WBW videos. They are very helpful and should be readily accessible.