An In-Depth Exploration of Three Architectural Photographers: Part 3 - Hvze dope

In the field of photography there are many directions one can take. Sometimes, I find myself thinking about this form of expression and wondering what path it took to end up looking like what I am about to show you. Perhaps, at its roots, photographers were more concerned about capturing the moment, reveling in the realism of what was captured on film. But just like in painting, eventually people grow tired of literal representations and favor more abstract interpretations, and photography has entered this stage where “beautiful” is not enough. Today’s subject is not an architectural photographer like Nico Babilon from Part 1, but he is also very distinct from him in a multitude of ways. I will not hold you any longer - enjoy this weird and mesmerizing dive into one person’s mind from Łódź, Poland.

This view communicates a strong sense of emptiness; it feels more like I entered a multiplayer game with no one online (that guy on the motorbike is an NPC). Strong patterns of those office buildings that we can see in every city contrast with a gentle sky, and the addition of the wires just sets the image perfectly in a real urban environment we all know. I also like how very gentle and almost imperceptible lighting occupies those tiny spaces in the image - as a reflection on the facade or the asphalt—contrasting beautifully with the cold tones of the photo.

There are many ways to do framing in your image, but I don’t always consider people to be one of the ways to do it, and probably I should. Here the author managed to capture a lovely daily-life moment - possibly morning - at the busy covered tram stop, busy with both architectural details and people. This image creates a real sense of depth thanks to framing, composition, and a strong perspective guided by the roofing structure, and at the same time it all feels chaotic: the commuters walking in different directions, trams, and multiple lights. I also really like the reflections on the ground and tram rails, but then it begs the question: is this roof leaking that much? Regardless of the answer, I feel like I was transported to this place. Great photo.

After a brief introduction with more conventional photography, it is time to dive deep into where I feel strongly that this artist has a great sense of atmosphere. The thick fog, silhouettes of people strolling around, light poles and… oh boy… some gigantic structure in the background? In fact, this structure -despite being less contrasty than the other elements in the image - is the first thing you notice, and the strong sense of perspective and the fading light poles help you get a feeling of the scale of that monstrosity (I don’t know what it is; maybe it is beautiful, but it sure is mesmerizing and imposing). I could try to avoid the Blade Runner 2049 comparison, but… it reminds me too much of that image stuck in my head, so I can’t not share it with you.

Bladerunner 2049

Getting back to something slightly more grounded in reality, we get a peek at… silhouette of a building and wires? Well, technically we also have a bank building and some cool roofing structure that is lit by light, but it is not in focus—unlike the dark blob to the left that takes up just as much space. It really makes you think and feel confused, and I will go with that being the intention of the author: making us focus on the urban setting rather than a specific building.

I really like this atmosphere that feels like I am deep underwater. The relative abandonment of the streets also contributes to the feeling of looking at a sunken structure that is somehow still operational and lit by white and blue lights. The amount of texture brought up by the reflections, water puddles, and grunge of the concrete is really inspiring and makes you look at those highlighted spaces. It makes me feel like a moth that is flying toward warmth but only finds cold lamps. Tiny bits of warm light are present but feel more inconsequential. I also love how the Whirlpool sign in the right corner comes out of the fog and feels like it is flying on a blimp rather than being attached to a building. Solid work!

I guess now you understand that we are slowly moving away from buildings and entering a category of “foggy”—and I love it! It is one of my favorite atmospheres to observe and be in, and Hvze dope certainly helps transport me to the place with his photographic skill. It seems this weather atmosphere is also tickling something in the author’s mind, because his Instagram page is full of images with foggy atmospheres. This particular one captured my attention through its dense sensation of dread (my favorite)—a fear to step away even for a second from the areas covered by the warm light. Who knows what happens in that fog to the left of the image that only has a silhouette of a building? Am I going to get mugged or dragged into the underworld? Nope, thank you—I’ll take my ride on this lovely tram 12 that is not at all looking like a mysterious creature waiting for you to get inside its belly. The reflections on the ground really guide you through the image, making you delve deeper into the atmosphere.

At this point I’m not even sure if the image has tripled people or it’s just my imagination trying to make sense of this wild place that seems like it came from a parallel world where you can’t see farther than 50 meters because of the fog and weird things keep happening. As I understand, this is three images overlaid, specifically masked to place duplicates of two people in front. But then, if you look at the wires, it also seems there was a bit of overlay and they were moving in the wind. Regardless of the techniques used, the image shines at capturing a strange atmosphere and gracefully plays with contrasts.

This one is just so damn good. I love how we are submerged in a thick atmosphere of the city; it has a sense of abandonment, with almost all the windows dark, but the vibrant signage makes it feel like it is still being occupied - maybe by unseen forces. Maybe by this granny, who looks like she is going to snatch you to her basement and do unspeakable things to you, like feeding you until you can’t speak or telling stories about “the good old days” when the lights were shining in those buildings behind her. The bright white spot of her hat really contrasts with the overhanging dark volume above her.

Oh boy, this man really loves trams. I know - I love them too. After living in Prague for as long as I did, you begin to see tram lines as an inseparable part of the urban environment and, for some commuters, an inevitable view every morning, sometimes in similar gloom and fog, with unhappy and grumpy figures around you who take out their phones as soon as they stop, just to avoid looking at those faces. I understand, but even if you don’t like looking at the people who seem like they’re going to a funeral every day, perhaps you can stop and take in the atmosphere, absorb the dense sensation of raw human mass emerging from the fog as the day sets in, sense the overwhelming weight of the buildings around you, and remind yourself that you are still alive despite living in a dream world. That is what I take from this image… I hope you feel something by looking at it as well.

To conclude, I would like to say thank you to the artist behind Hvze dope -this human really knows how to make you feel a whole range of emotions by simply looking at his photography, and I think that is a skill not everyone has. All the best to you in your search for beauty. Visit his insta here:https://www.instagram.com/hvzedope/ Cheers!

A small bonus photo in case you are not feeling enough dread that the evil tram will get you.