It's Over: The Last Heat (lots of images...)

[entropic remnants]

So, it's over.

The steel mill where I've worked for 22 years has closed the "melt shop" where now steel is made by melting scrap and refining it into new and better steel grades. No more.

I went in early AM to catch the last heat melted and followed it down the line.

Most photos taken with the Fujifilm X100S and some with a Fujifilm X-M1 and Fujinon 35mm f/1.4. If I hadn't bonded with these cameras before, I sure have now. The X100S continues to amaze me and now I'm starting to really dig the little X-M1 also. I heated the heck out of these cameras today -- unlike me they are were not dressed in heat reflective clothing -- and they just WORKED. Images are extraordinary and I can operate them with gloves on, wonder of wonders. Setting AF points is tricky in heavy gloves, but exposure adjustments are easy.

There's expository text in the caption of the photo over on flickr. Click through to read more about what you're looking at.

The Last Heat: Slag Pour by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: Bringing up Dummy by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: The Penultimate Heat by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: Add a Stick by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: Add a Stick by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: Add a Stick by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: EAF Crew by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: Second Charge by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: Retreat by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: Third Charge by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: Ladle Preparation by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: Sanding the Ladle by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: The Condutor by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: Getting Ready by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: Casual Macho by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: The Melter Taps by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: Melting Manager by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: With Bated Breath by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: Reading the Results by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: Metallurgiical Pondering by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

 

[entropic remnants]

The Last Heat: Coming up with a Plan by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: Taking Readings by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: Eye of the Dragon by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

There will be a few more from the caster, but I'm tired, lol. I'll work on them later. Many of these kind of photos simply don't work as JPG's out of camera.

 

[xdayv]

John, a delight to see your images taken with the Fuji.

 

[OdzBodkinz]

These are all amazing. Good luck with what comes next. These will serve as an awesome memory for you.

 

[dduval]

Stunning, tells a story...

 

[jloden]

John, even if it's just for yourself as a personal project, I think you should seriously consider putting together a book.

With so much of this work being outsourced out of the country these photos could easily become as much a photo-documentary of a vanishing American industry as they are intrinsically interesting as photographs.

And on a technical/appreciative note, the Fujis are really serving you well. These photos really pop visually with texture, color, and detail. Good stuff!

 

[Petach]

John. what a fitting end to such a sad story. You squeeze the best I have ever seen out of the little box of darkness. Dammit Bro' ....seriously...you need to send these shots to the editor of National Geographia or something to catch their attention....to show that they ought to put you on their books. I sincerely hope that as one door shuts on you in life....another one opens.

 

[Disaster]

Mixed feelings. Sadness mixed with admiration.

 

[flysurfer]

Great series, well worth being published along with a story.

 

[pniev]

I said it before and will say it again: you put soul into these photos. Great work.
It must have been a weird tour for you and your colleagues. The sadness comes through in the photos. Hopefully y'all are OK now.
Thanks for sharing this with us.
Best of luck,
Peter

 

[MrBeastie]

Pictures with emotion, executed to perfection.

 

[entropic remnants]

Some more...

Probably getting close to done on these. Here's some of the final ones I processed.

Thank you all for your kind comments!!!

To reiterate: all photos taken with either a Fujifilm X100S, or a Fujifilm X-M1 wearing the Fujinon 35mm f/1.4 lens.

The Last Heat: Furnace Operator by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: Preparing the Ladle by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: Preparing the Ladle by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: Pushing in the Locking Pin by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: A Little Comfort by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: Moving the Last Ladle of Steel by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: Moving the Last Ladle of Steel by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: Arrival at the Stir Station by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: Observing the Process by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: On the Rod Again by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: At the Control Panel by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: Metallurgist Observes by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: Blue Gloves by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: The Last Heat is Cast by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

The Last Heat: "Disconnect. We have Disconnect" by Entropic Remnants, on Flickr

 

[Gary]

Sadly, while these images are wonderful ... you'll never be able to capture them again.

Gary

 

[entropic remnants]

Sadly, while these images are wonderful ... you'll never be able to capture them again.

Gary

[sigh]