McKeesport Bank Vault Wheels Black and White Industrial Photography
Large and Small Wheel Handles Across a Steel Vault Door
Inside the abandoned People’s Bank building in McKeesport, Pennsylvania, I kept returning to the vault door. Its large wheel and smaller secondary handle had a physical presence that was hard to miss, but it was their arrangement that made me photograph them closely. I framed the mechanism so the larger hub would dominate while the smaller wheel remained visible to the right. That difference in scale turned a practical piece of machinery into a clear study of circles and radiating lines.
The large wheel has long handles projecting around a broad central disc, with lighter metal catching the edges and hub. Behind it, thick bars cross the darker part of the door. The smaller wheel repeats the form on a reduced scale, surrounded by bolts and other circular fittings on the steel panel. Scratches and uneven surface tones interrupt the smoother areas. I wanted enough detail in those marks to keep the photograph connected to the actual door, rather than reducing everything to a clean geometric outline.
Black and white emphasises the contrast between the dark handles and the brighter steel behind them. The worn hub becomes a strong centre, while the smaller wheel gives the eye a second place to settle. I made this photograph while exploring the bank in 2022, working with the machinery as I found it. What stays with me is the combination of weight and pattern: substantial metal parts, closely fitted shapes, and visible wear that gives each surface its own texture.
© Dan Kosmayer, 2022
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About My Fine Art Photography
Every photograph in my collection comes from my own travels, explorations, and years behind the camera.
I create my work as photographic art rather than mass-produced decoration. From street portraits and abandoned places to landscapes, architecture, and the unusual subjects I discover along the way, each image begins with something that made me stop and look.
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