Monochrome Monoliths

There’s something undeniably captivating about the quiet geometry of industrial architecture. In my latest series of four abstract photographs, I turned my Leica Q3 toward the grain terminal in Stillwater, Oklahoma, capturing the raw textures and stark contrasts of this iconic structure.

Stillwater Grain Terminal Abstract 1 ©2025 Eric Wells Hatheway

Shot exclusively in high-contrast black and white, the series transforms the terminal’s utilitarian surfaces into a study of light, shadow, and form. Every frame is a conversation between hard lines and soft gradients, as sunlight carves bold shapes across concrete and steel.

Stillwater Grain Terminal Abstract 2 ©2025 Eric Wells Hatheway

From the sweeping curves of the storage silos to the sharp, angular intersections of the catwalks above, I leaned into abstraction, letting texture take the lead. The peeling paint, rusted bolts, and weather-worn concrete tell a story of decades, amplified through the Leica Q3’s sharp rendering and the deliberate choice of monochrome. The absence of color allows the viewer to focus on contrast: the deep blacks of shadowed recesses against the almost glowing whites of sunlit surfaces.

These images are not just about a grain terminal—they are about the poetry hiding in plain sight, the beauty of industry distilled into light and pattern.

Stillwater Grain Terminal Abstract 3 ©2025 Eric Wells Hatheway

Gallery Highlights:

1. A close study of a sunlit silo wall, where the cylindrical form bends shadows into smooth gradients.
2. The jagged silhouette of an overhead catwalk slicing across the sky like a line drawing.
3. Rusted ladders and pipes composing a chaotic yet rhythmic pattern of verticals and diagonals.
4. A wide framing that turns the terminal’s massive forms into an abstract sculpture of concrete and light.

Stillwater Grain Terminal Abstract 4 ©2025 Eric Wells Hatheway

Through the Leica Q3’s lens, this Stillwater landmark becomes more than infrastructure—it becomes art. High contrast, sharp textures, and careful framing invite you to see the familiar with new eyes.

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