Flirting with Rust: My Photo Affair with Corrosion

How photographing rust transforms decay into art and reveals lessons on time, change, uniqueness, and aging

Jan 13, 2025

I never thought rust could teach me so much — about photography, beauty, and even life itself. But it did.

Photo of a rusty locomotive. — Photo by the author.

Rust is a phenomenon that rarely evokes positive associations because we usually perceive it as a symbol of poor quality and decay. Whether it appears on a car’s fender, metal doors, or tools, its presence almost always causes frustration. However, when viewed through the lens of a camera, rust can tell us a completely different story — one filled with beauty and inspiration.

For instance, I believe that most people would consider the old diesel locomotive I spotted at a railroad yard in Zagreb to be nothing more than scrap metal. Yet, precisely because of its rustiness, I felt the urge to sneak my way towards it, crossing track after track and stepping into areas where one is “not supposed to go.”

In that locomotive, enriched by rust, I saw much more than old metal. I saw authentic works of art hidden within the layers of rust and had the privilege of documenting them. These artistic expressions inspired me to learn more about the process behind this transformative phenomenon — the process of corrosion.

Corrosion: The Science Behind Rust’s Beauty

Rust is the result of corrosion — a chemical process where metals, mostly iron, break down through redox reactions. The process starts with the oxidation of iron into iron (II) ions. These ions are further oxidized and combined with water and oxygen from the air, forming a hydrated version of iron (III) oxide — commonly known as rust.

Corrosion causes significant damage to buildings, bridges, ships, cars, and other metal structures. It is estimated that corrosion costs the U.S. economy over $100 billion each year, which explains the extensive efforts made to prevent and slow down this process.

Beauty Beneath the Surface

While rust is often associated with practicality or economic concerns, I see it as an object of visual and aesthetic complexity. Rusted surfaces are rich with warm colors and varied textures. Its shades, ranging from bright red and orange to deep brown, make it a dynamic phenomenon. The surface of rust can shift from tiny cracks and rough textures to layers that appear almost three-dimensional.

These qualities often make rust an aesthetically intriguing and captivating element in photography.

However, what I discovered while photographing rust patterns is its potential to go beyond visual appeal and beauty. Rust has the power to encourage introspection, offering deeper insights into universal life and natural principles — lessons that lie everywhere around us. From this perspective, here are the main reasons I consider rust a welcome guest in my photography.

1. The Unique and Unpredictable Nature of Rust

One of the most fascinating characteristics of rust is its unpredictability — we can never be certain where it will appear, nor what shape or texture it will take. This very unpredictability makes rust a phenomenon that transforms objects from their original uniformity into a state of diversity. When objects come out of a factory, they are identical, all the same. However, once rust takes hold of them, they stop being identical and become unique because no two patterns of rust are ever the same. Each piece of metal tells its own story through the shapes and manner in which oxidation has touched its surface.

This spontaneity and uniqueness awaken in me a sense of curiosity, exploration, and adventure. Through the unpredictability and uniqueness of rust, I discover a natural message about authenticity and creativity — qualities that are deeply rooted all around us — and which, I believe, we should also strive to find within ourselves and dare to express.

2. Abstract Beauty: Finding Presence Through Rust

Rust often creates shapes and patterns reminiscent of abstract art. Its irregular lines and rich hues blur the boundaries between the real and the imagined, allowing the observer to see whatever they wish within it. In this way, rust encourages us to expand our perception, breaking habitual patterns of recognition and interpretation, and enabling us to view the world with fresh eyes — like a child exploring the unknown for the first time.

The abstractions created by rust capture my attention and often pull me out of autopilot in my daily life. I pause, take a second look, and in that moment, I realize how observing rust brings a sense of awareness and presence. This presence can help all of us to step away from the whirlwind of thoughts and imagined worlds, grounding us in the reality that can only be experienced here and now.

3. Triumph of Nature Over Human Control

Rust often appears on objects that humans have meticulously crafted — metal doors, fences, tools, locomotives. These objects were designed to last, ideally “forever,” and when new, they exude a sense of precision, control, and permanence. However, rust disrupts this illusion of permanence, introducing chaos and imperfection where there was once order and structure.

This natural process reminds us of a simple yet profound truth: nature cannot be tamed. No matter how durable or timeless we try to make our creations, the forces of nature are always at work, reclaiming and reshaping everything in their path.

For those who forget this, rust serves as a rude awakening. It strips away the façade of human control, exposing the underlying vulnerability of our creations. As a photographer, I find this dynamic both humbling and captivating. Rust allows me to capture the point where human precision meets nature’s inevitable chaos, creating a fascinating interplay that speaks volumes about the balance of power between the two.

4. The Beauty of Aging: Lessons from Rust and Life

Rust tells a story of time and aging, from which we can learn a great deal. Our greatest fears are often tied to our inevitable disappearance — death — which aging visibly foreshadows. The appearance of wrinkles on the face, gray hairs, sagging skin, and other signs of physical or mental decline often provoke anxiety and concern. But rust, which could metaphorically be described as metal with wrinkles, shows us that there is beauty in aging, particularly reflected in greater authenticity and wisdom.

However, many instinctively resist this natural process of aging, wishing to remain forever young.

For example, I recall people in the later stages of life trying to resist the passage of time with cosmetic surgeries and exaggerated clothing that often clashes with their stage of life. I also think of portraits I have taken, where some individuals expressed dissatisfaction because they saw wrinkles in the image and thought they looked “old.” Yet we know that it is precisely those wrinkles that bring charm, authenticity, and humanity — just like rust.

Rust teaches us that transience is inevitable, but it also shows us that each moment of that transience offers not fear, but an opportunity — an opportunity we can embrace once we dare to step out of our mental fortresses and begin living in harmony with life’s natural flow. Wisdom lies not in running away or resisting but in openness and adaptability.

“The living are soft and supple;
the dead are rigid and stiff.
Living plants are tender and yielding;
the dead are brittle and dry.”
— Tao Te Ching

This beautiful verse perfectly captures the essence of our spirit and behavior — adaptability leads to vitality, while rigidity and stubbornness lead to decay.

5. Finding Beauty in the Everyday

Photographing rust teaches me yet another extremely valuable lesson — beauty and admiration are not reserved solely for spectacular sunsets, shiny objects, or youthful bodies full of strength. Beauty can be found everywhere — in a peeling facade, a crumpled piece of paper, our own wrinkles, or even in rust.

In line with this, it can truly be said that the world holds the potential for discovery and wonder at every step. I believe we become more aware of this once we step away from evaluating things based on their usefulness to us and start seeing them as they are, rather than as we wish them to be. It is precisely this release from judgment and imperatives that makes life beautiful and worth living.

People who are unwilling to see the world this way deprive themselves of countless joys that life offers — the kind of joy that doesn’t require a distant search but can be found in everyday, often overlooked moments, just like rust.

Rust as an Inspiration

Rusty locomotive — a close-up. — Photo by the author.

Through photographs of rust and my own reflections on the process, I wanted to demonstrate that photographing rust is not merely a technical exercise but also a philosophical practice. Rust not only enriches photographs with its texture, colors, and shapes but also encourages us to change the way we view the world.

Through the lens of a camera, it ceases to be an unwelcome guest causing damage and instead becomes a reminder of transience, imperfection, and the relentlessness of time, and their hidden lessons. Rust teaches us to find beauty in the ordinary and the old, but more importantly, it has the potential to teach us how to live.

Rust is proof that what initially appears unwanted or ugly can become art, and that what seems anxiety-inducing can become liberating.

Technical Notes:

All photos were taken using a Fujifilm XH2 with a Sigma 56mm F1.4 lens. The images were shot in RAW format with the Classic Chrome film simulation. I processed the photos in Lightroom, using tools like blacks, dehaze, and clarity to further emphasize the colors and textures.

Thank you for reading my story.

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