Brooklyn’s Gowanus Canal carries the unwelcome distinction of being one of America’s most polluted waterways. To gaze into it is to witness more than a century of unfettered industrial abuse, with all of the coal tar, oil slicks, and garbage you might expect. So it’s not exactly the most photogenic landscape in New York. But local photographer William Miller has a knack for finding beauty in unexpected places, and his Gowanus Canal series is a prime example. Turning his lens toward the scummy surface of the canal, Miller managed to render its image as abstract art, with strange patterns and otherworldy colors galore. The photos almost look like aerial images of a faraway planet. Who knew pollution could look this good?
(via It’s Nice That)