Wyandotte Photographer Gets Inside Trenton's McLouth Steel

Wyandotte photographer Kelly Christopher Luttrell has a special appreciation for old buildings. He can often be found trampling through abandoned structures, camera in hand, looking for that perfect shot.

Over a course of three days recently, however, he opted to travel south, rather than north, to capture some rustic photos.

With the blessings of officials at the now abandoned McLouth Steel plant in Trenton, Luttrell gained access inside the building that most people can only see from behind a fence along West Jefferson.

"Growing up in Downriver, McLouth was always on my list of places to explore," Luttrell said. "McLouth has always been a Downriver icon for so many generations and given the fact that I love old industrial spaces, it was really right up my alley. I am very glad and appreciative that I have built a relationship with the plant manager and that he has graciously allowed me open door access to explore and photograph as I please."

Not knowing what to expect until he got inside, Luttrell said, he was pleasantly surprised.

"My thoughts after checking it out, for me at least, was amazement," he said. "From a photographer's sense, it is perfect. Many areas are literally frozen in time -- desks, chairs, knickknacks and coffee mugs still where they had been left years ago. With all the added years of dust and decay, the images tell a great human narrative about change and the way the years age everything and how somethings get left behind."

The video from Luttrell's first day inside the McLouth plant can be watched above. Come back Thursday for day two and Friday for day three.

For more of his work, visit his Facebook page under Kelly Luttrell Photography.