For years I have looked for places around this area to get a good vantage point. This seems like a simple thing but it is not. Suffice to say that this entire area is not photo-friendly. They have even managed to blur themselves out of most of the mapping pages like Daum and Google. So why would anyone want to photograph such an industrial wasteland of pipes, factories, chimneys and other things that environmentalists like to pick-on? Well, because it is just cool, that’s why.

Onsan sits on the edge of Ulsan and it is probably the reason why Ulsan enjoys such a high standard of living today. Many people have commented about how polluted this city is and blame this area but without it, we wouldn’t have jobs. While Hyundai Shipyards and car factory sit on the sunny seaside just across the inlet, Onsan sits like a black shroud greeting you as you arrive from Busan. Pipes pump steam and fire into the sky. There is a sort of eerie “hum” in the air and an unmistakeable chemical smell that lets you know that this place means business.

Each factory is gated and guarded. Most places use a sort of “line-of-sight” technique to hide what is going on inside the factory. This makes it difficult to get a shot from ground level. Trees and fences obscure views and guards stop you from getting too close. However, this does not stop photographers from sneaking in and getting shots of this most alien of cityscapes. The question is where do you go in this labyrinth of factories?

The first place I would tell you to go is down to the Ulsan Whale Museum. Now you don’t have to head inside but head past the large whaling ship to the back of the grounds to there there is a viewing platform and railing along the water. This will give you a safe introduction to the area and compliment the industrial landscape with some water in the foreground. On your left, sits Hyundai shipyards and on your right, the petrochemical complex. I longer lens would give better detail but a nice wide angle would give more sense of place.

If you go past the museum towards Hyundai Mobis (water on your left) stop in the parking lot next to the large white building on your left across from Jangsangpo Elementary school (Buses 204 and 406 will get you close). You’ll know this when you see it as it will have a large exterior staircase. That is your access to the roof of that building. The roof is amazing and is one of the only places in the area to give you a birds-eye view of Onsan.

Once you finish there, you can follow the road past mobis to the main road again and then take a left following that to the #7 and take a left there. The intersection should be the shin-yeo-cheon intersection. Then follow that for about 10 minutes and then take a left at the TBX tire shop. This will be the sang-gei intersection. Follow this road in and then take the next left. You will now be surrounded by petrochemical plants with very few obstructions. Now all you have to do is park and fire away. As you are fairly close to the pipes and other structure, try to use a wide angle to get everything in. Experiment with telephoto lenses too and they will compress the shot a bit adding to the “density” of the pipes and stuff inside the plants.

Onsan is a huge area and you will need a vehicle to navigate the whole area. If you are inexperienced in driving or riding (if you have a motorcycle) then I would find someone who know the area a little bit more or is comfortable with aggressive drivers. If you are coming from outside the city of Ulsan, then it is best start at Taehwagang Station and either take a taxi or bus from there. Getting into the heart of Onsan might be a bit of a challenge but from the locations mentioned above, you should do alight. If you are looking for a more guided experience then join me and the Busan Lightstalkers on Sunday January 8th for a photo tour of Ulsan.