"Old" isn't neccesarily "Decay" I'd say that I am more interested in beauty. I can see the beauty in rusted (decaying) junk, so I take pictures of it. I'd prefer to see a shiney restored '40 Packard than a stripped, rusted out '40 Packard.
I don't see beauty in road kill (also decaying) so I don't take pictures of flattened kittys.
"Worn" isn't neccesarily "Decay" either. Old worn tools for example tell a story, as does a old corral or old store front and often the story these things tell is beauty. They may well be in a state of decay as well, but it isn't the decay that I find attractive but the story these things tell.
My 2-cents anyway. Yeah, 6 more years and I qualify for the "seniors" discount!
Our equipment influences us in more ways than we necessarily realize. One subtle way is that we tend to seek out images that will show our LF work to its best advantage, which means we tend to seek out subjects with a lot of detail and texture and that's something most decaying structures have in abundance. We also tend to like subjects close at hand and photographing old buildings generally doesn't involve a lot of walking. Then we also prefer subjects that allow us to comfortably use a tripod and decaying structures fit that bill too. In essence I think decaying subjects are so popular among LF photographers mostly, not exclusively but mostly, because they suit our equipment very well.
1. Old stuff is prettier
2. Ambience
3. The creative challenge of making a photograph so evocative that you can feel the place on the paper.
4. Just because
Decay can be very attractive. At my age, I have to remind myself of this each morning when I look in the mirror.
Now, off to photograph some old things. No self-portraits, though.
All or most of the reasons above, plus one minor aspect of "documentary": many old, buildings here in Poland get renovated nowadays; and it is done in such a manner that they look as if built yesterday for yuppies or (their) children; a cross between disneyland and a condominium. Those buildings that still did not suffer this "renovation" process still say something about...(here insert the remarks of other members). When renovated - they become as fake antiques: somewhat tasteless and phoney in their shiny colours and right angles.
So, photographing them is an effort to document their documentariness before it vanishes.
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Being a roll film man myself, I just have to wonder why so many LFers are drawn to decay, destruction, or derelict sites and buildings as subject matter. (Don't derail the thread to deny it - you "know" it's true!)
My bloody brick outhouse did! It was built with virtually no footings (typical French rural outbuilding) and it blew over a few months after we moved in. I've never had the same faith in 'Built like a brick sh*t-house' ever since...
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