# Curious if anyone else likes to explore abandoned places?



## bigtwinky (May 6, 2014)

I love finding old abandoned homes and businesses for photography.  The vibe that you get from the place, the creepy photos, the documenting the past.  The walls and floors can warp to give some pretty interesting photo opportunities.

I recently explored an abandoned ski resort, closed for the last 5 years.

Hitting the hills | urbex - Pierre B Photo

Although my fave exploration this year is an old hotel resort in the northern US abadoned for the last 30 years.  Finding some magazines dating back to the 1940s, the fugly green shag carpet...


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## DarkShadow (May 6, 2014)

It's on my wish list big time and some problems that keep me from it. one is trespassing issues,two is who lurks in there or around there that may in danger my life Zombies maybe..Sure I have means of protection but who wants to face that and another is construction safety. So unless I have permission and go with at least one other person, I guess its not going to happen for me. Abandoned mental Hospital is one I want to visit but most of them are fenced off and some have security floating around as well.


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## Msteelio91 (May 6, 2014)

Awesome! That is one of my favorite things to do. Need to do some hunting in my area.


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## bigtwinky (May 6, 2014)

DarkShadow said:


> It's on my wish list big time. and some problems that keep me from it. one is trespassing issues,two is who lurks in there or around there that may in danger my life Zombies maybe..Sure I have means of protection but who wants to face that and another is construction safety. So unless I have permission and go with at least one other person, I guess its not going to happen for me. Abandoned mental Hospital is one I want to visit but most of them are fenced off and some have security floating around as well.



Things like mold, asbestos and other airbourne bacteria are a huge issue.  I'm all about safety first.  There is a difference in the law (at least here) between trespassing and breaking and entering.  We ran in to another group of people in that exploration.  I've run into some drugged out people as well.  I can deal with that.  It's the animals that you can randomly find that are scarier for me.

I have a few rules when I go... I never break anything to get in.  I never take anything other than photos.  I only leave behind footprints, no littering or anything.

As for run-ins with cops, owners and guards... hasn't happened yet.  Random locals asking wtf we are doing, sure.  A lot has to do with how you deal with a situation.... and how you are ready to deal with the consequences


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## bigtwinky (May 6, 2014)

Msteelio91 said:


> Awesome! That is one of my favorite things to do. Need to do some hunting in my area.



I need to head out of north america!  Seems that we here don't value abandoned places like other places in europe do.  I've seen my share of abandoned factories, houses and all that are just walls.  I love to find furniture and other items that tell the history of the place.. which they are big on in europe.  Here?  People are vandals.


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## tirediron (May 6, 2014)

I'd love to, unfortunately here on the Wet Coast, land is so valuable that NOTHING sits abanonded long enough to explore!


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## bigtwinky (May 6, 2014)

tirediron said:


> I'd love to, unfortunately here on the Wet Coast, land is so valuable that NOTHING sits abanonded long enough to explore!



where there is a will, there is a way.  Might be harder to find, but I'm so sure there are places to explore.  In Montreal, there aren't THAT many that are fun to check out, but drive 1-2 hours outside the city and you can find a bunch.  Or I head out on weekend road trips and drive 4-5 hours to get to places.  Have an old love motel with heart shaped jacuzzis and all on my radar for this summer hehe


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## Msteelio91 (May 6, 2014)

bigtwinky said:


> Msteelio91 said:
> 
> 
> > Awesome! That is one of my favorite things to do. Need to do some hunting in my area.
> ...



All too true


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## DarkShadow (May 6, 2014)

They vandal everything here to. Just about every building closed up and abandoned the first thing that gets vandalized is the glass as almost every window will be busted out among other things. Even if the building is safe for take over from another company,it would cost them a fortune to replace windows  on top of removing graffiti.They even vandalize cemeteries and not long ago somebody was going around smashing head stones.Just when I think how low can a person get, another comes along and tops it.


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## runnah (May 6, 2014)

It's easy here, most of Maine north of Augusta is abandoned.


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## sm4him (May 6, 2014)

I love to see photos like this, but no, I don't do any urban exploring myself, because&#8230;well, because I'm basically a big scaredy cat! 
The trespassing issues--around these parts, you have two problems with trespassing. One, if it's private property, you might very well get shot at before you get asked questions.  Two, if it's something like a resort, abandoned public building, etc--sure, MOST cops would either just question you and/or ask you to leave. But a very few who are basically just Country Rednecks with a Badge, would throw the book at you. I don't wanna play roulette with which kind of cop I might get. 
The danger--falling through a floor or something and getting hurt, the mold, the broken glass, the asbestos--none of that appeals much to me. 
The dead, decaying animals--well, let's just say that I once lifted the lid of a trashcan that my ex had "forgotten" (neglected) to haul to the curb for months. It had somehow gotten water in it, on top of the trash, and lying on the top of the wet trash was a dead, decaying possum. I still have nightmares about that possum. :lmao:  No way am I going to voluntary go somewhere that I'm likely to see another one!


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## DarkShadow (May 6, 2014)

Funny You mention the possum.My wife was sitting on the front porch steps last summer evening talking to her friend when a possum came out from the bushes next the the steps and ran across her feet and then through the yard.She was almost I think in shock, she was so scared. A couple weeks ago a little tiny field mouse was in the house and ran through the kitchen,next I know she is standing in the middle of the kitchen table. Good thing the kitchen table was off to the side of our celling fan that was on high speed or Big Bonk.:lmao:


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## Designer (May 6, 2014)

Curious if anyone else likes to explore abandoned places?


&#8203;Sure did as a kid, not now.


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## DarkShadow (May 6, 2014)

Only haunted scary ones wii do.


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## Rosy (May 6, 2014)

HECK NO!!!! I'm afraid of Ghost andI  know one of them will tag along...


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## timor (May 6, 2014)

tirediron said:


> I'd love to, unfortunately here on the Wet Coast, land is so valuable that NOTHING sits abanonded long enough to explore!


But you have great mountains close by. You can always find some abandoned valley filled up with grizzlies wanting nice portraits. :lmao:


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## mmaria (May 6, 2014)

I do like to shoot abandoned places. 

There are two types of abandoned places imo. 

The places where nothing has left, no energy or any kind of sign that a life were happening there. And the other type of abandoned places, when in the moment you enter there you can feel something, you can imagine how it was before. Those places I like.


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## amberj2010 (May 6, 2014)

I love these kind of images buy generally stay away because of trespassing and safety issues.


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## CdTSnap (May 6, 2014)

Amazing set, I love Urbex


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## oldhippy (May 6, 2014)

Whatever you do don't wait.  I put off going to a great landmark.  The coal Commissary. The place the coal miners would trade their script for food and cloths.  Here's what I found, a year before it was pretty much intact.


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## bigtwinky (May 7, 2014)

Designer said:


> Curious if anyone else likes to explore abandoned places?
> 
> 
> &#8203;Sure did as a kid, not now.



I guess I'll always be a kid then


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## zach_original (Sep 7, 2014)

I absolutely LOVE urbex. Here in Atlanta, there are literally hundreds of abandoned buildings (train depots, metal shops, houses, schools, hospitals, prisons, etc) just waiting to be explored. When I first started urbexing, I often modeled for my friends who were photographers when they had a photo assignment. We often explored abandoned buildings, but now that I'm taking B&W Film Photography, I'm always looking for new places in Atlanta to explore for photos. If you're in the Atlanta area and are into urbex, hit me up

Only thing is, like people have already stated, it does have its risks. The best thing to do is to be street smart... I never explore any abandoned places, no matter how awesome it is, in _too _sketchy of an area or past 8PM. I've never run into any other urbexers when exploring, but I've also never run into any druggies, homeless, cops, or animals (besides birds) for that matter. Guess I'm lucky!


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## Nevermore1 (Sep 7, 2014)

I love old abandoned places.  The trespassing charges are what keeps me away (don't want to lose my CHP).   Yes, there is also the danger of weakened construction but that is low on my list of concerns.  It's probably a good idea to get something like a SPOT if you do this a lot.  That way you have a backup to call for help if you're in a spot with out cell phone service.

When I was younger there was this one old farmhouse that a friend and I used to go into, had some old furniture and a detached garage that was stuffed with junk and an OLD washing machine.  What was so weird about it was that while there were holes in the walls (from vandals) and everything looked like it had been abandoned back in the 40-50's the floors in the main part of the house looked brand new with really nice plush carpeting that was in excellent condition.


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## Kanthaka (Sep 7, 2014)

I used to explore abandoned places before but that was before I got into photography so I don't have any shots. But now that I'm into photography, there's really nothing abandoned in my area. :thumbdown: Cool stuff though!


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## Civchic (Sep 8, 2014)

They are very cool images, but I'm too much of a scaredy cat.  

Also, I wouldn't go in any building without the owner's permission.  It can be gotten.  My husband works for a property developer and their insurance costs are astronomical as it is.  They own a couple of large historical buildings in the process of renovation, and break ins are common.  If you get hurt while you're there, it'll be them that pays the bill, through even higher insurance premiums and law suits.  They spend a fortune on security and perimeter maintenance, but people keep breaking in.  Start fires, steal equipment, etc.  Not saying that urbex photographers would do those things - but the security guard won't care who you are.


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