# abandoned areas?



## XxTheZombiezxX (Aug 11, 2012)

So, I don't see an area dedicated to this kinda of topic. So, I guess I'll try here and hope im in the right spot.

Urban & Rural photography I believe is it's category. Or at least it is on DeviantART.com Does anyone know how to find such buildings?

stairwell by *schnotte on deviantART
Corridor Of The Undead by *stengchen on deviantART
Can't go up by ~xMAXIx on deviantART

I'm sure they're really dangerous to be inside. But they're just so amazing! I wish I could find buildings like this but I don't know how. I'm sure it's more then just strolling around and stumbling upon one of these. I'd assume you'd have to go hunting some how, to figure out where all the abandoned places are. Anyone do this kind of photography, or know how to find these kinds of buildings?


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## Robchaos (Aug 11, 2012)

Pay attention when you are driving or walking anywhere. Abandonment is all around you. Foreclosed houses, shut down factories, century old giant hospitals and complexes that are no longer economically feasible, but so stuffed full of asbestos that it would cost millions and millions to demolish them and dispose of the rubble properly. 

I've got a few locations in my photostream if you check my sets.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/robchaos


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## XxTheZombiezxX (Aug 11, 2012)

That's the only problem. Daytona Beach, FL doesn't have much to offer for abandoned places. Actually right in are residental area we used to have a cement factory. It was rare since normally they don't allow factories on the same street as houses. I mean, it was stop sign to stop sign, and had a house so close you could open the window and spit. It'd hit their fence. They tore it down to put housing units in.  And the burnt down house next door got caught on fire again because of my stupid friends years ago. Before I was into photography.  I've been searching but.... Their's just not much here. Guess my next step is to ask around. I'm sure someone knows of a spot.


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## MLeeK (Aug 11, 2012)

We just had another topic just like this one a week or so ago. There are a few of us here who are interested in it. I know one of the guys does a bit of it, but I cannot for the life of me remember who it is. 

To find locations-begin to be TOTALLY aware of your surroundings and ALWAYS on the lookout. There are places EVERYWHERE. I never realized how many abandoned things were just in my little tiny home town until I REALLY started to look around. There are probably things you know are there, but don't even think about. 
We also tend to think BIG... Like the old abandoned hospitals, hotels, Detroit station... The things EVERYONE has done and not look at the amazing things that are there every day. I have a list of the big stuff on my bucket list, but I have had more fun in abandoned homes, factories and buildings that I took for granted than in the few big ones I have done. And I mean FEW... very few! LOL!

Another way to REALLY enjoy the things you are overlooking is to find a friend who wants to go on these excursions who has a fun sense of adventure. When my daughter-in-law lived here we would go and I think we spent more time laughing, talking about the history and specualting on what might have been here or there... It REALLY added to the experiences. 
And lastly-take a "model." Your exploring buddy is fine. Try to simulate the feel of what might have been using your model in it. There are some amazing things you can play with in post and editing!


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## MLeeK (Aug 11, 2012)

Forgot to add my favorite: The Kingston Lounge


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## XxTheZombiezxX (Aug 11, 2012)

That is amazing! I.... I wish to see the Waldo Hotel atleast once! And yeah, I was hunting around during the drive to some biotic garden in town. 2 friends needed some extra money. I needed some models to work with. And I messed up and put in 200iso film not realizing that it was starting to get cloudy(later raining) off topic really. But, I did look around. Looking for even a small little shack house that they never tore down around that area. Sadly I didn't find much. But now that you say all this. I guess I need to look harder and stop looking so big.


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## Farmclicker (Aug 12, 2012)

For me they are all around...an old creepy farmhouse near by where the owner committed suicide is a great farmhouse to explore in (and I have permission to go there anytime) as well as 3 abandoned houses by me.

Last April my wife and I (who also loves to explore old buildings) was on a vacation in Northern Maine and ran across the old Birdseye Frozen Food Factory closed in 2002. She had some pin-up type clothes with her and so she put those on despite the falling snow and we took a lot of pictures inside that old building.

As I type this we are dressed in vintage clothing from the 1930's and am awaiting my wife to put on her make up so that we can run down to the local railroad tracks for a vintage photo shoot in the fog. We have been planning this for weeks which is really most of the fun...

The point is to do this stuff you have to be creative, and you have to be prepared, but like everyone else said, you have to be looking too at your surroundings. Abandonment is everywhere and not just in Detroit. No one knows this more then me, I live in very rural Maine and stuff is out there you just got to beat the bushes and get behind them to see these abandoned places.


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## Jaemie (Aug 12, 2012)

Google "urban exploration" and your area, for starters. Just be aware that much of this activity might not be lawful, as well as physically hazardous, so check it out carefully before you participate.

Some of mine: http://jaemiespictures.wordpress.com/2012/03/24/johnson-fuel/


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## XxTheZombiezxX (Aug 12, 2012)

I figured the areas might not exactly be safe. I was talking to a friend who'd love to go just to check the areas out. He was telling me we should bring some type of cloth or painters mask incase of extreme dust.


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## Robchaos (Aug 12, 2012)

painters masks do nothing, the only type that will actually help you is something rated for asbestos.

People wear the respirators so they look cool in their buddies pictures. In reality I strongly doubt that the amount of asbestos you will be exposed to during exploring will add up to significant duration or frequency enough to do any significant damage.


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## XxTheZombiezxX (Aug 12, 2012)

Oh okay.


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## PlanetStarbucks (Aug 13, 2012)

Have you considered browsing Panoramio/Google Earth?  More than likely, someone else has already found whatever it is you want to shoot.  I tend to use it to find places I wouldn't find otherwise.  It's particularly helpful for rural areas.  You'll be panning through some wilderness and then see a cluster of shots around an abandoned mine or farm or whatever.


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## Vortex421 (Aug 13, 2012)

One of my biggest concerns about this sort of thing is the question of "lawfulness".  Maybe it's a better topic brought up somewhere else, but is it wiser to get permission of the property-owner first or just go for it?


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## Farmclicker (Aug 17, 2012)

I belong to a forum called Urban Explorers Resources...Forum - Home - Urban Exploration Resource and the general consensus is that it is easier to ask for forgiveness then to get permission. Some photographers that got permission for certain places said it took them months to go through the proper channels to get it with questions like liability, insurance and copyright infringement coming up.

As a general rule of thumb, as long as you leave only footprints, and take only photographs, you will be left alone.

I once got caught in the creepy farmhouse mentioned in my previous post. I explained that it was a beautiful place and how I grew up on that farm (leasing it for farming) and basically let the owner know that I was not doing anything harmful. In the end he was thankful and gave me permission to go up there anytime I want and to basically help him keep an eye on the place since my farm borders his farm.

The main rule of urban exploring however is to "leave only foot prints, and take only photos."


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## Jaemie (Aug 17, 2012)

I was taking photos in a (apparently) abandoned fuel station. The fence was left open, and there were numerous "For Sale" signs posted about. Anyway, there I was taking photos of the weedy flowers in the parking area, barefoot as usual, clicking away, when a huge oil tanker truck pulls up and the station owner asks me what I'm doing. It seems that his daughter saw me and called him and he came rushing over. I explained the gate was open I was just taking pictures of the flowers and I apologized for having wandered in uninvited. He immediately changed his attitude from suspicion to "Oh well, that's fine! You're not bothering anything. Go on ahead and take photos." So, it all worked out. I guess I looked pretty benign. Hehe..


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## zombiemann (Aug 17, 2012)

Farmclicker said:


> The main rule of urban exploring however is to "leave only foot prints, and take only photos."



Words to live by


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