MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
I know there was a topic about this a few months ago .
Other than 28 days later any other good sites
bencooper on here has an amazing website, will try and dig out the link. Always makes me want to go explore and take photos!
[tannoy]Ben Cooper to the forum.[/tannoy]
Theres a few groups on flickr with some brilliant photography . Sofaking takes some very interesting shots .
Only done a little bit but here are some of my efforts.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/grum_wynne/sets/72157625085612979/with/6877175047/
Some of bencooper's stuff is really good.
This site has some interesting stuff.
www.darkroastedblend.com/26QM?r=714322
Aw shucks 😉
28DL is the best forum, other good places are:
http://www.derelictplaces.co.uk
http://www.uer.ca
http://secretscotland.org.uk
And my site is http://www.transientplaces.co.uk
ben : Your site is bloody good and bookmarked for later, i'm a firm believer of exploring for exploring's sake....despite what the warning signs and sometimes razor wire may infer.
Here's a pic of a sad destroyed tank used for ordanance practice on the Dundrennan Army Range down here at Kirkcudbright, It's also where they've [url= http://newsnetscotland.com/index.php/scottish-opinion/7093-solways-deadly-mod-legacy-of-depleted-uranium-may-be-illegal ]tested/fired over 6000 shells/30 tonnes of Depleted Uranium rounds[/url] so naturally i ride my bike round the army range and coastline area as much as i can as there's a few decent trails criss-crossing the site along wi big old empty houses that have been desolate since the Army commandeered the land decades ago, it's good to annoy them and there's also the excitement of being chased by an Army Landrover across fields and suchlike.
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Pish...tish and nonsense, the worst i've found in 25 yrs is a pile of used smoke grenades, but i did once "happen" across a crate of smoke grenades that contained coloured smoke, they gave us immense fun on our night ride, the forest was just like a scene from "Apocalypse Now" with our HID lights getting refracted off the smoke, impossible to ride in it but bloody good fun 😀 .
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it's good to annoy them
Not really. It's a bit stupid, especially given what might be around out there.
I was on holiday in Croatia about a month back, we were staying near Kupari Beach just south of Dubrovnik and the beach is surrounded by Military hotels bombed out 20 years ago and left as they were, apparently tender is out soon to redevelop them. It was quite surreal.
Even had a little twister 🙂
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I believe this one was Tito's personal hotel, whatever that means.
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Inside Titp's hotel
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Have a look at Elena Filatova's site, read about her motorbike rides inside the exclusion zone at Chernobyl:
http://www.angelfire.com/extreme4/kiddofspeed/
Hey Ben, does Nurse Payne still explores? Her photos were excellent.
Wow thanks Ben
Ben - How do you get that shift in perspective on some of your photo's, for example:
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It's just a wide angle lens that's not parallel to the ground, if it's not at 90° to the floor all verticles will converge.
A 'wangle at a jaunty angle'
Not urban or military, but I love these:
[url= http://www.buzzfeed.com/awesomer/the-33-most-beautiful-abandoned-places-in-the-world?s=mobile ]Makes you feel weird inside[/url]
Aye, it's just a silly wide angle - 12mm on full frame.
Hey Ben, does Nurse Payne still explores? Her photos were excellent.
I'm not sure - haven't seen anything from her for ages.
The Russians take it to a whole 'nother level: http://dedmaxopka.livejournal.com
Brilliant site Ben.
Have you ever come across any treasure/trinkets or do you take only photos?
Tootall is right about that range. Unless you know what you're looking at/for they can be very dangerous places.
bencooper - weird how you start looking into things and then other things of relevance pop up.
I have just started reading a book about the women who worked in the munitions factories in WWII, clicked on this thread and found your ROF Bishopton pics. Very interesting! Thanks. Gives me something to picture now when reading the book!
Have you ever come across any treasure/trinkets or do you take only photos?
No, for two reasons - it's theft so morally wrong, and it also means you can be arrested and charged with a criminal offence. Most trespassing isn't criminal - though the explosive factories were 😉
I do sometimes find things which should be in a museum, so I alert various trusts and museums and sometimes get stuff rescued - the Glasgow Uni Archives Service are pretty good at that kind of thing. I also managed to get permission to take a model paper machine from a mill in Inverkeithing, which is now sitting in my shop:
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I have just started reading a book about the women who worked in the munitions factories in WWII
Is that the book about Chorley? What got me interested was that tens of thousands of people worked in the Scottish explosives industry - at one point Scotland was the world's largest manufacturer of explosives - but no-one has bothered documenting any of it.
No, for two reasons - it's theft so morally wrong, and it also means you can be arrested and charged with a criminal offence
Bet you've been tempted though?
Bet you've been tempted though?
Definitely. But it's even more tempting to play with powered up cranes 😉
subbrit is also good
it's theft so morally wrong
And trespass isn't?
And trespass isn't?
No. We're not talking about going into your front room and taking pictures of your stuff, we're talking about mostly derelict sites that belong to big companies who don't care about them. Morality is based on harm - what harm is caused by me breathing some air and taking some pictures?
What's immoral is large companies who have a responsibility to listed buildings, a responsibility to clean up their messes, a responsibility to their employees not to treat them like machines. I've seen bad examples of all three. Listed buildings which "accidentally" catch on fire at just the right time, pollution and environmental damage that is just left for future generations to deal with, and I get loads of emails and website comments from former employees very happy to see and talk about the places they worked.
There's a guy I follow on Flickr with some awesome photos:
[url= http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3712/10153494984_052bb6f416_z.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/mhampshire/10153494984/ ]We need YOU ![/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/mhampshire/ ]Kriegaffe 9[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2831/9154371728_90f42664fd_z.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/mhampshire/9154371728/ ]Phone a friend[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/mhampshire/ ]Kriegaffe 9[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5550/9253472839_c55e1ec4b4_z.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/mhampshire/9253472839/ ]1st stage cooler (explore)[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/mhampshire/ ]Kriegaffe 9[/url], on Flickr
<personal opinion>
They'd be even more awesome if he hadn't HDR'd them to death 😉
</personal opinion>
No. We're not talking about going into your front room and taking pictures of your stuff, we're talking about mostly derelict sites that belong to big companies who don't care about them. Morality is based on harm - what harm is caused by me breathing some air and taking some pictures?
Ah I didn't realise urban-x was just big companies not houses or small businesses.
Maybe the law should be changed and access allowed so as to be in line with modern morality and thinking, after all it's now legal to enter another mans anus with consent.
Wow, did you just compare exploring a derelict explosives factory with gay sex?
Interesting analogy 😉
Houses are boring. Occasionally there are examples of interesting derelict houses that have been explored, but generally houses are dull.
Well think about it. It was illegal, but people did it as they weren't doing anyone any harm despite it being morally repugnant to some but eventually it became legal.
Houses are boring. Occasionally there are examples of interesting derelict houses that have been explored, but generally houses are dull.
There are some great shots from a guy called "tonydetroit" on Instagram - he documents the decline of Detroit and a lot of what he posts are derelict houses but it's very well done. The (stereo)typical "American Dream" houses - white picket fence, immaculate yard - all just left to rot as whole communities moved out.
Not sure if they're his, but I've seen some astounding pictures from Detroit - houses that look like they should be in the Addams Family. There are also some amazing abandoned mansions on the Continent - places that here would be snapped up by Grand Designs types just left untouched.
Well think about it. It was illegal, but people did it as they weren't doing anyone any harm despite it being morally repugnant to some but eventually it became legal.
Except trespass isn't usually illegal.
Another great site: [url= http://www.urbanxphotography.co.uk/pripyat-2011 ]Urban X[/url]
Have a look at Elena Filatova's site, read about her motorbike rides inside the exclusion zone at Chernobyl:
Wasn't this a big fake- she just went on a guided tour, but was wearing leathers as she had driven to the start point??
Still a great read eitherway.
Except trespass isn't usually illegal
But as you know it's still a wrong (not a legal term, it's probably a tort or something) that can be challenged and you have to remove yourself from the premises but cannot be prosecuted . But a lot of urban-x on MOD and railway land is illegal.
There is also the question of rights to the images taken. I know of an urbanX person who sells his images as prints and for publication, with no property release or permission from the owner he's breaking the law (copyright designs and patents act 1998) and is impinging their moral rights, right to exclusivity etc.
I'm not a spokesman for urbex, there's no "urbex community", everyone makes their own decisions.
However "wrong" is a difficult thing - that's the problem with all moral decisions. I'm not a fan of street photography, I think it's rude and intrusive to take pictures of people who haven't given permission, but I understand that it's a valid form of the photographic art.
There are many examples of street photographs being used without the subject's permission.
Yes, some trespass is illegal - I broke laws by exploring Bishopton and was charged by the police. That's why I said "usually" - most explorers don't do that. Though police do often try other things - the catch-all offence of Breach of the Peace is often used.
If it was all safe and legal and sensible, it wouldn't be fun 😉
However "wrong" is a difficult thing - that's the problem with all moral decisions. I'm not a fan of street photography, I think it's rude and intrusive to take pictures of people who haven't given permission, but I understand that it's a valid form of the photographic art.
It's also perfectly legal. It's only if you impinge their moral rights that is isn't, if for example you use an image of some cyclists to illustrate an article about "abuse victims treated with cycling therapy" then then rightly have cause to complain if they were misrepresented as abuse victims when they are not. Same as if the image was used to sell something without a model release or their knowledge ( this extends to property also) the grey area seems to be 'art' where intellectual property is appropriated by the artist for profit.
It's also perfectly legal
And so is most urbex. If I stand in Sauchiehall Street and take lots of pictures of people, the police may ask me to move along. If I take pictures in a power station, the security guards will ask me to do the same.
the grey area seems to be 'art' where intellectual property is appropriated by the artist for profit
I'm struggling to think of any examples of this. I've taken pictures of plans and stuff while exploring, but ancient blueprints in a derelict factory aren't exactly intellectual property.
Wow, where is this court? http://www.flickr.com/photos/mhampshire/9143898743/in/photostream/
the police may ask me to move along
they have no legal right to do that unless you were causing an obstruction.
I'm struggling to think of any examples of this. I've taken pictures of plans and stuff while exploring, but ancient blueprints in a derelict factory aren't exactly intellectual property.
i'm not using you as a reference. trademarks,design rights and IP are often appropriated by artists. Warhols Campbels soup or Banksy with ronald mcdonald and mickey mouse for example.
bencooper - Member
Is that the book about Chorley? What got me interested was that tens of thousands of people worked in the Scottish explosives industry - at one point Scotland was the world's largest manufacturer of explosives - but no-one has bothered documenting any of it.
Not got that far into it, but I don't think it specifically is. It's called Bomb Girls by Jacky Hyams. I was looking for a new book for the Kindle and this was in the store for £1.60 or thereabouts, reduced from £17 so I thought it worth a read. I regularly like to read historical books such as this.
The first two chapters have 'set the scene' and explained the requirement for large munitions factories, where they were etc. I think the rest of the book is real accounts from women who worked in the factories.
So far, it's an OK book. An interesting subject, but perhaps not fantasically written. Probably worth a look for £1.60 though!
they have no legal right to do that unless you were causing an obstruction.
True, but that doesn't stop them both threatening you and then arresting you for not complying....
A general question here but in Ben's vague direction...
I've spent hours pouring over these sites as I find them fascinating but are many of these derelict places closely guarded by security? I've often wondered how you overcome this to gain access? I would imagine flash photography in otherwise dark places draws the attention somewhat 🙂
Security guards are underpaid and undermotivated, and usually stuck in a portacabin at the front gate. Also, for insurance reasons, they're usually not allowed inside the buildings, they just have to patrol around the outside.
So usually I work out a way around the back, avoiding their obvious patrols, and into the building - once inside you're sorted. Yes, flash is a bad idea usually - besides, light painting usually produces better results.
they have no legal right to do that unless you were causing an obstruction.
Point this out to them and they just charge you with causing a Breach of the Peace. Or suggest you're acting strangely and this gives them grounds to search you for drugs.
Ahh I see, thanks for the reply. I'd always wondered how so many get access to these derelict places but never had chance to ask anyone in the know.
Looking at some of your shots (they're great by the way), the fact a lot of these visit seem to be made at night and what you said regarding flashes, do you just tend to use a really slow shutter speed?
It's also perfectly legal.
But laws aren't really hard rules, more like rough guidelines 😀
do you just tend to use a really slow shutter speed?
Yes, and light painting - basically opening the shutter and waving a torch about for a bit.
But laws aren't really hard rules, more like rough guidelines
11th Commandment - Thou Shall Not Get Caught 😉
Either it's small and the shop is far away, or you've got a ****ing great big paper machine in your shop 😀model paper machine from a mill in Inverkeithing, which is now sitting in my shop
It's 8ft long and weighs 300kg - small for a paper machine 😉
Occasionally some urban stuff on [url= http://www.thisiscolossal.com/category/photography/ ]www.thisiscolossal.com[/url]
This led to me doing a lot of research and getting a tour of an entire derelict airfield by some chaps who fully researched it. I just found the site when exploring bridleways a few years back:
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http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i253/fartootall/DSCN0795_zpsc7d32076.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
It was his last public concert before vanishing en route to France.
They'd be even more awesome if he hadn't HDR'd them to death
Infra Red isn't it?
First one looks like it but I don't think so - the rest are HDR.
Great stuff.
@Footflaps , that's Sofaking from off of here's site .
Well he's very talented. Must take a lot of effort to create.