What do you think of when you consider the concepts of a perfect photograph?

Maybe you think of a busy city or a serene landscape. Perhaps a well-posed portrait pops into your mind. But what about a distressed building that’s falling apart?

Not so much.

This is where the minds of urban explorers differ from that of a landscape or portrait photographer. We see beauty in what most consider piles of garbage. To us, its not about the towering skyscraper or the palatial home. The perfect photograph is within the ruin.

Dilapidated structures, unused warehouses, and boarded-up schools are examples of where our photographic imagination thrives. But why? What makes the art of urbexing so addictive and beautiful in our minds?

Allow me to explain.

The History

An abandoned location provides a sense of nostalgia that a lot of active places don’t. Once you enter a location, you step into an opportunity to imagine what the location looked liked in its heyday. What were the people like? How did the building operate and function? What memories does the structure hold within its walls? It’s fascinating to consider.