Finding and Shooting Urban Decay

 Some people like to shoot landscapes, some like to shoot flowers, and some like to shoot wildlife. Then there are other people who like to walk around in urban areas looking for something called "urban decay." Usually when you think of urban decay, you think about run-down cities, areas where buildings are being torn down, or where there's a lot of trash. While urban decay can easily be categorized as trash and decrepit buildings, you may be surprised to find that it's probably easily within reach to anyone no matter where they live, even out in rural areas.

Finding sites

The most obvious place to look for urban decay is in an area of a city that is in disrepair. You can probably find a few run-down buildings complete with peeling paint and trash on the ground. You don't need to find a huge amount of buildings in one area, but may have to shoot in several places.

Not sure where to go near where you live? You can check out Flickr Groups like Urban Decay or Abandoned. Another way to find good places is by looking around online for photographs taken near you and ask the photographer or figure out where they went. If you live near a downtown area of a city, you may want to take a walk around and see if there is anything interesting. Buildings are always being torn down, businesses going out of business, and houses boarded up. A quick walk around your area may reveal some unexpected sources of photos.

And now, a few notes on being safe and aware

Remember that these areas are not always the safest places to visit, so it's important to scope it out before visiting. It's a good policy to bring a friend along, just in case something should happen while you're out. If you can't find a friend, make sure to tell someone where you are going and when you should be expected back so they will know where to look and when to start worrying.

If you manage to enter a building that has been condemned, be very careful where you step. There may be broken glass on the floor and there is a chance that the floor may not be secure. Don't step on areas where the floor support may be questionable and try not to get lost in an unfamiliar area. Often older buildings contain asbestos or other hazardous materials; do not stand in drafty doors where dust may be kicked up, and be careful not to touch your face too much. By all means, wash your hands after leaving the site and before eating anything.

There may be homeless people or transients in these areas as well and it's best not to antagonize anyone else while you are out. I've found that keeping a low profile and being apologetic when confronted are the best ways to deal with any problems.

In general, be aware of your surroundings.

Make the best of the light

Most of the time, you won't be able to control the lighting where you'd like to shoot and are at the mercy of the sun. If you decide to shoot with strobes, then you will have a lot more control over the lighting on site, but you may not be able to carry and set up strobes with you. Here are some tips for the times when you can't bring strobes with you.

If you are going to rely on the sun for your source of light, you may need to take more than one trip to the same place to see what the light looks like at different times of day. If you luckily go to the site at the right time of day, then good job! Otherwise, you may have to come back earlier or later than your original visit to get the lighting just right. The most dramatic lighting may be in the late afternoon when hard light is coming in at a side angle. The area may look entirely different at different times of day, so remember to check it out more than once.

When shooting inside buildings, it's possible to see what the sun may be like on the inside just  by looking at the outside and seeing which windows are hit by the sun. You may want to take your first visit during the middle of the day just to see what everything looks like in bright sunlight before attempting to make another trip.

If the site is in a deep valley, remember that the sun will seem to set earlier while you are in there, due to the high mountains surrounding you. You may need to take travel into account as well since you may or may not want to travel in the dark.

Doing it legally. Or not.

If you see a fenced-off site where you'd like to shoot, you can try to get permission to shoot on site by emailing or calling the property manager. For places like factories that are still functioning, you may be able to shoot there on the weekends when no one is working or when there are minimal shifts.

If you are denied and you decide to shoot on site anyway (or you never got permission in the first place), you must be prepared for the consequences if you are caught trespassing by a security guard or the police. Some buildings are equipped with motion sensors that will trigger a silent alarm, while others have closed circuit video surveillance. Be careful and be aware of your surroundings. If you aren't sure if it's legal and think you might get caught, you may want to do a bit more thinking about shooting at that site.

Happy shooting!

For further inspiration:

Check out The Beauty of Urban Decay and the Urban Decay Flickr group for more inspiration!