Why do you do it?

[Dystopia]

Why do I do it?

Short answer:
Im a curious little sod!

Long anwer:
Im just really interested in seeing whats inside that boarded up building or why im not allowed in this place. !

It all goes back to forbidden fruit...if it's somehow naughty/banned, it just makes it more tempting.

 

[wolfism]

I am a somewhat overweight thrillseeker who still thinks he is 20, 12 stone and invincible (at least when I have a drink in me) and I like to express this in exploration.

This sounds like an opening gambit for Explorers Anonymous.

There are probably as many reasons to explore as there are people wandering around on the face of the earth - for me it's a mix of escapism, history and challenging yourself.

 

[nantyffin]

worthwhile

Follow the road less traveled..................
Sounds very much like a book, but in this context it means just that.
The rest of the sheep will follow the crowd ( & probably find themselves at Tesco's ) and are so wrapped up in the artificial world that is being created in the new buildings. Sanitised, pasteurised & sterilised & without a soul
The interest of this visitation, photographing & appreciation of derelict places & the recording of these places is not only fascinating & engaging, but will serve as a reference point for the future population to see how proper buildings have been built along the path of life. These buildings have character & remind us of how great Great Britain used to be before the dreaded greedy property developers moved in.
Besides all that, it really is a totally absorbing pastime/hobby that can connect you with your childhood/ earlier life when things were a little less complicated & unaffected by new age crap & uncertain standards.
I don't make any photographic posts or make many comments on this site as my personal involvement is quite difficult as I live on the other side of the planet, but I have come to really appreciate the skill & dedication of all the contributors thus far.
I hope you can all continue to submit your photos & comments as, quite frankly, I get a huge buzz out of seeing your talents that are being displayed here.Long may they continue

 

[Foxylady]

The rest of the sheep will follow the crowd ( & probably find themselves at Tesco's )

Nantiffin, I loved your reply. The uncertain standards...how true that is!

 

[cogito]

I guess I do it for a number of reasons.

I've been a photographer for a few years, and you always get times when you're bored of your niche subject or looking to try something different and creative out. So I gave urbex a go.

Since starting it I became more and more interested on what was left behind on sites and why different sites were left in different states... It says a lot about a place, and the entities that owned them. It's a like little set of social footprints that say alot about a places past from a personal persective. I became more interested in places history.

Also, some places just make fcuking cool locations/backdrops for shoots... And some are just cool to go sit and chill away from the world while a city bustles around you, it's a freedom that is rarely found in this increasingly restrictive country.

 

[Bryag]

This sounds like an opening gambit for Explorers Anonymous.

Is there such a thing? Perhaps I should join. Although I will probably discover that I am in denial

 

[wolfism]

Well in a funny sense most of us already are Explorers Anonymous … or at the least we're explorers pseudonymous. And yes, if asked, we deny EVERYTHING.

 

[evo_mad]

So I like to go on adventures. I didn't even bother to document my explores until I joined sf0 (zero on the end, not 'o'), which is my other favorite hobby (website sf0.org), which if you take a look you will either get, or you won't.

Awesome site, just joined up, same username.

 

[Pincheck]

This sounds like an opening gambit for Explorers Anonymous.

There are probably as many reasons to explore as there are people wandering around on the face of the earth - for me it's a mix of escapism, history and challenging yourself.

you also missed out its a fun way to spend a day rather than sitting watching tv

 

[night crawler]

I've been takeing photo's for years then noticed I had quite a few pillboxes so started recording more then some one pointed me in this direction so I thought why should you lot have all the fun. Seriously most of what has been said above plus I like looking at old places so why not record them for others to see.

 

[spacepunk]

It's like, giving it to the man.
Rebellion, punk rock, a finger to the nation.
It's relaxing, in a tense sort of way, to be somewhere you shouldn't be.

 

[Dystopia]

This sounds like an opening gambit for Explorers Anonymous.

*Sits in the circle of plastic chairs before standing up.* I am Dystopia and I am an urban explorer.

 

[Cuban B.]

cos a like it

 

[Mimble]

For the art opportunites, I've always loved photography and strange things.
For the chance to see something that most young people just don't notice (factory in North Walsham. Was at college down the road for 3 years and none of my friends ever even noticed it existed. Having said that I had the same attitude to college...)
But mostly for the chance to be somewhere forbidden and unusual.
I guess I like the rush from "oh my god I can hear junkies"

 

[magmo]

I was doing a lot of location shooting at derelict places so then realised I was already doing it.

The places I like best are the ones where everything has just been left, if you look carefully you can almost read the story of the last day of the site, if you know what I mean.

mo

 

[tbkscott]

Well i guess most things have already been said and i have to agree with many of I got in to doing this many years ago prob mid 1994 i used to live next door to an abandoned detention centre where my dad used to work as a prison officer, in 94 it had been shut for 4 years and myself and some friends decided it would be a good idea to explore it and that was the start of it really, it has only been in the last few months/weeks i have found this site and a couple of others where with my love of photography i can share my explorations with others. My main reasons would have to be i am very nosey when it comes to closed doors or high walls i want to know why they are there and what they are consealing from view, the pictures are just a by product.

Wow i feel mush better getting that of my chest - next - and whats your name and where do you come from. i can see us all now in this big country sized circle of blue plastic chairs at UEA - Urban Explorers Anonymous, this way to existential for a hot saturday afternoon. lol I would say we all need to get out more but some how i dont think it applies here, mind you neither does staying in, unless its stay in your own homes lol. Wow we could really make some good progress here - but if someone says its because of their mother im out of here lol.

 

[Runner]

Some great replies on here!

Basically I'm a nosy sod too!

I'm into photography and history, love looking at things that were made in a time when men cared about their work and took pride it. Love mooching around thinking about the stories these places could tell and thinking "what was that for? why did they do that?" etc.

I live near a town where the council consider anything old needs ripping down and replaceing with crap with a life span of 10-15 years, so I got into taking pics for posterity. Found a few places locally and then a place that I'd passed hundreds of times and always thought "I need to be in there with a camera" got ripped down. I resolved that I'd get more serious about it and that's how I got really started.

Since then I've been in a few places I shouldn't - got chased out of one a few months back and found myself laughing like a kid again. And as others have said - there's a great buzz from it!

 

[RichardB]

I'm sure I've answered this before. In the 1970s exploring derelict buildings, as well as every other inch of the local area, was just what kids did. I never grew out of it.

 

[Urban Terrorist]

For inspiration for my stories on a post apocalypse world.

 

[marc]

For the scrap metal loots...