Photography Minded

Abandoned Building Photography can be dangerous, and I in no way condone it. It is probably safer for you to stick to photographing yourself in the mirror, Myspace style. But for those enthusiasts who insist on getting dirty with abandoned building photography (and you will get FILTHY) heres a quick tutorial on what you are going to need to survive in long abaonded buildings. Remember to always keep safety first, no matter how great a shot may be, its not worth the cost of a human life.

The End Is Brewing, originally uploaded by Daniel Hellerman.

When shooting in an abandoned place always remember to pack the following:

A long sleeved THICK t-shirt, and a pair of tough jeans, not that flimsy Hollister crap! You will be rubbing up against some rusty surfaces, you want to make sure you are fully covered. A hard hat is a good idea for places that look like they could be buckling, or where there is an obvious danger of falling objects.

Wear thick shoes or boots. I can not stress the value of this. I have been in abandoned places many times and you nearly always see broken glass and discarded needles. Anything less than a thick boot is a terrible idea.

Get a painters dusk mask or better. Some buildings will have asbestos, or at least a LOT of mold. Wearing a dusk mask will help protect your lungs. If you see a sign for asbestos, I recommend not going in though. Its not worth the cancer risk.

Always go into a well ventilated building. For the same reasons above. HOWEVER, if the place has known asbestos, do not go in if there is even a slight breeze, as that will kick up a lot of the asbestos particles.

Get blue prints for the complex ahead of time if you can. It is invaluable if you get stuck to know where multiple exits are.

Scout the location first for the presence of police and security. I would bet you would rather spend $500 on a new lens, and not a trespassing violation.

That covers personal security. Below we will cover securing your camera.

Abandoned Houses, originally uploaded by Daniel Hellerman.

Always carry your camera in your bag if you are walking over anything with tricky footing. My current camera and I had quite a scare in the picture above. I had been climbing a sea of bricks and planks to get to a good location to take that picture. I had my camera around my neck, and I tripped, causing it to smash the UV cover I had on it on a sharp rock. Imagine what would have happened if I did not have the UV filter.

Carry your tripod on your back, not in your hand. You will need your hands free for climbing and safety. Always have your hands free when maneuvering around abandoned buildings.

If you see security, or think you may be getting busted, carry two memory cards. If you get caught they may make you wipe your memory card (they can not legally do it, but it is an intimidation method.) Take one or two shots on the other memory card, nothing special and then carry it with you. If the security comes, switch the cards, and if you are made to delete the photos, you won’t lose your shots from the day.

Linfield Bottling Company, originally uploaded by Daniel Hellerman.

That just about covers all the prep you need to do. In the next tutorial I will cover shooting methods and styles of Abandoned building photography. If you have any questions be sure to post them in the comment box!