20 Beautiful Examples of Urban Decay Photography
Urban Decay photography is the technique of photographing abandoned and rundown buildings. Usually these buildings were once home to active city dwellers in urban districts. Now they receive little more attention than the lone photographer exploring the bowels of their past grandeur.
Urban decay photography is the technique of photographing abandoned and rundown buildings. In many cases the buildings haven’t been abandoned for more than a few years. Often illegal, photographers of abandoned buildings typically bypass “no trespassing” signs to capture these spectacular shots.
sopra - first floor by Alice Sossi
The characteristic dark and somber coloring sets the mood of these once populated structures. Now they stand as mere memories of the past, luckily to have even one lone photographer wandering their halls once again.
Take a look and get inspired by 20 Beautiful Examples of Urban Decay Photography below. Also check out our recent post – How to Photograph Abandoned Places.
59660003 by Irina Souiki
Pile up by Irina Souiki
Strike by Xtreme Xplorations
beelitz by Jens Fersterra
Echoes of Avro by Mark Gagne
LOOKING OUT by METROFADER
by Ashley Estep
Growing In by WootenCreative
Abduction by Chris Smart
2009 Portfolio by Rob Dobi
Portal by Chris Smart
LOCKED WITHIN THIS DECAY by Grey Cross
untitled by Christina Tullo
mayhem in the stairwell by Irina Souiki
2009 Portfolio by Rob Dobi
Too Much to Handle by Wade Griffith
Tunnel to Nowhere by Zach Fein
2009 Portfolio by Rob Dobi
Hudson River Psychiatric Center by Rob Dobi
72 Responses to “20 Beautiful Examples of Urban Decay Photography” - Add Yours
August 14th, 2009 at 1:35 am
I like all the photo, thanks
August 14th, 2009 at 2:08 am
whilst beautiful this is dangerous work. My wife almost broke her back when the floor underneath gave way. She dropped a good 30ft while going through a rotten wood floor and landed on her back. She was assisting a friend with lighting.
please be careful
August 14th, 2009 at 2:09 am
I love the photos I dont have alot of oppertunity to get to places like this so its nice to see shots that somone else has gotten at least..
August 14th, 2009 at 2:17 am
I really like all of the above photographs. Different compositions and muted colors. However, as one of my favorites I would have to choose the photograph of the windows at the top of the landing with the beautiful arches incorporated in one central area. The windows are also arched. This could be named ” The Triumph of Arches” . Presented beautifully. Good work!
August 14th, 2009 at 2:20 am
gorgeous photos – i wish i could see the lenses that were used on each shot
August 14th, 2009 at 2:37 am
awesome pics.
August 14th, 2009 at 2:37 am
Amazing.
Look at the entire collection from Rob Dobi’s “Hudson River Psychiatric Center”. Truly amazing.
August 14th, 2009 at 2:44 am
This is a good collection. I like the looking out the door shot to a forest the best.
My own latest collection of urban decay shots, or what in Japan we call haikyo:
http://jasoncollin.org/2009/02/02/doctors-clinic-in-ruined-black-white/
August 14th, 2009 at 2:47 am
For anyone interested in this type of stuff there is a good forum at http://www.28dayslater.co.uk
While the people over there are more interested in exploring these places than photographing them, there is still some good photography to be found if you search through some of the posts.
August 14th, 2009 at 2:52 am
Nice! I really like the bowling alley and the portal one
August 14th, 2009 at 2:58 am
this is indeed a fascinating and ugly subject…there is so much beauty in these pictures that they give you pain…pain to go out and do something like this as a photo enthusiast and pain that we allow such decay in our midst – sad but true and very poignant for me..thanks darren and team for sharing these…
August 14th, 2009 at 2:59 am
I feel like I am seeing a location scout for the next SAW movie.
Awesome pictures.
August 14th, 2009 at 3:02 am
some photos were scary…something you’d see in a scary movie about a haunted house.
great collection!
August 14th, 2009 at 3:25 am
Hmmm… I hate to say it, but I am not that impressed. I have seen (and taken) many more interesting UD photos than these. Of the 20 shown here, I really only like 4 of them. But that’s just my opinion. I am sure there are a lot of people who like these a lot.
Thanks for highlighting this kind of photography.
z.
August 14th, 2009 at 3:37 am
[...] 20 Beautiful Examples of Urban Decay Photography [...]
August 14th, 2009 at 4:02 am
I love how these buildings, get their own ‘character’ with all the neglect and destruction.
Sometimes, adding the surrounding near such building can add even more to the drama/suspense- This frame was taken in an old neighborhood in Jaffa (near Tel-Aviv) – http://www.ilanbresler.com/2008/06/air-lines.html
Awesome photos here! :)
August 14th, 2009 at 4:16 am
while all beautiful, beelitz held my attention, great job
August 14th, 2009 at 4:46 am
[...] more: 20 Beautiful Examples of Urban Decay Photography Share this on del.icio.usDigg this!Post this on DiigoShare this on RedditBuzz up!Stumble upon [...]
August 14th, 2009 at 5:27 am
I’ve had the pleasure of photographing along side Irina Souiki at a number of urbex events I’ve organized in the Great Lakes area. Her photography is amazing…definitely a favourite.
August 14th, 2009 at 6:17 am
Here’s some pictures I’ve taken at these places:
http://photos.vrillusions.com/v/urban-exploration/
Been meaning to find some more places to go through but a lot of the “well known” places have been or in the progress of being demolished.
August 14th, 2009 at 7:44 am
I love these shots! I am shooting an old diary farm that has been in a family well over 100 years. The old machinery & equiptment, sheds about to tumble to the ground,lots of rusty stuff!! I have been shooting my sunrises over this property for around 13 years,but the auctions over, the clearance sale is this Sunday,so ends an bygone era!. The new owners are going to restore the old,tired home,& at this stage will be keeping the farm as a farm.It is an icon around the area,& I was worried they were going to develope the 10 acres they were allowed to of over 50 acres that sometimes flood. Sandy W
August 14th, 2009 at 9:40 am
All very great shots. I use almost all urban backgounds when I shoot models.
August 14th, 2009 at 11:16 am
Awesome stuff. Been thinking about shooting some old farmhouses. You NEED to check out this dude: http://www.simpledirty.com. Also look at http://www.davidejackson.com/blog/?p=306.
Rick
August 14th, 2009 at 11:16 am
love all the photo…
August 14th, 2009 at 12:51 pm
Stunning images! I like the subject of urban decay. These photographers have all done a marvellous work of showing the beauty of each subject.
August 14th, 2009 at 2:51 pm
phenomenal!!!!
August 14th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Great moody shots! Excellent examples of mood and atmosphere. Wonderful shots.
August 14th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
I really liked all the photos above. Each had elements and lighting that really contributed to the idea of decay, and the composition of them is superb! Great series!
August 14th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
New Orleans theme park after Katrina.
http://riomcthorne.com/2008/09/closed-for-storm-2/
August 14th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Nice collection! I’d really love to shoot some stuff like this in Pripryat, Ukraine.
August 14th, 2009 at 5:40 pm
Wow I had no idea that photographing urban decay was an art in itself! Theres plenty of it where I’m from……………I think I’ll take some shots……Thanks for the idea!!
August 14th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
more urban decay:
http://www.pbase.com/glenneroo/20060716_delikat
August 14th, 2009 at 9:02 pm
I loved the Urban Decay phoyographs. Time has created the Abxtract Images that artists struggle to achieve.
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to see them.
August 14th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
anyone else think of Fallout 3
August 14th, 2009 at 9:50 pm
Wow, absolutely amazing dude!
RT
http://www.anon-web-tools.net.tc
August 15th, 2009 at 12:41 am
Exellent series if this abandoned places. Great !
August 15th, 2009 at 1:08 am
Love em all! Makes me think about the history in those buildings, what was there, what happen. Why is it decayed. Thanks.
August 15th, 2009 at 1:27 am
Check also this http://cut-up.com/2009/08/ilovethatphoto-phil-bebbington/ and http://www.abandoned-places.com if you want more of this genre!
August 15th, 2009 at 2:10 am
Absolutely stunning photos. I especially love “portal”. Thanks for sharing :)
August 15th, 2009 at 4:11 am
Beautiful shots!
August 15th, 2009 at 8:37 am
hey! thanks! more photos of mine @
August 15th, 2009 at 11:35 am
Wait… aren’t most of those just screen caps from Fallout3?
August 16th, 2009 at 3:02 am
brilliant photos. Real sense of atmosphere, managing to show decay as something that has beauty
August 16th, 2009 at 5:38 am
A cool thing to do, these are some great photo’s, you can almost feel what it use to be like there before time pass them by. Here is my favorite, the room with a view (Portal by Chris Smart) must be fun to go out and do. I appreciate you sharing.
August 16th, 2009 at 8:07 pm
WOW.. i am really moved by these shots. who would have thought so junk would be such art.
August 17th, 2009 at 10:28 am
Beautiful Examples… This is a subject i absolutely love…. Every abandoned structure i see gives me an itch to explore it. I actually chose Urban Decay as conceptual theme for school last year. A few of the pictures are on a blog post i had to do for it (which also included a final “opposite” assignment – the opposite of urban decay would be???)
VmV Urban Decay
August 17th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
These photos are amazing. Has to be dangerous though.
August 19th, 2009 at 4:41 am
Absolutely incredible. Love the detail. Each one is a true photographic work of art. Thanks for sharing!
August 20th, 2009 at 3:51 am
[...] 20 Beautiful Examples of Urban Decay Photography [...]
August 21st, 2009 at 3:18 am
Wow. Those pictures are great. I especially like the bowling lanes.
August 22nd, 2009 at 2:02 am
[...] week I wrote a post for Digital Photography School on 20 Beautiful Examples of Urban Decay Photography featuring some of our top Imagekind artists in the field. It was such a hit that it reached the [...]
August 22nd, 2009 at 3:49 am
[...] tons of tips from professionals for all of your needs, plus pictures to inspire you (we love their top 20 Urban Decay shots, as the picture above). It’s time to take your camera out of your closet and use [...]
August 23rd, 2009 at 1:28 am
Beautiful collection! Here is my contribution, shot in Istambul, Turkey.
http://laci.blog.hu/2009/07/31/hazorzo
August 25th, 2009 at 7:35 pm
some beautiful images…
August 25th, 2009 at 8:08 pm
Northern Europe (especially Germany and Belgium) are great for urban exploration. I’ve recently visited Beelitz Heilstätten, an abandoned Sanatorium outside Berlin.
It’s a whole complex of buildings in the forest which are fascinating both historically and photographically:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/olivierburnside/sets/72157621544285104/
August 26th, 2009 at 12:42 am
[...] 11. 20 Beautiful Examples of Urban Decay [...]
August 26th, 2009 at 8:03 am
Lots of urban scenes including grunge and decay in my gallery here:
http://wprasek.com/photos/showimage.php?gal=_portfolio_colour&sub=urban&img=013
August 26th, 2009 at 12:54 pm
Some gorgeous shots there! I’m a big fan of UE, here is a set of mine from the weekend:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/disinteresting/sets/72157622003369695/
August 26th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Hey, great collection of photographs Nate.. I liked the Tunnel to Nowhere as it had successfully established the ‘depth of field’…amazing portrayal of decay in the urban scenario.. all the pictures are telling a poignant story.. they are just stunning..Great Job!!
August 28th, 2009 at 2:12 am
I’m really into these kind of photography for almost 2 years now, and i still love to do it.
It is really scary and dangerous from time to time,but i held one golden rule.
Don’t do stupid things for only a picture…
Maybe one more thing to say about these locations, leave them as they are.
Don’t take souvenirs, or destroy anything.
Just take a look at my website and enjoy…
http://www.neqo.be
Oh and i live in Belgium, it’s like UrbEx paradise!
August 29th, 2009 at 2:00 am
Anyone who looks at these pictures for the first time, will be tempted to show a few of her/his own. I am not too different. Tell me how do I share mine with the group or individual.
Liked some pics very much, but some others were OK.
September 3rd, 2009 at 3:23 pm
I was a little late to submit a photo for this entry, but better late than never right? This was taken at a fort near Cape Disappointment. I enjoyed walking through the dark hallways and finding the light.
http://teeni.smugmug.com/photos/627031931_3tp4W-S.jpg
September 5th, 2009 at 2:36 pm
Woow beautiful pictures. I like the Tunel and i like them all by the way.
September 16th, 2009 at 9:54 am
i like the photos..
September 19th, 2009 at 1:44 am
[...] 20 Beautiful Examples of Urban Decay Tags: Photography, Resources Child Photography Philippines 7 Simple Tips On Female Photography No comments currently exist for this post. Add a commentGet a Gravatar Click here to cancel reply. [...]
October 22nd, 2009 at 3:25 am
All of these photos are wonderful, I don’t now which one I like more!
I love these old, abandoned places. Whenever I discover some old, decay house/factory/building, I go inside and take photos.
I’d like to share some tips, if you don’t mind. :)
If you want to photograph abandoned places, you always need to be careful and to make sure that it’s safe. If the access is strictly forbidden, do not go inside on your own, try to find someone who can let you in, who has the approval to come inside, and go with him.
Also, if there is a possibility that something can fall on your head, or that floor boards are rotten, it’s also better not to go inside, or at least be extremely careful.
Make sure that there are no drug addicts or other problematic people inside, it’s not very pleasant if you run onto them. I don’t know if you had experiences like that, but where I live, these people usually hide inside these places in order to take drugs or alcohol. So I always make sure that there is nobody inside the house, and then I go in. I usually find a lot of broken glasses, pill bottles and syringes with needles. So, watch your step. :)
October 28th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
MetroFader is a sensational photographer. DSANKT too. Check out http://www.sleepycity.net for the worlds greatest urban decay photographer,
October 30th, 2009 at 5:36 am
[...] 20 Beautiful Examples of Urban Decay Photography [...]
November 8th, 2009 at 5:03 pm
[...] een les digitale fotografie, ditmaal over de stad in verval. Plaatsen, gebouwen meestal, die in verval zijn, kunnen mooie foto’s opleveren. AKPC_IDS += [...]
December 1st, 2009 at 1:34 am
All of these photos are wonderful, Beautiful Examples of Urban Decay
January 11th, 2010 at 11:15 am
[...] Digital Photography School on how to photograph abandoned places and 20 beautiful examples of urban decay photography. [...]
January 26th, 2010 at 8:06 pm
i found these photos amazing they really changed my life!
Leave a Reply