How I Found My Unique Urbex Photography Style
As a photographer, I have been fortunate enough to fall into my style accidentally. My style developed from my passion for exploring abandoned places and from my vision for my urbex photography.
Truthfully, the credit goes out to windows. It was the frustration of not being able to capture a scene while also including what lay beyond them that really motivated me. The proof is in my photographs, and how they have evolved over the years.
As urban explorers, we start by exploring the outside of an abandoned building. Whether we are approaching a hospital, house or even a derelict train, the surroundings are an introduction. They offer context to the story, history, even, that we are about to explore.
As I started to document the story at hand, usually when stopped by a window, I was often left with an impossible choice: take a picture of what lies in or out? I could either focus on the inside or outside of the building – and neither felt quite right.
2017
Bracketing: The End of The Impossible Choice
Bracketing is a technique that photographers use to capture the best possible photo. It involves taking several pictures of the same scene at different exposures. It drives my fellow urban explorers crazy. It is commonly used to overcome challenges such as high-contrast lighting situations where details may be lost in either shadow or highlight areas. It turned out to be the perfect technique for tackling my window issue
Most urban explorers will take one or perhaps two photos of the same scene. I take as many as 9 photos of that same scene. This can take some time - especially since these places are dark and require long exposures. So, by the time I’m done, I usually have a few pairs of my friends’ eyes staring at me, ready to continue exploring.
Bracketing and high dynamic range photography
HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography takes bracketing a step further by merging multiple exposures into a single image. This process allows for a wider range of tones and details to be captured, resulting in a final image with greater dynamic range and depth. By blending the properly exposed sections of each bracketed image, HDR photography can produce stunning results with enhanced detail and clarity across the entire scene.
The element of surprise
What I have come to really appreciate about this style of photography is the element of surprise. I don’t always use all the photographs I take of the same scene, and I don’t always know what the final result is going to be. Not until I’m done editing. There is an element of fantasy to the images that allows me to showcase exactly how I see these places.