Some of you may know that I enjoy a questionable pastime of Urban Exploration Photography. It involves photographing abandoned buildings and locations. I have been fortunate to meet and become close friends with a group of like minded photographers in the Pittsburgh area. Our tight knit group is in it for the images, keeping our (literal) trespasses limited to footprints (and tripod prints) in the places that we visit and document. I’ve always been of the mind that these places that have been left behind have stories to tell, but no storytellers. There are several feelings in me that drive me to visit such places. One is a sense of adventure, the thrill of being somewhere that is just on the other side of a wall on a well traveled path.  Another is at the core of what being a photographer means to me. My job, my drive, and my passion is to see. I see and capture what I see. I preserve moments.

While out exploring a new location with a “partner in crime”, we heard a lot of pounding from the direction of the spot we entered the building. Immediately we go into panic mode, processing how to deal with whatever was about to happen. Getting caught is always a concern. This feeling was worse. We were being boarded in.

The next few minutes were in slow motion as we packed our gear and headed to the exit. By the time we got there, our jailers had departed. Fortunately,  they did a poor job and I was able to wrestle a hastily pounded nail out of the wall and we made our way to freedom. We get a good chuckle out of it now, but at the time, the intensity of the “oh, shit” was very real. Would I do it again? Of course. The experience of the location and the images that I was able to capture made it completely worthwhile for me. Oh, and of course, it was April 1st.