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Urban Exploration -- A Growing Fine Art Photography Hobby |  |
July 31, 2006
by Jonathan Haeber
jonathan.haeber@design-programs.com
Design Programs Columnist
It was November of 1793, and Philibert Aspairt was desperately searching for a way out from the underground catacombs of Paris. He never made it, and his body was found 11 years later.
Aspairt is considered to be the first documented "cataphile." Though the hobby is over two centuries old, the word is such a new concept that it is yet to be listed in Webster's Dictionary; it literally means one who is well-versed in the exploration of underground urban tunnels, drains, and -- in parts of Europe -- catacombs.
Today, they are more commonly known as infiltrators, hackers (not in the computer sense), or urban explorers. They no longer stick strictly to subterranean exploration, but now find themselves enthralled in all vestiges of the past, including industrial sites and abandoned hospitals.
There is a literal international network of urban explorers. Many of them are photographers, and some are locksmiths or rock climbers. They all have a common interest in infiltrating sites normally closed off to the public for the sheer excitement or potential for fine art photography. Most of these sites are scheduled to be demolished or have been abandoned for years.
Urban Explorers Become Fine Art Photographers
Some urban explorers have become successful fine art photographers, whose works have appeared in galleries and museums across the country. One such explorer is Julia Solis, writer of the acclaimed book, New York Underground: The Anatomy of a City.
"I really enjoy the sense of desolation in so many of these underground spaces," Solis told the San Francisco Chronicle in 2005. "It's empty and quiet and very peaceful."
Solis began her interest in urban exploration, not as a photographer, but rather as a young member of the Suicide Club in San Francisco. The Suicide Club was originally formed in 1977 by a group of adventurers who wanted to push the limits of society. The Suicide Club rappelled down skyscrapers, braved Bay Area ocean waves by holding on to chains, explored Oakland's sewers, and rode the San Francisco cable cars in the nude. The club disbanded five years later in 1982.
"It was too outrageous to go on," says 46-year-old John Law, once a member of the Suicide Club and co-founder of the newest alternative festival known as Burning Man.
The Internet Sparks Armchair Urban Exploration
Some online sites contain clandestine databases of locations ripe for urban exploration. Access to location information is given only to members with a solid reputation and who uphold the values of the group--values reminiscent of the Sierra Club, "take only photographs; leave only footprints."
Photography Schools for Urban Explorers
If you're interested in beginning a hobby in urban exploration, digital photography, or fine art photography, then you should explore a fine arts or photography program. There are also some fine photography schools located on this site that can help teach you the fundamentals photography. A little urban exploration will help round out your portfolio as you apply to these photography schools.
Sources
San Francisco Chronicle: Going Underground
Julia Solis' Site
Urban Exploration Forums and Database
About the Author
As for the modern-day urban explorers, the online Urban Exploration forum UER.ca boasts a list of 9,141 worldwide members--and that's just one of a cadre of online groups.
Jonathan Haeber is an urban explorer and photographer based in San Francisco, CA.
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