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"Take Only Photographs, Leave Only Footprints." - Urban Explorers Creed
Sometimes it's easy to forget the things around us that were once iconic and useful. In everyday life that could include a multitude of household objects, bits and bobs, clothes, gadgets - all sorts. But in Photography - a specific aspect of Photography - people close doors and board up buildings sometimes with little or no notice. They erect a fence around that old asylum and ship everything out or they install security guards at the boundaries of an army camp. Those places get forgotten and one day there will be nobody left that will remember them. That's where Urban Exploration comes in.
I'm not telling you to go out and scale the wall of your nearest derelict hospital in the name of photography. It takes a certain kind of person (and agility!) to do that anyway, but there are many depths to Urban Exploration some which are misunderstood or overlooked. You can get those shots without trespassing, breaking in, or doing damage. In fact one of the biggest rules of the urban explorer is as I quoted above - Take only photographs, leave only footprints. The idea is to capture for the sense of preservation.
A year or so ago I would never have dreamt that I would be wandering around an abandoned hospital with my camera, finding beauty in rotten decaying things. I never thought I would be crawling around in an abandoned army camp or standing on the edge of a cliff on the Isle of Wight taking photographs of a house that was falling into the sea. If you'd asked me a year ago, if I would even consider walking down a landslip with camera in tow - I'd have laughed. manically
The point is, lots of things are there for the shooting - you don't have to take risks or put yourself in danger to be an urban explorer . In Hampshire UK, where I live - many places are so accessible you can pull up in your car, jump out and shoot something amazing... At the bottom of this article you'll find some useful links to take you to urbex forums in your country (mostly) and some awesome resources!
Some of you might not be aware that you can suggest Urban Exploration pieces for Daily Deviations - send them to FritsPlays You can also upload your own to the gallery found Here!
General Photography News
The rather fantastical kinipelahh is going on a little Hiatus for a few weeks so head over and give her some luff. This means that I would have been on my lonesome with the General Photography Galleries had the awesome Pixel-Spotlight not existed! She's stepping in to help feature Daily Deviations for General Photography so send your DD suggestions to myself and her please!
Project Educate
There are just a few days left to enter the Project Educate Photography contest on Beauty! Lots of awesome prizes to be won. Check out the rules though.
Also over at Community Week this week JamminJo has posted a Groups directory that is well worth checking out. And Echostar08 has introduced the famed Link System!
Photographers Wanted over in AshleyxBrooke's forum post. Ashley is planning to start up a Feature Friday news article and invites you to post thumbs of your work. Be sure to read the guidelines though!
Spotlight Deviant victoriaaudouard
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victoriaaudouard is one of those photographers that beautifully combines Conceptual thoughts with Surrealist techniques. Recommended by the Abstract and Surreal Community Volunteer himself victoriaaudouard is certainly an artist to keep an eye on.
Spotlight Group Urban-and-Rural
I did try finding a group with a focus of Urban Exploration but all the ones that I did find appear to be inactive - some having journals posted from back in 2010! So the spotlight this week is on Urban-and-Rural
A group with all the gallery folders that span the Urban and Rural Photography Galleries including one especially for your Urbex shots
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Don't forget to check out their latest spotlight...Member Feature with Geolio!
Photo-Journalism
Community Volunteer xbastex
There are two fantastic articles out by xbastex that explore masters of photography. Be sure to check them out and keep sending your photo-journalism DD suggestions his way.
Masters of Photography Part I
Masters of Photography Part II
Conceptual Photography
Community Volunteer DemonMathiel
A rather beautiful article has been put together by the wonderful Mathias so be sure to check out Jewels Of the Night
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Abstract And Surreal Photography
Community Volunteer DpressedSoul
A new article is out over at Abstract-and-Surreal which explores Abstract Photography - Diagonal Lines
WhoNeedsColour's monthly feature is Out!
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People & Portraits
Community Volunteers Kaz-D Pixel-Spotlight (Fashion) and DistortedSmile (Pinup and Glamour).
A beautiful article exploring Masculine Beauty was brought to my attention this week.
Street Photography
Community Volunteer StamatisGR
This week StamatisGR has reccomended a fantastic Street Photographer to keep your eye on. myraincheck has a wonderful gallery with some fine examples of the type of photography that makes street photography what it is.
There is also some useful news to share from the Street Gallery Friday night Street Specials v3.2 is out again and the LIGHTHOUSE GALLERY
by the The-Yard-Collective group is worth looking at!
Artistic Nude and Fetish
Community Volunteer Nyx-Valentine
The Wednesday Feature this week explores Artistic Nude and Fetish Portraits with Tattoos.
Mature Content
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Mature Content
Horror, Macabre and Cosplay
Community Volunteer pullingcandy
Cosplay news includes The A, B, C's of Cosplay by pullingcandy worth having a look at and joining in with suggestions! 
Horror/Macabre updates include Serenade Me, Sinister: Florence and the Machine. :bigthumb137426166:
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Deviants to check out this week
Each week several deviants will get featured whose work follows the majority of a specific theme. This week it's Black and White Photography!
kevinsaintgrey
SimonSawSunlight
lostknightkg
This Weeks Tutorial
from cweeks
A useful pdf file to help you establish Street Photography
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Useful Urban Exploration Forums:
Urbex Forum UK
Whatevers Left UK
28 days Later UK
Forbidden Places Worldwide
Derelict Places - UK
Everything Goes Quiet - Blog
Interview with `Greenie - Urban Exploration Photographer by ^ScENeYme
Sick Britain
Canada Based Urban Exploration Forum
New Zealand Forum
American Forum
Polish Site
The Community Volunteer Team - Photography
The Community Volunteer Team - Photography
General Photography: Kaz-D
(kinipelahh on hiatus see Pixel-Spotlight)
Abstract and Surreal: DpressedSoul
Animals, Plants and Nature: actonephotos and shuttermonkey
Architecture, Urban and Rural: FritsPlays
Artistic Nude and Fetish: Nyx-Valentine
Conceptual: DemonMathiel
Fashion & General Photography: Pixel-Spotlight
Horror & Macabre & Cosplay: pullingcandy
Macro: hellfirediva
Pinup and Glamour: DistortedSmile
Photo-journalism xbastex
Street: StamatisGR
Groups to Check Out
