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The following pictures were taken in and on facilities that are largely unexplored or photographed. Urban exploration is often associated with the decaying interior of abandoned buildings and the soaring peaks of skyscrapers, but somewhere in between is a collection of hidden spaces that often go unnoticed. I’m drawn to the underappreciated treasures in our city partly because of the unique photo opportunities, but mostly since the adventure itself feels more like genuine exploration. To borrow the words of Ninjalicious, “urban explorers strive to actually earn their experiences, by making discoveries that allow them to get in on the secret workings of cities and structures, and to appreciate fantastic, obscure spaces that might otherwise go completely neglected…these experiences nurture a sense of wonder in the everyday spaces we inhabit or pass by that few local history books could ever hope to recreate”.

Despite having to trespass in order to take many of these photos, getting the chance to be in these environments is a privilege that I do not take lightly. These places are unique and beautiful; photographing them is in part done to preserve their beauty and honour their existence, therefore showing them the respect they deserve is crucial.

Infiltrating these facilities took countless hours of patience and a host of different strategies. Entire nights of conducting online research and scouting potential access points could be met by a locked door or a storage closet. At other times, hours of aimlessly wandering the streets and trying anything within sight led to nothing but run-ins with security and a pair of sore feet. But these unsuccessful missions are always worth it for eventually, with enough time, I always manage to find something that satisfies that urge to discover. As Captain Barbossa would say, “For certain you have to be lost to find something that cannot be found, ‘else everyone would know where it is.”

Click on an image below to open a gallery.