[romanywg]

'Beauty in Decay' features 49 photographers from 14 different countries showcasing the very best Urbex photographs from around the World.



What's the Story with Urban Exploration?
It's easy to describe what an Urban Explorer does; they infiltrate into abandoned buildings and industrial sites and explore them, often taking photographs along the way. They don't steal, vandalise or even leave graffiti behind them. In fact their code of honour is reminiscent of the rambler's way: Take only pictures, leave only footprints. It is, on the other hand, not so easy to describe the whys and wherefores.

Think back to your childhood for a moment and it all begins to make sense. Do you remember the terrifying yet seductive draw of the archetypal haunted house? Every neighbourhood and every childhood has one. At the very point we cross the border from childhood into adolescence we cross real physical borders too. It's the moment in our lives when we test the boundaries. We finally pluck up the courage to break into the haunted house and take a look around. You can probably remember your own experiences of this. And there will be at least one.

The Urban Explorer feels that we, in the comfortable and over-protected `first world' are living in an enforced and extended state of childhood. They have remembered that they are capable of having unmediated experiences of reality and they welcome the fear that may (or may not) come with those experiences. The fear itself is the gateway to go through. It's the gateway that leads for many to `wonderland'. This is the world through the looking glass that in some dark corner of every soul, we are all looking for.
The strange thing then is not that Urban Explorers exist; it's that the rest of us have forgotten that we are Urban Explorers too.

The Sunday Times Magazine:


More pics here www.flickr.com/photos/romanywg/sets/72157623509700225/

[curiousgeorge]

So this is what HDR was 'invented' for

[romanywg]

I think you're probably right George. It does help to accentuate the decay.

[Scraffer]

Any idea on when your urban book is coming out? Already pre-ordered this on amazon!

[romanywg]

This book is already out Lo Key. If you are talking about the next book it will be November.

[Daniel Silk]

This looks quality!

[Scraffer]

Damn. Just realised i got it sent to my other address. Will have to go and collect it sometime this week. Can't wait to read it!

[angel41]

Very nice. You can't beat a bit of decay.

[Scraffer]

are you on 28dayslater romanywg?

[romanywg]

Not really Lo Key. Long story but lets just say they don't like Urban Decay and graffiti together.

[Scraffer]

Yeah, i know those guys are pretty anti-graff...

[closeencounters]

looks great, congrats Romanywg, they look a little like CGI landscapes - are they all from real locations?

[romanywg]

Cheers Closeencounters, yes they do have a CGI look to them. They are all from real locations. The gas mask one was taken at Chernobyl.

[shower]

Interesting article here on urban design and the spaces of decay in the modern city...

www.aila.org.au/lapapers/conferences/2006/docs/AILA%20Journal%20Armstrong.pdf

[maadbeats]

Looks fantastic romanywg. Selling any signed copies??

[romanywg]

Thanks Maadbeats. Of coarse I will sign copies if requested. Let me know your real name or who to address it to and send £19.95 (free post in the UK) to my paypal address [e-mail] or PM me and we'll go from there.
Thanks for all the interest.
~JG~

OOps I see you are in the US. It would be expensive to ship to the US. Best to buy it on Amazon or through Gingko press and make up my signature eh

[wimpy]

Does this (or you) have any link to Beautiful/Decay mag?

[romanywg]

No links to that mag Wimpy. Hadn't actually heard of it before now.