Trespassing, justified or not?

Think of it as sky diving. It gets the adreniline flowing. The risk becomes the quest. If photos were really the only reason you'd research the ownership and jump through all the proper hoops to get permission.
 
Al is totally right. Also, Al, your 15mm is perfect for it, so I wanna see more abandonment photos from you :p

Going into abandoned buildings is fun, historical, peaceful, and memorable.
 
I might do that - but in this case I am afraid it would be hard getting permission. The reason being the historic significance of shock therapy, lobotomy and CIA-related LSD experiments... The latter is apparently true, some of the researchers set up a secret program without too many people knowing about it, all quite thoroughly documented the past years.

The places I have been to before did not really give me too much in terms of adrenaline, more the opposite - especially the places in Aragon felt very tranquil and peaceful.

I used to do real estate photography for a year before starting this, and believe me - some of the apartments I did was haunted by real money-ghouls that made me feel far worse than any ghost-town... Something about the stark naked reality of decay makes me feel so much more real and relaxed than in the money crazed, constantly re-decorated world of today... Cliche perhaps, but that is what I feel and want to photograph!
 
A building that has been abandoned for only twenty years can still be dangerous. One thing to consider is getting in touch with the owner, and seeing if he or she will give written permission for you to enter in exchange for signing a waiver of some sort. That way, the owner is covered in case you hurt or kill yourself, and you are covered in the event that a police officer stumbles across you breaking and entering.
 
Another source of potential help would be any sort of historical preservation group, be it a private or governmental one. If there are any preservation societies or boards in the area, contact them, tell them what you want to do, and they might be able to help pull some strings to get you in.
 
aniMal said:
What do you think? Are there degrees of trespassing, and are there artistic or moral incitements?
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Are there degrees of pregnancy? If you get injured on premises will you walk away and say "my bad?"

On the coast in California there is a gov owned place Id like to photograph where, similarly, danger zone is posted everywhere - and if not careful could fall into the sea a thousand feet below. Its a relic of WWII and probably vanish in a few years if not already. Yes, I will probably photograph it but I wont make excuses for it. If busted, I'll tell them what I just wrote here; namely, its an important relic that desreves to be photographed. And then I'll go pay the hefty fine.
 
I think that being a photographer does not give one license to trespass. If it would be wrong to break into private property to steal things in it, then it's wrong to break in just to satisfy your curiosity, and wrong because you're an artist.

If I own property, and I bother to put up signs saying "No Trespassing," and board up doors, etc, it's because I do not want you in my property. That should be a good enough reason not to do so. Trespassing anyway is basic lack of respect for the property of others.

I've got two large dogs, a central alarm system and a loaded gun. Break into my property at your own peril.
 
You dont need to break anything or take anything for there to be a trespass. There are damages from there mere entry onto the land.

"Its for the art" is not a defense to trespass.

Trespass is unlawful. Period.

This thread, in general, is full of fail. My opinion anyway.
 
MarkoKovacevic said:
But it's abandoned, and you're not breaking/taking anything. Its for the art.
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Well, do whatever you like. I do not trespass on private property that is posted. I believe a 'security guard' was mentioned. I can't speak for places outside the US, but here in the US, if a place has a security guard, it's not abandoned.

I live in Detroit. There are a lot of people who think it's nifty cool to break into old buildings and photograph the glorious decay. I have no use for those criminals or their photographs.

"Urbex" is just another word for criminal, IMHO.
 
Here in Florida you can photograph anybody or thing that you can see from public property.

Which doesn't mean that you might not get the crap beat out of you. If a cop doesn't witness the incident they'll do a "police report" and tell you to take it to the state attorney's office. They'll then tell you to sue for damages. No attorney will take the civil case without a sizeable upfront retainer, and you have to hope that the person you're sueing has the money to pay the judgement. If they own a house that they're living in it can't be seized because of Florida's homestead law.
 
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Al Kaplan said:
Here in Florida you can photograph anybody or thing that you can see from public property.
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I think the O/P was talking about putting ladder up against a building and crawling in through an open second floor window to creep around and photograph the inside. Not exactly the same as photography from public property.
 
No, it's not the same thing as the ladder/window, which is why we also have a law that allows us to respond with deadly force if we in any way feel that we might be in danger. That means that the dead guy with a camera lying on the ground next to the ladder gets to explain to the cops that he was only taking pictures.

It's been sunny, hot, and humid here! I'm getting sweat all over my cameras. And not the first hint of a breeze either!
 
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Most "Urbexers" that I know do not break into buildings - rather, they find existing entrances to the building. I personally have shot abandoned buildings, have never damaged anything, or broken in, and I really enjoy that genre of photography.
 
I'd say go for it, in the US at least. Trespassing is a very minor offense, about the same as disturbing the peace. Either one will be off your 'record' under a year if you go and request for it to be expunged.


Edit: Not talking about breaking in though, or using a ladder to obtain access. I mean more casual like o hay this building looks abandoned.. there's a way in by stepping over some rubble/pushing some debris. Then again I live in a city full of debris and rubble, it's not such a big deal, unless you're stealing copper pipes
 
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MarkoKovacevic said:
Most "Urbexers" that I know do not break into buildings - rather, they find existing entrances to the building.
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A) Not true. I live in Detroit and used to hang around with some of those guys until I found out what they did. They do break in. And some admit it. Others think that anything they do short of kicking in a door is 'not breaking in'. Tearing down a chain link fence, for example. Or just ripping up a large enough section to crawl under. Yeah, I know the Urbex guys. They break in. So do skate punks, but that's a different group of criminals.

I personally have shot abandoned buildings, have never damaged anything, or broken in, and I really enjoy that genre of photography.
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I think it's the worst thing ever. I hate the photographs, I don't see the attraction, and as far as I'm concerned, if you ignored 'no trespassing' signs to get in, you're just another petty criminal.

Just my opinion of course. Trying to be tactful whilst telling someone you think what they do is morally bankrupt and ethically reprehensible is a tad difficult. Here's a smiley for you. :D Do as you wish, but if you want opinions, mine is that Urbex people are scum.
 
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