Journal

Penthouse Suite

Matt — Sat, 26 May 2012 19:00:58 +0000

This open concept suite features a spacious living and dining area, 2 bedrooms, a private walk out patio. It is located in the heart of Detroit, within walking distance of many amenities. This great space is just one coat of paint away from being ready to move into!

If you aren't familiar with my snarky sense of humour... the above is a bit of fiction that I thought was very fitting to this space on one of the upper floors at Metropolitan Hotel.

Exit Through The Gift Shop

Matt — Fri, 25 May 2012 23:14:01 +0000

A Fresh Light

Matt — Tue, 22 May 2012 23:15:45 +0000

Those involved in urban exploration have learned to appreciate that this activity takes us to a huge variety of places; factories, hospitals, schools, theatres, churches, etc. As a result of the original purposes of these places, they tend to have very different characteristics, especially once abandoned.

This was clearly illustrated on a recent trip to a decommissioned correctional facility I explored. Since this was the first time I've ever explored a penitentiary some of these characteristics jumped out at me; beds, kitchens, cells, etc.

While I'm passionate about exploration in general, it's very refreshing to visit places that are so different from others I've been to.

Detroit Lookout

Matt — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:59:07 +0000

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of spending a weekend exploring and shooting in Detroit with Neil Ta, Bart Synowiec, Ed Serecky, Detroit Liger and others. One of the locations we'd visited was the Lee Plaza. Neil has captured the plight of this location in a recent post so I won't rehash it here. Since it was my first time there, it was interesting to juxtapose what I was hearing about what the Lee Plaza was like in the past versus what it is like today.

Broken Stairwell

Matt — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:58:16 +0000

Calm Reflections

Matt — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 17:40:36 +0000

There is something to be said for a quiet and calm abandonement. No street noise, no sound of scrappers at work. Quiet enough that you hear the occasional drop of water falling into a puddle.

So often you have to momentarily forget about photography to really experience and feel your surroundings. Yet, sometimes that moment occurs while doing something as simple as setting up the shot. Despite the frantic pace at which we were shooting here (only had about an hour) that feeling of quiet, calm, and immersion in the surroundings came upon me while setting up.

Doorways

Matt — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 17:40:01 +0000

Room 709

Matt — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 13:45:39 +0000

The sheer amount and variety of abandonments that are awaiting exploration in Detroit is simply staggering. Despite the fact that so many of the abandonements have been stripped of their original aesthetic, you can always find something worth exploring and shooting.

Bombed Out?

Matt — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 16:29:33 +0000

Visiting the multi-building complex of the Packard Motor Company was a very strange experience. The complex spans multiple city blocks and is so wide open and accessible that there is a constant flow of tourists to the site. I don't mean urban explorers, I mean plain old tourists; families with their kids, that sort of thing. The site itself is quite barren after years of scrapping. More than anything, it reminds me of images of WWII-era bombed out Europe.

If These Stairs Could Talk...

Matt — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 16:44:19 +0000

Since 1926 these stairs were used by Detroit theatre-goers who were heading to take their balcony seats. Today, they sit unused while the rest of this theatre serves as a... parking lot. Is there any doubt as to what our priorities are? To say that this threatre as it stands today is surreal... is a vast understatement.