HOW IT STARTED
This was long before Google Maps (or Google at all for that matter), pin drops, or any real sense of direction. Only a few of us even had beepers yet. Sharing exact locations in print was a huge no-no, so naturally we ignored our better judgment as teenagers tend to do and set out to be urban explorers even though we were beyond ill equipped to do so. We were a bunch of kids crammed into a tiny car, music blasting, fully convinced we were about to uncover something legendary. Years later, it became clear we usually weren't even in the right county, nevermind town during most of those excursions and on the rare occasion we did stumble onto a place by pure dumb luck, we were armed with film cameras. Real ones. Sometimes even disposable. We would load the film (hopefully correctly), take our shots, drop the rolls off to be developed, and wait, only to discover that our future museum-worthy photography was mostly crooked, blurry, or super underwhelming. Still, we dumped every dollar we had into gas and film, swearing this would be the trip where we nailed it. Big dreams. Tiny budgets. Questionable results. Zero regrets.
Although I stepped away from photography for over two decades, that teenage angst driven passion and curiosity grew up with me. What started as reckless exploration turned into a craft I now pour a ton of time into and is now seen through a lens with more clarity and intention. Sure, the spots are still not always easy to access, occasionally lands me in some less than ideal situations, and my 40 something year old body definitely has complaints my teenage one never did, but thanks to modern miracles like Google, digital cameras, ibuprofen and fellow Urbexers generous enough to share their knowledge, these places are far easier to at least locate and allow the opportunity to preserve with pictures than they ever were back then.
These buildings have lived more than full lives. They have seen things. In many cases, horrible things, only to be left neglected, abused, weathered, and reclaimed as nature slowly and persistently tries to take back her land. As a proud Jersey native, I approach each location with respect for the place and it's history. My goal is to honor and remember these spaces and the history within them, keeping their stories alive long after the last wall falls and the tragic beauty finally fades back into the earth or let's be honest, become brand new condos or townhouses. Until then, I will keep exploring and documenting them every chance I get.
CHECK OUT MY WORK IN PERSON!
Where it's been and where it's going
april 9-12, 2026
Represented by Perseus Gallery
new hangs monthly
MAY 1-29, 2026
artist closeup
magazine
Issue #43
AUGUST 15, 2026
6-10pm
Tribeca - Mriya Gallery
101 Reade St
New York, NY 10013
september 5, 2026
3-10pm
327 West 36th Street
New York, NY 10018
october 10, 2026
6-10PM
Tribeca - Mriya Gallery
101 Reade St
New York, NY 10013
NOVEMBER 5, 2026
Abandoned Haunts & Curious Trappings
90 Main Street
Northport, NY 11768
What is Urbex?
Urbex, short for urban exploration, is about seeking out abandoned places the world has quietly moved on from and paying attention to what remains and feels forgotten. It is cool in the way exploring always is. Unscripted, unpolished, and more than a little humbling. It looks cool because it is cool, but it is also inconvenient, uncomfortable, and mildly judgmental of your cardio condition. Urbex asks for patience, awareness, and a respect for spaces that have outlived their original purpose and often grim history. With peeling lead paint, mystery dust on a whole new level, health hazards, questionable structural integrity, awkward angles, and the acute awareness that modern buildings have become lazy. You have to walk (often far distances through terrain that feels impossible), climb, crouch and always be ready to adapt. There is no room to be without constant situational awareness. You read a room or building the way others read maps.
You do not simply show up and collect content. You earn it.
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Renee Spencer - Spenceless Photos - Urbex Photography of NJ, NY and NYC
