Gdańsk, Poland

I am a first-generation Polish-American. Though born here in the States, I lived in Poland for a few years as a kid, speak the language fluently, and know the history and culture pretty well. Most of my family is still in the old country, so visiting offers a chance not only for tourism but to … Continue reading Gdańsk, Poland

Pittsburgh Skylines

Pittsburgh lays at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers which, in turn, forms the Ohio. The heavily built-up downtown sits right at the tip of the spear of land formed by this confluence, and is surrounded by fairly hilly terrain, particularly to the south. All this means that certain vantage points around town … Continue reading Pittsburgh Skylines

Abandoned Pittsburgh

I was in Pittsburgh for a few days a couple of weeks ago. This trip was put together on short notice as other plans fell through, and, consequently our expectations were low. Indeed, we did not hit any home runs, but we found enough stuff to keep ourselves occupied. The vibe was loose, and the … Continue reading Abandoned Pittsburgh

Italy, Coda

I’ve focused on all the urbex photos from Italy in the preceding few posts. What’s left? Some of the more touristy shit, I suppose. We were in Italy, after all, a country that’s renowned for its beautiful countryside as well as its cultural attractions, and I’m not blind to those charms, however much I may … Continue reading Italy, Coda

Details and Remnants

What makes an abandoned place worth exploring? Sometimes I’ve seen photos of places that have been shuttered so recently that there isn’t much distinguishing them from active sites other than the lack of people in the shot. On the other hand, very ruined places are often so far gone that any signs of their original … Continue reading Details and Remnants

Urbex in a Garden

Living in Chicago, a fun fact to trot out is that our city, famous for its frigid winters, lies on the same latitude as balmy Rome. I had this bit of trivia in my head as I kept track of a brutal heat wave in Italy this past summer. Temperatures in Milan hovered around 100° … Continue reading Urbex in a Garden

Ceilings of Italy

I recently returned from an intense week of shootng in Italy. I’ve travelled a bit in my life so far, and I’ve also done some urbex abroad, mostly on the spur of the moment when a spot would present itself (it’s how I wound up hanging out with these guys in Tbilisi). However, this trip … Continue reading Ceilings of Italy

The Mines of Montana

One of Montana’s nicknames is “the treasure state”, a nod to its wealth of natural resources and gemstones. On this recent road trip, I got to understand just how apt this nickname was. Mining is a huge part of the state’s history and culture, and is still a major industry today. This is visible everywhere, … Continue reading The Mines of Montana