Can you share any tips or resources for finding these amazing abandoned buildings you explore and shoot? I've always been drawn to places like that. There's something so surreal about a building that used to be a thriving business or whatever that is now silent with a draft.
I'd say it's honestly more of a mindset and a practice than anything else. I complained for years and years about how hard it was to find places around my area. I'd scour the internet and everything I'd find would have been just recently torn down, or would be inaccessible, or unsafe, etc.
For me, it really has just taken years and years of practice and persistence. I use Google Maps and pin things I find online all over the place and then I'll get out and explore and see for myself what I can find. And mindset comes into play by always keeping your eyes peeled everywhere you go. Maybe the thing you originally set out to go check out is a bust, but you might find 2-3 other things on the way just by looking around and putting yourself in an area you haven't been in before.
It's likely not very satisfying, but that'd be my high level answer. People are very protective of their locations they find, and rightly so for a variety of reasons, but you can learn to find spots on your own if you keep working at it.
There are definitely other people far more advanced than me, but I've actually been thinking about reviving my Patreon and having a new tier for photographers or individuals in general who might want help in an area like this with finding interesting locations. I've learned a LOT in the past few years and have put countless hours into learning and I'm willing to help other people, but there's a lot of time and effort involved in it all to give thoughtful and specific advice. So much depends on where you live, how far you're willing to travel, your goals, etc.
If anyone following me would be interested in some kind of one-on-one support with things like location scouting I'd love to hear from you and I can prioritize making it happen asap!
