I’ve always loved looking at abandoned buildings. I remember going on long car trips with my parents and sitting in the back seat watching the scenery go by; nothing caught my attention quite like an old house with its windows boarded up and ivy threatening to consume it whole, or a broken down barn, its walls leaning off its stone foundation as though a good wind could transport it to Oz. Such sceneries inspired me to wonder who lived there, and what ultimately caused them to walk away. Even better were the houses with the front door left open. Traveling by at 60mph my nose would be pressed up against the glass, hoping for a glimpse of peeling wallpaper inside. Did it burn? Perhaps the dog got out and they ran after it, never to return.
I think for me its mostly about the history I can’t read about in a book. I can walk around somewhere like Canterbury Cathedral and think more about all the shoes that wore the floor into ruts than I pay attention to the plaques, telling me which king or queen was entombed where. That’s what imagination is for, after all. Pure inspiration.
And so yes, for these reasons I enjoy looking at photos of abandoned buildings, taken by photographers who love to go into such places. I’d seen the term “ruin porn” a few times around the internet, but it wasn’t until I discovered photographer Seph Lawless, just yesterday in fact, that I decided to look up the term and see exactly what it means.
According to Wikipedia and another article – The Psychology of Ruin Porn I found, the term “ruin porn” refers to the concept that there are photographers out there who take pictures of abandoned places without documenting the wheres, whys and hows in which the places became dilapidated, thus exploiting them much like pornography exploits its subjects. I beg to differ. And yet, can I?
The third (and final) definition in Merriam Webster’s free online dictionary – and the only one not mentioning sex specifically, is this:
3: the depiction of acts in a sensational manner so as to arouse a quick intense emotional reaction
There is definitely something to this in regards to “ruin porn.” In seeing a picture of belongings left behind in the aftermath of disaster, strong feelings indeed are provoked. There’s nothing quite like an abandoned teddy bear left in the mud to bring a tear to the eye. We tend to sympathize inasmuch as what if it happened to us? But what of an empty, abandoned house? Must we know everything about its previous owners and what kind of devastation, whether financial or physical, caused them to leave in order to sympathize with them? Is taking a picture of the structure exploiting their misery in the same way the pornographer exploits his or her human subjects, for the sake of money and lust?
It’s a tough call.
I won’t stop looking at ruin photography; it still inspires stories within me. Does that make me a pornographer? Or is this all just another case of oversensitivity?
I’d sincerely love to know your thoughts.
February 20, 2015 at 10:28 pm
I love looking at photos of abandoned building and such. A photographer whose blog I follow once photographed and old, abandoned house where the coats of the owners still hung behind the door. I don’t understand how people can just up and leave their belongings behind but then I don’t know their stories. I love that photographers can capture feelings so well.
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February 20, 2015 at 10:46 pm
Me too! It’s almost as though the spirits of the people who left are still there in some of the images. I love it!
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February 11, 2015 at 8:40 am
Hmmm, never really considered the term. Ruin Porn, Food Porn, all just modern phrases to sex up something, in these cases abandoned buildings and photographs of food, perhaps that what the terms is there for, to sex it up.
But if you like that stuff then you will love – http://www.abandoned-places.com/
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February 10, 2015 at 10:13 pm
Ooohkay.. Now when I think of all the photographs of the ruins I have taken (and have enjoyed taking in fact 😉 ) I wonder !!! But then at least I know the history of the place, even if I only explain it a little bit in my post.
I learnt a new term today Linda 🙂 Thank you
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February 10, 2015 at 6:16 pm
I don’t think of it as porn, so I’ll go with the overly sensitive. I love anbandoned farms and houses. But I do want to know more about them in the ” if walls could talk” manner. My heart aches to know who lived there, what human interaction or issues took place? And if there’s no info to be had… Yes, my imagination begins to provide it. I definitely think that’s an artistic trait, whether writing, photography, or visial art.
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February 10, 2015 at 9:33 pm
It seems to me that those who wish us to concentrate more on the “what happened” don’t appreciate the artistic value… which is confusing to me because the soul can be moved by art. It’s a conundrum to be sure. If you haven’t read the article above, you should. It’s quite interesting.
Thanks very much for your comment, Leigh. 🙂
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February 10, 2015 at 5:37 pm
Look! Look at this http://tinyurl.com/o4cwmsw I came across this article when I was, um, browsing for ruins on the internet. Unusually, you get some of the story; it makes for tragic reading.
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February 10, 2015 at 9:27 pm
Thanks very much for the link. 😀 It’s nice to know there are so many others out there who love this sort of thing. I think we do the previous occupants justice by giving their places of abode and where they might have worked such loving attention. 🙂
I appreciate your input. 🙂
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February 10, 2015 at 5:21 pm
This is a Thing?? It’s not just me?? Not sure I think of it as porn, though I do have a particular fetish for abandoned farms. They’re among my favourite thing to photograph. It’s about the stories for me too, what happened to the people, why did they leave. Don’t go away, I have a link for you….
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February 10, 2015 at 3:00 pm
Sorry, referring to the wrong link. My fault, but it won’t let me edit…
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February 10, 2015 at 2:56 pm
Very interesting! I must say I don’t get the exploitation angle. To me it’s a nudge in the ribs that everything we value will end up like these images. But the way, the link didn’t take me to an article, but I found his portfolio. Great stuff.
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February 10, 2015 at 9:22 pm
Isn’t Seph’s work great? The other link is under the word “article” in this sentence: “According to Wikipedia and another article – The Psychology of Ruin Porn…” There are some more great pictures there, as well as a further explanation on what the exploitation is all about.
It’s true, nothing lasts forever, though many places are knocked down long before they have a chance to get dilapidated.
Thanks for your comment. 🙂
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February 10, 2015 at 1:50 pm
I have never heard the term “Ruin Porn” before, not sure I really get it, but whatever. On the other hand I really understood the article you tagged. I have a strange sort of love for old, deserted, abandoned buildings and vehicles. I confess I have a rather extensive Pinterest page dedicated to abandoned sites. I believe that abandoned places and things have a story to tell, that echoes from their pasts linger with them and those that are listening can hear them.
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February 10, 2015 at 9:15 pm
I agree! They have a certain energy that those who inhabited them left behind. Please link your Pinterest page! I’d like to see it. 🙂
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February 11, 2015 at 11:58 am
Why certainly 🙂 … I hope this works: https://www.pinterest.com/greenkarma/abandoned/
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February 11, 2015 at 12:05 pm
Got it! Thanks very much, Andrea. 🙂 You’ve got some great pictures there. 😀
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February 11, 2015 at 12:11 pm
I hope to one day go on an abandoned place vacation. And take some of my own pictures.
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February 11, 2015 at 12:20 pm
That would be wonderful. 🙂
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February 10, 2015 at 1:50 pm
Interesting. I liked the connection btween photos of people and archetecture for the purpose of explotation.
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February 10, 2015 at 6:29 pm
Makes you think, doesn’t it? 🙂
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February 10, 2015 at 1:16 pm
Oh, I just love this post! It is so erotic. Ruin lust, yes indeed. Count me in. 😉
It’s an interesting debate however. People have said similar things about garage sales and estate sales. Aren’t we being a bit like vultures, gleaning so much pleasure from picking through the debree of someones life?
I’m going with overly sensitive, but not dismissing the issue entirely.
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February 10, 2015 at 6:26 pm
I think I’m leaning in the same direction as you, IB. I’ll keep my eyes open for a convincing argument that it’s exploitive, but I really don’t see it that way.
Thanks for commenting! You made me smile. 😀
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February 10, 2015 at 1:11 pm
It’s totally not actually porn. There’s a site called earth porn. They’re doing it for attention. Like when I saw your title, I totally thought you were talking about destroying porn for people. Tease.
Anyway, very cool. I would love to see things through your now functional eyes 😉
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February 10, 2015 at 6:21 pm
Ha! So have I ruined porn for you now? 😉 But yeah, it did cross my mind to think they’re doing it for attention to their cause – the cause being the reason behind the decline of the world’s finances.
My eyes are still fluctuating between bad and not-so-bad… I just got sick of not being able to communicate with my friends. 😛
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February 10, 2015 at 1:11 pm
I think they are honouring these old forgotten buildings. They ensure a longevity unencumbered by judgement of the who, what, why . . .
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February 10, 2015 at 6:13 pm
That’s a very good point, Pamela. Thanks for your input. 🙂
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February 10, 2015 at 12:49 pm
I’ve done the same, Linda…looking at old falling down houses as we drive along the highway. I want to know what happened in there, where did the people go…anyway I make up stories to myself of the history of these places. Do you do Pinterest? I have a board of these type of abandoned and ruined places. Some are actually beautiful in a weird sort of way, others just sad, or haunted looking.
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February 10, 2015 at 12:52 pm
Oooh, yes I do have Pinterest. Please comment with a link to yours and I’ll follow you.
Such places are just fascinating, aren’t they? And beautiful in their own way. You should check out the links in this post if you haven’t already. Some gorgeous images to be found. 🙂
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February 10, 2015 at 1:04 pm
I think you can find my board called Abandoned and Forsaken by clicking on it … http://pinterest.com/ghostmmnc/abandoned-and-forsaken (not sure if that automatically shows as a link or not)
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February 10, 2015 at 1:06 pm
Got it, thanks. 😀 You do have some beautiful pictures!
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February 10, 2015 at 1:11 pm
Yay, glad you found it! 🙂
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February 10, 2015 at 12:44 pm
Ruins are always mysterious, even with historical background, no one will ever know all the stories. I’d say I’m a fan as well.
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February 10, 2015 at 12:48 pm
Yay! I’m not alone. 😀 Thanks, Joey!
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February 10, 2015 at 12:41 pm
Never heard the phrase before, but I don’t really see the porn/ruin photography connection. I guess there are similarities, which you can do with just about anything. For example, cooking shows are like porn because both can bring joy/pleasure. Think that’s a stand up comedians joke, but I forgot who. Personally, I think attaching ‘porn’ to a phrase is more to get a specific reaction from people instead of a belief that the two things are connected. Mention porn in public and you get intense opinions.
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February 10, 2015 at 12:47 pm
This is true. The word “porn” gets attention. Yet there is a difference between this and cooking shows being called food porn. You should read the article I linked and see if you still agree with your above statement. It’s quite interesting, and not very long.
Thanks for your comment, Charles. 🙂
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February 10, 2015 at 1:10 pm
Somehow I didn’t see the linked area. I’ll check it out when I get a moment.
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February 10, 2015 at 6:12 pm
My links are in a darker pink. 😛
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