Opinion Piece: Why you shouldn't post photos publicly
Here's my take on a few reasons why photos of high profile locations should not be posted publicly.
They gather too much attention from the wrong people.
This one is obvious. Posting publicly accessible photos lets ANYONE see them. This will include vandals, artists, other explorers who won’t respect the location and potentially law enforcement. When there’s a slow news day a journalist will grab your photo and put it in the newspaper or on their blog. That is not the audience you intended when you posted your photos. When someone falls off a crane or a building burns down, the journalists will do the same thing, and then law enforcement will dig up your hosting records and pay you a visit. It’s happened before.
It encourages others.
Once photos of a location go online it sets a precedent that it’s ok. This is the most common excuse I hear from people; “But so-and-so has photos up!” You might be surgically precise to not give away the location, or to use misleading tags, or even photograph it in a way that you can’t tell what it is, and that’s great. You have no control over the guy who sees your photo and says “Well if he can put his up then I will too!”
I’ve been strongly against posting photos for the past few years and when I saw photos of a certain bridge go online this week after years of secrecy, my first reaction was “Well f*** it, why can’t I put mine up now, too?” It’s human nature to be competitive and exploring provides a good battlefield for it, if you let it.
Not only does it encourage others to post photos, but it encourages others to gain access. Sure you might have delicately picked a lock and cartwheeled over the laser beams in a clean suit after slipping laxatives into the security guards coffee, but the guy who sees your photo and just has to get in there is just going to smash the f*****g window. I’ve seen more locations ruined this way than any other. Posting a photo is setting a challenge for someone else. We all know this because we all do it.
It connects people in unpredictable ways.
Social media by its nature connects people to each other. Your photo is a node that serves as a meeting place. I’ve seen two totally unconnected people meet up on a facebook photo of terminal, which was carefully taken not to give away the location or access. One person asked where it was, and another replied with the answer. Two days later they smashed up the door to get in. You can’t control that. Even if you disable comments people can repost it and ask around, perhaps swapping it for another location which leads to another problem…
Entropy Increases.
You can put information out there but you can’t take it back. Once somebody knows about a location they never forget it and there’s a very, very low probability they won’t share it with someone else. Information spreads like wildfire and the further it’s removed from the source the less careful people are with it. Your photo may seem harmless to you but it’s another hint, another incremental step towards the location being common knowledge. It’s creating a new piece of the puzzle. It’s always making the place easier to find. It will never be harder to find than when you found it, and if you found it, no matter how hard it was, it was already possible.
Locations lose their exclusivity and surprise factor.
Sure this is elitist. Why do we do this though? To get into exclusive, underground places that not many people see. Take the fan room for example – everyone’s seen photos of it now but the people who found it in the first place got to experience discovering it. I saw the photos before I went there and can say it was an underwhelming experience compared to if I found it myself. By posting photos of “prime” locations, not only are you risking the exclusivity that makes these locations extra special, but you’re also taking away the opportunity for others in the future to experience it as you have. This might all sound a bit wanky, but I’m guessing nobody here explores train station underpasses for the very reason that they aren’t exclusive. It’s part of the appeal. Don’t wreck it.
You’re not the first to be there. Don’t act like you are.
You’re never the first person to see a location unless you built it. You’re probably not the first person to photograph it either. In fact, chances are people regularly go there and have a few quiet beers while enjoying the atmosphere. This is particularly true of rooftops. Take soleil as an example. Since the crackdown on “The deadly new trend of rooftopping!!1” security patrol it regularly. While it used to be common to head up and listen to some music with a beer or two while enjoying the best view in the city, it’s just not possible anymore. This is a direct result of people posting photos on social media.
The best case scenario is nothing happens.
Seriously – when the BEST case scenario is that you get a couple of nice ego-stroking comments on a photo, why bother? Even if you don’t care about anyone else, if you don't care about the community that you happily take locations and validation from, it’s compromising your own ability to continue doing what you like doing. Especially when...
It’s too easy to keep things private.
We’re all going to keep taking photos but setting albums to private, having private forums, and using a sensible amount of discretion when it comes to choosing people to share your photos with is just too easy.
By all means prove me wrong here, but I think the only reason you would publicly post photos is if you care more about your online ego than you do about preserving the location that was preserved by those before you so that you could see it in the first place. Give to the community and it will give back to you.
Well said, some photos on this forum have made me cringe, in particular said photo of bridge that has since been sensibly removed. But was the damage done? Of course I’ve been shown locations, but first I had to earn the trust of those showing me…it’s different.
I put a "No Trespassing" sign on the fence. Now no one will enter.
+ 1Nuggs wrote:Some good points Spoz.
Well written
I remember seeing someone post photos and details (entries and so on) of St James on a public facebook page. Not even on a profile, but on a public page. While he wasn't the first, and St James is well-known enough to search it up on Google, it still annoyed me. Just made it easier for those who don't quite follow the code of urbex.
Just a harmless explorer. No need to waste taxes checking me 
Yesterday I saw a Sydney Photography based Facebook page release the exact locations of a few abandoned places, eg Dunlop Factory and a Tram shed around the suburbs close to me. Surely if your a photographer and want to visit these kinds of places, shouldn't you take it to yourself to research or even go out looking?
While I understand it is a photography page, releasing the details of places that are already littered with graffiti and extremely damaged, a public page should not release locations like that. Especially since this tram shed has heritage items, that are most likely now no better than a piece of scrap. Now that its online, its in the open for ANYONE to see, including vandals & immature teenagers. And once its online, it will be forever. Some people don't seem to understand that nowadays.
/rantover
The good that I see coming out of media exposure is those who keep doing it may get caught out.
Scarecrow of the Sydney branch of the Cave Clan.
I love looking at other peoples photos. I think it's generous and selfless of them to take the time to post them. If people didn't share their creations, be it photos or words, the internet would be a pretty boring place.
- Also, if I come across a particularly 'clean' site that was difficult to find, I'm usually keen to say I was the 'first there', mainly to let people know there are still awesome new places to be discovered if you look hard enough.
If I'm not the first to explore a place, I'm happy to be proven wrong, as I'm aware there's a good chance I'm not the first - That's why I'd post pics of it.
It's harmless. Never thought claiming 'first' would upset people :/
I think it's rediculous to say that posting photos is selfless. It's done for the same reason people post status updates on facebook, or maintain a blog.aydun wrote:I love looking at other peoples photos. I think it's generous and selfless of them to take the time to post them. If people didn't share their creations, be it photos or words, the internet would be a pretty boring place.
The key point is that sharing the photo compromises the location. Of course we all like to look at photos, but I think we, as a community, need to decide whether we like looking at photos more than experiencing the locations in person, because as recent times have proved you can sometimes only choose one.
Ironic because almost everywhere you go you see a Cave Clan / CC member tagSpoz wrote:My point about that was simply that you're probably not the first, you're just the first who values posting photos more than the integrity of the location.
I meant that to be tongue in cheek, since I had just said there's gratification to be gained from posting photos and blogging. But just because something isn't done selflessly, that doesn't necessarily make it a selfish act.Spoz wrote:I think it's rediculous to say that posting photos is selfless. It's done for the same reason people post status updates on facebook, or maintain a blog.aydun wrote:I love looking at other peoples photos. I think it's generous and selfless of them to take the time to post them. If people didn't share their creations, be it photos or words, the internet would be a pretty boring place.
No one (besides maybe Gandhi
) is entirely altruistic. Almost everything humans do, we do because it makes feel good in some way. I.e. we help an old lady cross the street. We feel proud and content that we helped someone out. Does feeling good make us selfish? No.So it's win-win. People post photos, those people feel good. Others enjoy the content from those people, and if they're like me, get excited and the itch for exploration or porcupines or whatever..
Way to miss the point, I love taking photos too. But...it's far from a win win, it's more of a win win loss to put it your way. You might be winning, but it’s not just about you. Because the next explorer who goes to see that great place you posted pics of may be confronted with a totally trashed dump that was nothing of what it was before it was widely known, or worse...increased security or even police involment. Pretty sure no one wants that - but it's happening right now, one turn of the screw at a time.aydun wrote:So it's win-win. People post photos, those people feel good. Others enjoy the content from those people, and if they're like me, get excited and the itch for exploration or porcupines or whatever..
I have hundreds and hundreds of pics and I have done my fair share of sharing online , but you'll either realise soon enough that it's not worth it to share publicly or you'll continue to so and damage the hobby I assume you adore.
In the end only you can make up your mind on that. <<<that's directed at the collective you.
As for CC tags, I don't think that has anything to do with who was where first? And as for integrity, I think Spoz was referring to places being burnt down, or severely damaged, ruined or policed. But happy to be corrected.
I put a "No Trespassing" sign on the fence. Now no one will enter.
In saying that, go on, check out my photos http://urbex.aydun.net/. Good luck finding anything that gives away locations. I understand some photos may have 'clues', but someone would need a lot of time and dedication for those clues to lead anywhere.
Seriously, you guys need to relax. These aren't your locations to protect. There's nothing wrong with people posting ambiguous pictures. (It's another thing if it's a geotagged photo of the entrance, of course
) http://obscurepieces.com/
http://lost-photons.blogspot.com.au/
I, and I'm sure many others, appreciate the 'selfishness' of these people.
(And again, impossible to look at their photos and know where they were taken)
Last edited by Aydun on 30 Jan 2014, 8:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Are you for real? I can piece together quite a few locations from those pics, they've even used their names to make it nice and easy to google, and not because I've been there either. Oh look a city from this direction....where could it be....derp.aydun wrote:If you had your way, blogs like this would cease to exist:
http://obscurepieces.com/
http://lost-photons.blogspot.com.au/
I, and I'm sure many others, appreciate the selfishness of these people.
(And again, impossible to look at their photos and know where they were taken)
Again you're missing the point, sigh. I see you're photo, then talk to bob who says, I've seen that I'll ask bill about it, then bill says oh yeah that's this place I think. Then when discussing which colour spray paint to buy (to sniff/paint on the nice old red brick or which hammer to use to get in, they all cuddle about it and marvel at their awesomeness.
Exaggeration, yes.
The real issue isn't anyone with integrity finding places, it's the other people that are the concern.
I put a "No Trespassing" sign on the fence. Now no one will enter.
Seriously, you need to not tell us what to do.aydun wrote:Seriously, you guys need to relax. These aren't your locations to protect. There's nothing wrong with people posting ambiguous pictures. (It's another thing if it's a geotagged photo of the entrance, of course
My opinion is there is something wrong with posting ambiguous pictures. It’s detailed at the top of this thread for you to read, if you care. It’s titled “opinion piece on why you shouldn’t post photos”.
They aren’t my locations or yours, but we can have the privilege of enjoying them if we play our cards right.
What you guys choose to do is obviously up to you, but I thought I’d share my experience for those who care to listen. I’m not telling you what to do.
Slightly, yeahDraper wrote:... Exaggeration, yes.
Trust me, it only seems obvious because (I'm assuming) you've been there. For anyone who doesn't know where Darkie, Exotica (sic) Aquacave or Waa are, A name is going to do little. Googling that name will usually not help either.
50 photos of Aquacave's interior aren't going to give-away an entrance.
Take the Fan room, for example; that took me months of searching. But now when I look at the fine photos by Meta, etc. I think, 'duh, that's obvious'.
What may be obvious to you and I, for anyone who hasn't been to a location, is meaningless.
Checkmate; I knew the suburb, I had seen pictures. I ended finding it out of sheer dumb luck.
The (excellent) pictures by the likes of Dsank, even one looking out the hole in the pipe, were no help.
Oh, my problem solving skills are pretty decentSpoz wrote:It's all out there if you look hard enough.
Perhaps your error is in assuming you are the explorer with the best problem solving skills.
As you said, 'if you look hard enough'. I'm sure that's a task beyond your average 12 y.o instagram user.
I think you're missing the point of what I said.
That is why UEGA does not allow sensitive details in the public forum. We are quite clear on that point. If you feel a comment or picture breaches our code - please report it.
Documenting a location, while not revealing the location is mostly harmless.
A great example: I still have no idea where the fan room is, lol
However, if the asset owner sees the pics...
Ultimately, we're all taking part in something a bit risky, merely by doing these activities - and by aligning ourselves with various groups/clans who share such info, publicly or not.
Spades
I'd hate to hurt a drain's feelingsSpoz wrote:The "first" thing is more a note about respecting the place...
Strongly disagree that what I say implies ownership.
I'd never tag a drain, as the CC does. I've never even signed one of your 'guestbooks'.
It's graff - any way you look at it.
We named a drain Nugg'ole, not because I want the cred, it just needed a name.
I recall I did "Claim UEGA territory" in my comments, but it's in jest
Still, the drain was ok with this
Spades has a good point but my argument is the celebration through photography can be done in private just as easily.