At Random: Urban Exploration - Steve Duncan Photography

Stumbled across the Urban Explorers after my own early 2000 excursions through the old alleyways of Washington, D.C. taking photographs. It was a logical extension of my street photography. Since I didn't like people very much and tend to stay away from them, I decided on alleys.

Online I found this whole group of folks who have taken exploration inward to our cities instead of outward into the countryside. In that group I found Steve Duncan's amazing photos of the under world of cities. The sewers and subways. As well as the high ground of bridges and spires. This was extreme for me. I had no real interest in pursuing this sort of photographic exploration. But I thought it was cool that someone else was doing it, and doing it so damn well.

I grew up in East Orange, N.J. and remember the 1980s "Mole People" news stories of folks living underground. Many years later, I found a book, "Beneath The Neon" by Matthew O'Brien, on folks living in the underground water systems of Las Vegas.

Seems more and more folks are taking to the low (and high) ground of the city and finding another world there. A world ready for exploring. a world where few people care about, a world we take for granted everyday.

You can check out more of Steve Duncan's work here: http://www.undercity.org/

Photographs Copyrighted by Steve Duncan