It’s Abandoned – The Story Behind the Shot

I’ve always been intrigued by urban exploration photography, but I’m too much of a “play by the rules” kind of guy to trespass to get a great shot. Then one day, while I was wandering the small town of Grotte on the island of Sicily, I got my opportunity to get some photos of an abandoned building without having to break any laws.

I’ll admit, I was lost. My wife and her friend were visiting someone in the city, and I tagged along because there is an incredible gluten free dessert shop. Unfortunately, it was closed, so I found myself walking the streets of a tiny town and barely being able to communicate with anyone in my broken Italian.

I speak enough to grab a cup of coffee at the bar and find a public restroom, but asking for directions is outside my capacity. So I wandered for a couple of hours before I found my way back to my wife. During that couple of hours, I got some fantastic shots. While I wish I had been carrying my camera, at least I had my phone, so this photo was shot on an iPhone 6 (just a couple of months before I upgraded). So far, it’s the only photo in the collection shot on that particular phone.

It’s Abandoned reminds me of great coffee, a small market, and a morning of wandering Sicily on foot. I wonder if this structure is even still abandoned. I practically had to lean back against some scaffolding to get the shot since they were rebuilding the home right across the little alleyway.

The full-size, non-watermarked NFT: It’s Abandoned

The Collection: Travel Photographer

My OpenSea Referral Link: OpenSea