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Photographic perfection has grown more accessible and affordable in recent years, and with almost everyone possessing some form of camera these days, the art form is getting increasingly competitive. The search for originality and unique angles drives photographers to some of the planet’s most remote and untouched locations, in the hopes of capturing a vista never seen by human eyes or camera lenses.
We live in a modern metropolis, far removed from the rugged landscapes one often associates with the word “remote”, but a new generation of photographers have found a way to capitalize on our vibrant city and its tremendous building boom, putting themselves in precarious situations to capture breathtaking views from under-construction high-rises. Rooftopping and urban exploration have taken the photography world by storm, uncovering the dramatic and rarely seen views found both above and below street level. Whether scaling dozens of flights of stairs at construction sites, exploring abandoned properties and even descending into sewer systems, these urban explorers happily throw caution to the wind just to examine Toronto in a new way.
When it concerns scaling a condominium, few of the photographers have been invited to the sites, and how happy the developers are with all of this is a big question. We do know some developers who tweet the results though, but still, most of these shots are created while the photographer is trespassing.
With that reservation in mind, we have selected select UT Forum member “rockandrollfreak” as our UrbanToronto Photographer of the Month. Our first pick of the year is known widely as “Freaktography” in the photography and urban exploration scene, and today we are delighted to take a look at his story, his photos and what drives him to take the amazing shots he produces.
Almost two years ago, Freaktography (yet to adopt that moniker at the time) was looking for a new hobby, when in March of 2012 one of his friends told him about an old (and reportedly haunted) house in Niagara on the Lake with a very dark history. The stories piqued his interest so he did what we all would have done – researched the house online. After some digging, he came across a website devoted to the exploration and photography of abandoned places. Abandoned houses had always spurred his curiosity, and he was surprised to find a worldwide network of people who explore and photograph these locations and share the photographs and stories online – Urban Exploration. Right away, he got to work in his hometown, shooting local abandoned properties and sharing them with the community. His curiosity and ambition grew with his skill, and he had soon moved up from small derelict houses to large deserted industrial sites, abandoned hospitals, and insane asylums around the USA.
In August of 2012, Freaktography moved to Toronto after accepting a job in the downtown core. He quickly noticed a new photographic venture; rooftopping. Almost every Toronto photographer with an active presence on photo sharing websites, social media and of course UrbanToronto, has seen the famous rooftopping shots from the likes of photogs like Tom Ryaboi and Javin Lau, but few can muster up what it takes to replicate these daredevil artists. Freaktography had it in him however, so over the next several months, he familiarized himself with skyscrapers and construction sites of Toronto, nosing around job sites and paying close attention to the UrbanToronto Forums to find a way in.
On a brisk night in January 2013, Freaktography found himself dozens of storeys above downtown Toronto, overwhelmed by the incredible sense of calm and serenity above, contrasting with the action and chaos of the streets below. “I could hear conversations happening below, I could smell the food from the restaurants and I could watch as emergency helicopters took off and landed from the hospitals. I could follow the sirens of emergency vehicles as they sped through intersections. It is hard to put into words what it feels like to have the city to yourself and to enjoy this perspective known and seen by only a handful.”
After that initial experience with high-rise rooftopping, he was instantly hooked, and Freaktography has since climbed the ranks among Toronto’s well known urban explorers. Much of our on-site reporting at UrbanToronto comes in the form of high-rise construction tours, so we can certainly appreciate the exhilaration he is describing, but unlike our sanctioned tours, Freaktography finds his own way in, scales the stairs of dozens of floors, and avoids getting caught in the process.
When asked what motivates him to take these risks, he won’t hesitate in answering; “To me, roof-topping is about the thrill of the chase; the heightened sense of danger and those moments when I'm up 50, 60 or even 70 storeys above the city… and nothing else matters.”
The thrilling results of Freaktography’s work is something we always enjoy. You can stay up-to-date on Freaktography's photographic adventures by checking him out on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Instagram and his website, Freaktography.ca
We will return next month to feature another photographer from our Forum. Think you've got what it takes? Grab a camera or mobile device and get to work, then post your content in the Forum, and you just may find yourself featured in next month’s article!
