We recently connected with Iv Urbex and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, IV thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

With my type of hobby/aspiring profession, there are a lot of variables that come into play when attempting to document a location. Just like with anything, the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward.
So with that being said, I document the decay of vacant/abandoned buildings. I personally love documenting buildings that you can piece the history together with, whether it be old items left behind, old documents, etc. You can tell a story with your findings and it really adds another element to something being “abandoned & forgotten.”

So for one of my most riskiest places ever, some things i took into consideration was;
This place is not vandalized.
This place is beautiful.
This place is not well known.
This place has a lot of history behind it.
However,
It is not good if you are caught.
You risk jail time.
You risk getting hurt.
You risk losing everything by just simply wanting to take photos of an abandoned property.

But the content came out superb and it helped grow my name and account which in my opinion is a huge reward as i’m trying to make this my full time work.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

When it came down to trying to make a name for myself, there were a couple things i wanted to make sure i followed to a T.
Being a genuine person will take you very far in life, having people’s best interest in mind, always being professional, staying humble, asking for help, communication goes a long way when you’re trying to establish yourself in a relatively oversaturated market. (photography)
Being consistent is a HUGE aspect of your success. Change doesn’t happen without Change, so you have to be the change you’re looking for in order to achieve it.
You also have to have at least some form of self discipline to keep yourself motivated and striving for greatness.
Finally, believing in yourself is probably the utmost important thing when trying to branch out & try new things. Anything is possible.

I’m extremely proud to have the opportunity & tools available to show people what happens when buildings no longer see human activity daily. I’m extremely grateful to have met the people i have in my community who helped push me into who i am today.

I just love admiring the past & wondering what used to be, and how it came to be like this.
Nothing brings me greater joy than hearing someone compliment my work, because i genuinely strive to be the best.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

For me, the most rewarding aspect is sharing the experience i have when i photograph these places. I love being able to go places some people dream of going but will never be able to, they can live vicariously through me in a way. I feel like it just strengthens the human connection when you can just take a moment to appreciate that something that was once a thriving place with many memories, is now only a memory itself.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

To be honest, i never thought i’d get to where i am today on social media. Trying to be creative and stand out played a huge role in my blow up, as well as being as consistent as i possibly could.
My advice for you, reader, is post what YOU want to post, there is a niche for everyone and you never know how many other people enjoy the same things you do. Every job, every hobby, every passion will have haters and people who dont believe in you, but all that matters are the ones who support you!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iv.urbex?igsh=YzlhOTBqMjgzbWVh&utm_source=qr
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/profile.php?mibextid=LQQJ4d
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@ivurbex?si=D19Qf80sRCKUxOaj

Image Credits

IV.Urbex & @ZestyPlaces on insta