When you don't live in the city you can call yourself a rural explorer.

Chances are you already know the first place you want to explore. There's something that catches your eye on the way home from work every day, each time you drive to visit your Mother, when you go on the backroad into the next town... There's a place out there which you'd like to stop and get a look at, if only you dared. Let's not say you need to find the time. The time is there. It's not easy to stop the car, get out with your camera and make that first step into being an urban explorer.

Or, a rural explorer, as I see it. I don't live in the city. I've lived in the city, in a small city and a range of towns around Ontario. I started exploring abandoned farm houses with my Mother and my Aunt, before I ever knew other people were doing the same thing. I didn't go looking for antiques, old hardware or anything like that. I wasn't hoping to see a ghost or wanting to get creeped out. I wanted to see a relic from the past, the old woodwork, the way the bricks had weathered and whatever mysteries might be lost, forgotten and buried under dust, debris and wild plants. The best thing I found myself was an old iron key. I still have it in my jewelry box.

The first time I explored on my own was years later. Right after I got my first digital camera. No co-incidence there. The digital camera is a wonder for anyone into exploring. Now you can take all the photos you want and not think twice about the cost of getting them developed or how many rolls of film you had packed into your purse.

The photo in this introduction is the very first house I explored, alone. Just my digital camera and me. That was the year 2006.

Don't Pass up a Great Chance to Explore

Access All Areas: A User's Guide to the Art of Urban Exploration I bought this book just after the author died. Not from falling off a building or any kind of exploring accident. I met his wife when I bought the book, at a zine fair in downtown Toronto, Ontario. I still have Access All Areas, even though I have not visited all the places he did. Mostly because I live farther north now. The book is a guide to taking a chance, some risks and visiting places mostly unknown, unseen or where you may not be welcome. I hope people continue to buy Access All Areas for all the same reasons I did years ago.

Photo taken in 2007. This house is now gone. Burned down by vandals, then demolished.

The Real Dangers of Urban Exploration

You may expect the top danger for explorers to be people. It's not!

I've been exploring, often alone, and the biggest danger I've found is from wild animals. Not that I have been attacked by wolves, raccoons, rabid squirrels... no. I've been threatened by birds and attacked by bees. I've had toads and frogs scare the pee out of me - I still think I stepped on one poor toad when I was walking through very long grass and couldn't see where my feet were stepping.

Birds can be territorial and may dive bomb you. The only solution is to tolerate it or hide. I've yet to have one actually strike me. But, the closest to do so were blackbirds (those smaller versions of crows) and hummingbirds. Don't laugh!

Bees are pretty self explanatory. Rule number 1: don't step in between the flight path of two beehives. Just don't do it. If you really must, duck down low and make sure your hair is covered. There is nothing like having a bee lost in your long, curly hair - near enough to your ear so you know you're in danger of being stung and you're not really keen on finding it with your fingers.

People will sometimes ask you what you are doing. In all but one case I have never had any trouble at all with people. They are curious. If they know something about the history of the house/ building/ location they will usually tell you about it. Volunteering all kinds of historical information. Which is great. I do like to hear it. Sometimes people want to talk more than I want to keep listening, but I do appreciate their time, their interest in the place I'm looking at and... the fact that I'm a woman and they are likely telling me all this because I don't seem like someone who would be getting into trouble, or making trouble.

Only once, I had a woman who was suspicious. But, it turned out she was the owner of the house I was photographing - it was a ruin but not abandoned. In that case I liked it for the ruined look. But, there are cases where you will find out (later hopefully) that the abandoned house you're photographing isn't actually abandoned after all. It's kind of funny, later.

Getting back to animals... watch for animal holes. You might hurt your leg if you step into one. It is a good idea not to go alone just in case you do get hurt and need help. I do not explore inside the houses, hardly ever actually. I will go inside if I'm with a group, or at least one other person. Safety in numbers, when it comes to injury or... getting caught as a trespasser.

This has not happened to me. But, it is on my mind each time I stop and get out of the car at a location I want to explore. I feel I am keeping myself out of trouble by not entering the premises. If I just walk around outside taking my photos I'm not breaking into the property. Also, I just don't feel right about entering a home this way. Most often they are pretty gutted by other explorers or people looking for hardware and such to steal and sell as vintage. So, in theory, I feel I am not trespassing, or really missing much.

I was asked to leave one location by the security people. This was a time I was not alone so that was nice for me. I had already taken the photos I wanted too. I think they left me alone to wander around for awhile before they finally approached me. But, I'm sure they would have come on the run if I had been trying to do more than take outside photos.

If you do enter any abandoned, derelict or ruined building you must know you are at risk. You can not be 100% sure about anything in that building. Even a place which does not look badly derelict can have structural damage. Don't be an idiot about exploring inside. Wear decent footwear, bring a flashlight (even in daylight). Have someone with you or at least make sure your phone is charged and with you so you can call for help.

Taken outside of Barrie, Ontario. 2011.

Shipwreck on Lake Ontario, 2007.

How to Find Locations for Urban Exploring

I find places to explore by driving around and looking out the car window. These are the times it's important to have someone else driving the car. You can't navigate the car and have most of your attention focused on catching sight of weathered wood, boarded windows or a driveway overgrown with plants.

Urban Exploration Photography Tips

My new (new 2 years ago) digital camera has a great feature for urban and rural explorers, zoom. I've got 10x zoom. This makes a big difference in what I can get into a photo without having to be physically closer. You can't always get close up when there are fences, animals, and etc in the way.

Frame your photo and use the rule of thirds. I like to photograph a foreground of weeds/ wildflowers in front of a house. Sometimes I scoot down to the ground so the house appears to be on a hill. (It helps if it actually is on a bit of a rise). I like to get trees on the sides of my photos. It gives the photo a real, living edge. Then I take a photo where the house fills the frame.

Be creative, try different angles, try getting high (the roof of another building, a tree?) then get down low for a different view. Using a tripod is nice, if you have one. I did buy one but I have yet to actually take it with me.

I do have a camera strap. I always keep it on my wrist when I am using the camera. It is so easy to have some little thing trip you up and next thing you drop the camera. If you have that strap over your wrist, your camera has a much better survival rate.

Focus on details. There will be little details you miss, You will notice them once you upload the photos from your camera. As you get practice you start noticing details easier, while you are still on the site. Train your mind to look for small things, the trimmings, the cracks. There will be details which especially appeal to you of course.

Don't be stingy with your photos. Take extra. You can delete any you don't need later. Or, you might find one of your extras just happened to catch the light and the angle just right.

Try different times of day, different seasons too. Sunset adds a glow to your photos outside. Winter makes everything look mysterious and silent. You should explore night photography too, what works for taking photos in darkness. Bring a flashlight, shine it on a window and get a photo of the beam inside the house.

From 2009. Car and house in the background. Ruined by fire.

Another idea is to join Flickr. You can get a free account. Search for local groups with explorers who are already adding photos. Some of them will put directions and locations on the photos. Not everyone will. I tend to leave it ambiguous. I like to protect the places from vandals and people who just want to grab whatever they can sell. So, I am cautious about giving directions. But, that doesn't mean I hoard them all. If you can join the local group, get involved in a discussion, share any photos from old places you already have - you might find a place in the group. Try to attend when people plan an event - meeting at one site. It's a lot of fun plus you make real contacts and become someone they will share information with.

Flickr has a lot of local groups but it isn't the only source. Search online and see what you find.

Read local history. Read the news. See which buildings in your own town are historical and may be in danger of being demolished. Read about the history fo your area and see what has already been lost and what is still left.

Check real estate listings. Some places have been for sale for years, empty. Some of them are being sold due to fire or damage from something else. Some are being sold in order to be knocked down so the land can be farmed or have housing developments built over them.

On a busy road into the town, in 2008. A baby deer was also at the house when I began photographing.

UER Huge site for urban explorers. Having an active membership gives you some prestige and access to extra features. Membership is free, but donations are accepted.

Painting by Michelle Basic Hendry

Women Urban and Rural Explorers - I have met the women explorers on this list through my years of running the Flickr group: Ontario Rural Ruins. If you are a woman urban or rural explorer send me a note and I will check your links and photos and add you to the list.

Flickr: Female Urban Explorers "This group is a place for UE girls to get together to talk about our explores and experiences and a place to share our images. Let's celebrate the fact that we are female Urban Explorers....and proud of it!"

msDeKay Ontario urban and rural explorer. Lots of photos, not all locations in Ontario.

KateKnevil Ontario rural explorer. Not a lot of photos but very good photos.

Lee-Ann Licini Ontario rural and urban explorer. She also runs the Creepy Ontario group on Flickr.

The Navigator Ontario urban and rural explorer. I've actually met Carla, face to face once.

Michelle Ontario rural explorer and artist. Now moved away from Ontario and living in the US. Her paintings of rural ruins are available on her site.

Abandoned on a Lake, 2010

Take only photos; leave only footprints.

My brother has been buying, renovating and selling houses for almost 20 years here in Ontario. He began when an accident left him with a small nest egg, after lawyer and court costs. But it was something for a young man to get started in real estate buying. Luckily, he already had some connections and some second hand experience on his side. Our Mother had gotten her start in real estate a couple of years before.

The first property was one he bought jointly. He was the one doing the work, or contracting it out. Along the way he learned a lot and then a lot more. If you have no experience in real estate, house building, property management or at least home inspections, you will be surprised at how much there is involved with buying, renovating and selling a property.

There are even differences in different towns, cities, counties and of course provinces (states) and countries. If you are just starting out, thinking this is a good way to invest your own funds from a pension, or something else, do your research on the local level.

Don't Buy If..

If a house shows signs of trouble with -

• roof
• plumbing
• electric
• foundation

don't think you can buy and sell and still make good money on it. Chances are too good it will become a money pit. Even if you have friends do the work, get your materials at cost and get lucky with everything else... is it really worth going through all of that just to break even, more or less.

Structural Versus Cosmetic

The house you buy can have all kinds of cosmetic problems and still be a good choice. Cosmetic fixer uppers would be structurally sound. If the only thing you really need to fix is the street appeal of a house you are not only lucky, but you found a pretty great deal if the house is priced low for the area it's located in.

Structural problems can include anything from the foundation up to the roof. Structural problems are going to cost you money, usually a lot of it by the time you get the house done. Don't forget to figure in costs for paperwork like permits and having someone come and approve your work for building codes. Also, anything to do with the water and electric will likely need a city inspector coming out. Structure problems are expensive, detailed and take more time to finish before you can consider putting the house on the market.

Also, you must consider the cost of the original house price, factor in the money you will be putting into it and then the amount you will actually hope to get for the resale. If the math doesn't work out in your favour, don't buy the house in the first place.

Watch for Dirty Disasters

Houses which are very dirty can be cleaned up. But, find out about the history of the house. Was it owned by a hoarder, was it a rental property for a long time or was something criminal going on there? Dirt can hide a troubled past which could mean the house won't sell should your real estate person and the perspective buyers look into it.

Also, a house in distress is likely to have structural problems. They certainly are a bigger risk than a house just neglected, a little dumpy or in need of updating.

Things to Check Into Before you Buy

Be aware of market conditions in the area. Are houses selling? There is no point in buying in an area where the real estate market is stagnant.

Look into the financial aspect. Does the house have messy finances from the current owners? Are there liens on the property? Are there any legal disputes involving the house and/or property? What are you getting into if you become the next owner?

If the house is currently rented - have the tenants been notified to move? Do they have a lease? Is that going to be a messy situation you will be left with once the house is in your possession?

Does the house have construction materials which are going to require extra expense to remove and then dispose of - all at your own expense? Think asbestos as an example.

Check with the city - in rural areas a house may be in an area which is being converted from well water to city water (for example). This is a big expense which could be the reason the current owners are trying to sell the house, before the deadline for paying for the change over.

Two of the best examples of a house I'd love to live in have been in movies. Not so strange, eh? They have huge cash budgets and the staff to do all the work, planning and dreaming.

First, that house they used in the Caspar movie and second that house they used in Practical Magic. Both were gothic looking with lots of nooks, crannies and old stuff. I love old houses, especially those sad looking, run down ones you sometimes pass on an out of the way country road.

I love the old gingerbread trim, the old hardware (I found an antique key still in the lock of one house I explored) the spiral stairs, the wood work, iron work too. All of it makes me want to discover more and restore.

I am not someone who does home restoration projects. Don't get the idea I have sandpaper in one hand, a level in the other while I balance on a saw horse. Although, I would be a great fan of anyone who does all this work, I'm mostly content to watch and admire. I can appreciate the refinished furniture without inhaling the varnish and paint remover. Maybe I will get daring and make some of that rustic furniture I admire, not a lot of chemicals in that.

Anyway, for now I will keep looking at pictures and see if my next husband might be the woodworking, fix-it man of my fantasies.