64ÌåÓý

We want to put the spotlight on 64ÌåÓýphotographer Roman Robroek who found his passion for urban photography and capturing abandoned locations.

Here’s his insight into the world of photography.

CG: Tell us the story behind your most difficult photograph.

RR: One of the most difficult things I’ve photographed is the abandoned Holiday Inn Hotel in Beirut, Lebanon. Difficulty in my area of photography can mean multiple things. It can be the physical condition of the building, the access to the building, and the presence (or absence) of natural light. In the case of the Holiday Inn Hotel in Beirut, it was acquiring the necessary access to photograph the interior of the building.

Today, the building is still owned by two separate entities, and one of the main reasons why the structure still sits in disarray is the fact that there is a disagreement as to the fate of the building. One of the owners wants to renovate the building, while the other wishes to demolish it and start from the ground up with a new, modern tower. To this day, the area is considered a military zone under the strict control of the Lebanese Army, which restricts access to civilians.

Every entity, including the army, must give permission to enter the building under the strict guidance of the army. Acquiring that permission was a very complicated and lengthy process. Thanks to the help of a local NGO (), permission was eventually granted on the last possible day.

CG: Have you always taken imagery of abandoned locations? And where did it all start?

RR: It was 11 years ago when I found myself interested in abandoned buildings. I was desperately looking for a hobby or something to spend my free time on, and I made a list of things I was interested in. History, writing, creativity, and traveling were among those things.

One day, I was driving in Germany with a friend, and I was sharing some of my thoughts with him regarding this process of what to spend free time on and the things I’m interested in, and he suggested I visit an abandoned stone factory close to where we were driving. The day after, I went there with my camera to see what I’d encounter, and I absolutely loved it. I started doing research on the internet and soon found that there was a small community with other people who were interested in this sort of photography and work.

That’s where it took a lift-off. I soon found more locations to visit, and since then I have never stopped exploring, photographing, and writing. In the past years, I’ve mainly focused on taking imagery of abandoned locations. However, since a few months ago, I’ve been combining this with aerial photography of abandoned locations (check on Instagram) and nature, and I’ll also be taking a lot more landscape photographs from the ground starting next year.

CG: What motivates you to keep on making images and being creative?

RR: I believe abandoned places can offer a unique glimpse into the past. A source of reflection, perhaps, as they prompt us to think about the future. If an abandoned church, castle, farm, hospital, or anything else, that was once the most important haven in the community or family can become a pile of ruins, what does that say about what we hold certain today?

These are the traces of the past of many communities and families, and if we follow them, we can see where we all came from and perhaps where we’re going. It might be that my photos spark something in the mind of the people that view my photos. I hope this is the case because that is my main mission and my motivation.

CG: When do you know you have a good picture?

RR: The photos I take are a reflection of an ‘as-is’ situation. We can like or dislike a photo for aesthetic reasons or even for the subject matter.

Technically speaking, if I’ve overexposed a photo and there is no data for me to work with in post-processing, I could say that that would be a bad photo. But that’s completely from a technical point of view. Other than that, I’d prefer looking at my pictures and deciding if I like or dislike what I see.

I like a photo when a story is told via the image I see, as if I could completely imagine the last thing that just happened in the room or building, I’m looking at.

CG: What advice would you give to a fellow photographer who is just starting out?

RR: Photograph scenes that you are interested in, that bring you joy, and motivate you to keep photographing. Invest in understanding your subject, for example reading up on the history of a building you’re about to photograph, to create a personal connection with it, which might inspire you to create and show a specific story with your photo. Share your photos on a platform of your choosing and ask for feedback. Don’t be afraid to put your work out there.

Check out Roman’s impressive collection here and find his website .

Have you enjoyed the contributor spotlights this year? Make sure to check in to see which 64ÌåÓýcontributor will be featured in the new year!