The above photo won the Best of Category for Animals in the Fiskum Art Gallery – Summer Scenes Photo Contest at UW-Whitewater today. When I explain what urbex is to some, they just can’t see how it could be more than just exploring decaying abandoned buildings. Animals are not a subject I normally photograph. Sometimes, though, these abandoned buildings become home to the surrounding fauna. When I show people this example they look like they just opened a copy of National Geographic. Then urbex seems to make a whole lot more sense. There isn’t only beauty in decay, but also beauty in the living breathing things that now call the building home.

This photo was taken in the Armour Meat Packing Plant north of East St. Louis, Illinois.