Exploring Abandoned Industrial Buildings

Abandoned industrial buildings—like power plants, steel mills, and factories—offer some of the most compelling visuals for urban exploration and photography. These massive structures are filled with character, history, and decay, making them perfect subjects for capturing the passage of time.

Each abandoned site tells a unique story. Power plants, once vital to their communities, often retain their towering generators and control rooms, echoing the energy they once produced. Factories can still house enormous machines that dwarf anyone who stands beside them—machines that once drove the American industrial engine.

As nature slowly reclaims these forgotten spaces, the contrast between rusting steel and growing vegetation creates surreal and powerful compositions. It’s this mix of industrial might and natural decay that makes photographing abandoned industrial sites one of my favorite pursuits.

Below are images from abandoned industrial locations I’ve explored across the United States, including sites in Arizona, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.