This urban explorer illegally climbs skyscrapers and bridges to take photos
Feb 10, 2017
Dunja Đuđić
Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, concerts, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.
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How far would you go to take the perfect shot? Would you climb the tallest buildings around the world to take photos? The 19-year-old German photographer Andrej Ciesielski does exactly this. Other than being unsafe, this is also illegal, so he puts a lot to risk to take the breathtaking cityscapes. But is it worth it?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jrx6rbgOKb8
This young daredevil started climbing skyscrapers when he was fifteen. He says he used to be afraid of heights, and this is why he initially started doing this. He was led by the famous saying that you have to face your fear if you want to beat it – and it seems to have worked out for him. To be honest, I got sick only from looking at this video and, as I am very afraid of heights.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BQQeMA9A4-h/
It started as a way of overcoming the fear, and it turned into a dangerous passion. Andrej says he know he shouldn’t do it, but he just can’t stop. And I can get it, when adrenaline kicks you, it kicks you hard. He’s climbed all kinds of buildings, in different parts of the world: World Finance Center in Shenzen, Rainbow Bridge in Tokyo, Central Plaza in Hong Kong and Millennium Plaza Hotel in Dubai, to name a few.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BOChnVADlKE/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BPSYxHXD3Ss/
https://www.instagram.com/p/BOKEvTRj5mF/
The photos, as you can see, are really amazing. They definitely offer a different perspective to the cities where they were taken. However, Andrej may have taken his passion a little too far. In January 2016, he climbed the last-standing wonder of the seven wonders of the Ancient world: the Great Pyramid in Giza. As a result, he was banned from Egypt, as climbing is illegal without the special permit from the authorities.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BOruhN5l7MH/
Andrej also got arrested in Japan or climbing a bridge, and he spent 8 days in jail. He often chooses the places that are illegal to climb. Also, he sometimes even picks locks to get to the top, as you can see in the video.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BF9pND6OmrM/
As someone who enjoys urban exploring, I find Andrej’s photos awe-inspiring, but I don’t really like his methods. Not only it’s illegal, but he is risking his life only to take the shot – and I think it’s simply not worth it. There are better ways to get the view, the legal ways, and above all – safer ones. What do you think?
[This Guy Illegally Climbs Skyscrapers Around the World [INSIGHTS] via ISO 1200]
Dunja Đuđić
Dunja Djudjic is a multi-talented artist based in Novi Sad, Serbia. With 15 years of experience as a photographer, she specializes in capturing the beauty of nature, travel, concerts, and fine art. In addition to her photography, Dunja also expresses her creativity through writing, embroidery, and jewelry making.
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10 responses to “This urban explorer illegally climbs skyscrapers and bridges to take photos”
You’re portraying a serial trespasser with no remorse for the trouble he causes like he’s some kind of hero. No wonder photographers get hassled. If this guy took the time to get permission from property owners and permits for public spaces, and actually used appropriate safety gear, I might approve. But he is just another jerk that could very well end-up getting himself killed.
Yet, those who have gotten “permission” and all the “correct permits” and use far more “safety gear” needed to safely climb a public space who indeed have earned themselves an even higher death rate than those few who climb illegally. Look at the stats for Mount Everest! Of course that is discounting all the fracken garbage they HAD to leave on the mountain which includes many if not all the bodies of those who had fallen! Are those the Hero’s of whom we speak of and where many seem to direct their accolades? Or maybe it’s the Pro Footballer who risks head trauma and paralysis to bring his team home for the Win and the BIG money?
I applaud him. I’m a photographer myself, and believe you should do what YOU need to do in regards to the shot. That can be said about all walks of life….taking chances, and looking fear right in the face. If this man wants to put himself in harms way…that’s his God damn right. There have been thousands of images throughout history, that were from carelessness, recklessness, dangerous…what have you. We, as people are able to live part of it by seeing those images, because someone took chances. I assure you Anthony, you have enjoyed many photos throughout your life that weren’t on the up and up.
You can try to assure me all you want, but I can assure you that nobody will enjoy reading a story about a photographer getting killed to get the shot.
i like photographing stupid dead people.. do you volunteer?
Would it also be his right to fall and kill a child or adult when he lands on them?
Well, at least he’ll die doing what he loves.
next week.. “this urban explorer died in an horrible accident”.. stop promoting such jerks.
Splat! Let’s just hope that he doesn’t kill some innocent person when he falls on top of them.
Right on! Well said.
This risk taking has been completely outmoded by DJI and similar equipment. This is a wasted article here.