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BTS FESTA 2016 Profile written by you: Suga by Jimin

Translation credits to jenny-will@tumblr

As Birmingham flourishes again, an urban explorer documents what is left behind.

That first trip into the old hotel was part of the start of Namaan Fletcher’s urban exploration and photography hobby, which has since turned into his blog, What’s Left of Birmingham and popular Instagram, @alabandoned. Since then, Fletcher has documented the decay of several of Birmingham’s oldest buildings, from downtown skyscrapers and banks to factories, schools, mausoleums and Masonic temples. Sometimes he gets permission for his visits; other times, he gets lucky, finding an open window or an unlocked door. “Trespass, sure,” he says. “But it’s a gentle trespass.”

In many ways, Fletcher’s work is a photographic narrative of Birmingham’s simultaneous growth and decline, a reminder that even as Birmingham grows, parts of the city’s past are being left behind. “Some people take offense to my work and its popularity,” Fletcher says. “They want everyone to know that my work is not representative of the city as a whole. ‘Birmingham is open for business!’ they say. I guess it is, but until you start selling these condos you are making, I’m not sold.”