Exploring Abandoned Places with Mark O’Neill

Mark O’Neill is an English photographer known for his specialization in light painting within abandoned sites. Throughout his career, he has traveled extensively, capturing unique and unseen spaces in various countries, including Victorian tunnels in Sheffield and wartime bunkers across France and Germany.

Mark’s passion for exploration can be traced back to his childhood through cub-scouting and vacations along the coast of France, where he often unearthed buried German bunkers from the Second World War. After 15 years of dedicated photography, he transforms historic, abandoned locations into stunning artistic images.

Mark’s project Underground Spaces showcases striking images from unforgettable locations including reservoirs and sewers below London, as well as bunkers that still exist underneath the Maginot Line in France. His work also features the Grand Shaft at Dover, a remarkable 1800s triple spiral staircase designed as a defense mechanism to quickly mobilize troops, alongside the Todt Battery, constructed by German forces during World War II near Cape Gris Nez in Pas de Calais.

Among his explorations, Mark highlighted a particularly unforgettable journey to an airbase in Željava, Croatia. Here, he spent three days underground in a staggering $6 billion facility carved into Plješevica Mountain, which straddles the border between Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

“Travel is the greatest teacher, and I underestimated how much I would learn while navigating through Europe. Each journey required me to confront fears, embrace failures alongside successes, and delve into the complexities of human nature, the histories of various locations, regional politics, wildlife, and diverse landscapes,” Mark shared.

For a deeper look into Mark’s artwork, visit his official website.