Each month, a couple of photographer friends of mine organise a meeting, a gathering of young photographers, each with a different style and way taking photos coming together to share their experiences and have a nice day taking pictures.
Now I'll be honest, I've missed almost all of these meetings and the only reason why I went to this one a couple months ago, was because another appointment I had fell through, which eventually ended up being a great thing.
The day started with me missing a train and being half an hour late, and by the time I arrived at the prison, the group was already there trying to figure their way inside. Now I won't tell you where this prison is exactly, since it's private property and you shouldn't enter it without their permission.
Once inside, you could really see the why being imprisoned is not just a small matter, even in a country like The Netherlands, where many complain that prisoners are allowed luxurious like television and video games, seeing one from the inside made me realize that it truly does restrict their freedom and that it really is punishment to be locked up in these prison cells.
That of course did not stop us from exploring the place as much as we could and getting some awesome shots. The location has such great atmosphere and it's a kind of place that you can rarely visit and take pictures of in The Netherlands. Most UrBex locations around hereare either demolished really quickly or, like this prison, renovated and reused. I don't exactly know how long it will take, but the prison is scheduled to be renovated and changed into appartments, so I'm thinking of going back sometime soon to do a photoshoot before it ends up being completely impossible.
Some shots of the day: