Road to success – amazing person behind Abandoned NI

I met Beka around 16–17 years ago, when we were both studying photography at SERC in Northern Ireland. She was fascinated by abandoned buildings and, more generally, anything forgotten—left to the mercy of time and the elements. Since this type of photography was something I already knew well and enjoyed, and because I also liked exploring such places from time to time, we joined forces and managed to put together a great team for these trips: me, Beka, Robert, and Greg. Jarek also used to come along (known as “Sleeping Beauty” because he liked to oversleep and miss trips), but since he was always busy renovating something at home, he eventually dropped out of the group.

Our outings were always full of laughter and good vibes. We didn’t always manage to find something interesting or accessible, but I always considered those trips a success—because they weren’t just another day spent at home in front of the TV or wasted in some other way. It’s always better to spend time with passionate, inspiring people.

But this post isn’t really about that. It’s about Rebecca, who had dreamed for years of publishing a book – and she did it. Success! The book sold brilliantly, and the publisher wanted a second one. And there it is: Abandoned Ireland and Abandoned Ireland 2. Both are truly high-quality, with fantastic photos and compelling stories.

But the book wasn’t the end of it. Television invited Beka to take part in a programme about urbex – and that was another success. Then came photography walks in Belfast and other places across the island, which also turned out to be a great idea, attracting plenty of interest.

And that’s still not all. This time, a photography exhibition at Belfast Exposed, where visitors could view images of abandoned sites connected to Ulster Scots heritage.

It’s genuinely wonderful to see how a friend’s hard work turns into one success after another. I sincerely hope that – true to my motto: do what you love, start earning from it, and you’ll never have to work again – she will reach the point where she can leave behind the typical Monday-to-Friday routine and support herself entirely through something she truly cares about and puts her heart into.