There’s something very off about these empty places. We can feel it in our bones. The hairs on the back of our necks are standing on end and our guts are telling us someone’s watching us, lurking in the shadows, just out of sight. Can you feel it too, Pandas? The eeriness? The tension? The low-key anxiety? We hope it’s not just us.
Liminal spaces exist as thresholds between one place and the next. They are the ‘in-between’ spaces like empty streets, waiting rooms, hallways, stairwells, parking lots, and airports that mark a transition between your starting point and your destination. Often, they make us feel uneasy. Unsettled. Even fearful. Especially when captured through the lens of a savvy photographer. Bored Panda has curated this list of exquisite, dreamlike, liminal weirdness to share with you how bizarre some parts of our world, near and far, really are when there’s nobody but us around.
Photographer Dominic Sberna, from the United States, was kind enough to answer Bored Panda's questions about the role that lighting plays in setting the mood and tone of photos. Scroll down for the interview.
Are you ready to step across the threshold into the land where nightmares and reality mix like waves in a storm? Stay close, don’t wander off, don’t get lost, and let’s go explore. Oh, but if you do find your way back safe and sound, you might want to take a dive into our previous article about liminality right here.
This post may include affiliate links.
First Post Here, Does This Count? Clouds Over St Petersburg
According to professional photographer Dominic, lighting lies at the core of photography and plays a huge role in how the image looks and feels to us, the viewers. "Lighting can make or break a mood," he told Bored Panda.
"The tones of the image really factor in when trying to portray a specific feeling," he explained, adding that the color palettes that photographers use can wildly change how we interpret a photograph. "Cool colors typically fall unto the bleak side, whereas warm colors are more comforting," he said.
I was curious if the in-built flashes on cameras are any good. "I'll always recommend to never use an on-camera flash on a DSLR camera. The flash is powerful, but that's about it. The direction and brightness of it are extremely harsh and you should either bump up your ISO setting or use an external flash," the photography expert suggested.
Oregon Wildfires Making It Look Straight Apocalyptic
Hell
Bored Panda asked Dominic why certain photos can make us feel uneasy or even scared. In his opinion, how we feel about an image depends a lot on who we are as individuals and how we view the world.
"Anything visual is going to evoke a feeling. What that feeling is, depends on the viewer. They could remind us of something from our past or inspire us to something we have yet to achieve. I think it all connects back to our subconscious thoughts and experiences we've had as individuals," he said.
Photographer Dominic pointed out that there isn't a single, clear-cut way to use lighting and other photography techniques to create the feeling of uneasiness in a scene. You have to take each case and evaluate it individually. In other words, experimentation and adaptability are key.
"It would really come down to the specific scene and photo," he told Bored Panda. "I don't think there is a one size fits all answer for that."
Ethereal Playground. I Saw A Bunch Of Kids Playing In The Slides And They Were Barely Visible Through The Thick Fog, You Could Only Hear Their Laughter And Scurrying Footsteps
Oh No
It Is A Portal
The essence of liminal spaces is the inherent sense of transition and strangeness. These spaces are, by their design, meant for us to transition through. And it’s at the threshold, the in-between, the area where two spaces end, that bizarreness seeps through into our world from the Beyond.
According to the Aesthetics Wiki, liminal spaces combine feelings of “eeriness, nostalgia, and apprehension.” These spaces, which we pass countless times every day, can seem “sinister or uncanny” when they’re devoid of movement. When we’re alone, we can truly see how peculiar these places are… and how we’re far too small and timid to fill them up.
As the definition of liminal spaces has become broader (or, well, watered down depending on your point of view) as the idea has gained more and more traction online. As liminal spaces gain even greater meme status (i.e. popularity), they start taking on an odd nostalgic feel because they’re viewed by more and more people who find that they can relate to the aesthetic and the content of the photos.
The Pool I Work At Kind Of Creeps Me Out When We Turn Off The Lights At Close
3:15 AM
Harbor Glow
The Aesthetics Wiki notes that liminal spaces and their “mysterious allure” become linked to “the childhood memories and aesthetics of its fans, usually by invoking the cultural memory of the Millenial/Z generations.” There’s also an overlap between liminal spaces and the aesthetics of Hauntology, Traumacore, and the ‘After Hours’ movement. Though, to be fair, the latter emphasizes peace and tranquility. Quite the opposite of the uncanny low-key anxiety induced by liminal spaces.
Photos of transitionary places can look eerie by accident or by design. Depending on the time of the day when you take the photo, the same space can look lively and upbeat or dark, dreary, and remind you that the abyss stares back at you if you look at it for long enough.
Lightning, therefore, is a vital aspect of the liminal spaces aesthetic. Something else to keep in mind is that the presence of people radically changes how we feel about a certain area. We feel safer when there are other human beings around, going about their day. But take the same hallway or street when it’s abandoned and everything feels far more surreal. We start analyzing our individual relationship to the location, thinking about our surroundings far more than usual.
You Are Waiting For A Train
"The missing couple were last seen boarding a train at 11.45 on platform 15. The stationmaster has denied that there is an 11.45 train from platform 15"
Oh Yeah
The Fog Makes The Funfair On The Meadows Seem A Little Creepy
Though not present in the photos in this list, photo-editing and post-processing can also help create an atmosphere of unease. Playing around with the lightning, the shadows, the hues, can alter how we feel about the same space. Playful and cheery and quickly become dreamlike or even subtly dangerous with the flick of a few computer buttons, a handful of mouse clicks.
Dystopian
Kolmanskop Ghost Town In Namibia
This is what would happen at a typical English seaside boarding house if the carpets were never vacuumed
No Power
Some time ago, my colleague, Liucija, spoke to a couple of fans of the liminal space aesthetics about the phenomenon. According to teacher and blogger Lillie Marshall, she’s been fascinated by the idea of liminal spaces ever since she was a little kid.
“I loved thinking and writing about them. So much of our lives are spent in these in-between spaces, and yet we so often ignore them. Once you can see the importance and beauty of liminal spaces, it makes it much easier to be in the moment and enjoy the journey as much as the destination,” she told Bored Panda.
Can You Hear The Buzzing?
Yes. Yes, I can hear the buzzing. Also the sound of something wrapped in black plastic inching it's way across the floor
Are You Sure You Can't Hold It Until Morning?
The Sky Is Falling
Vegas, probably. The Venetian is like this over the 'canals' - feels very strange.
“Liminality can exist in physical space, time, and states of being, and refers to that in-between moment where you're between two things,” Lillie shared what the term means to her. “It is a sometimes uncomfortable—but extremely important—era of transformation and shifting. Often we get impatient with these transitional spaces, but they are KEY, and are beautiful and profound if you allow yourself to truly be in them and understand their magical gifts.”
Very Liminal-Looking Indoor Pool Area At The Place I'm Staying For A Vacation
I Think I Found A Level Fun Entrance
hey, who said terrifying, undead creatures don't want to have parties too?
Photo I Took Of A Quiet Street At Night
Meanwhile, tabletop RPG designer and software engineer Rob Justice opened up to Bored Panda that he’s been a fan of liminal spaces, or “the space between spaces” as he calls them, even before he’d heard of the term.
“I was looking through old pictures on my phone and realized I'd taken a few liminal space pictures myself over the years. Just places that felt unique or odd to me. It's always weird to realize you're a fan of something before you know what it is,” he said.
Beach Walk To Nowhere
Marienplatz U-Bahn Station
I Feel Like I Really Want To Be There
In Rob’s opinion, transitionary places have a “strangely powerful” effect on the human psyche. “The feeling of being between two places is an uncanny feeling, whether it's literal or psychological,” he said.
“It's stressful but there is something comforting knowing that it's temporary,” he said about transitions from two points. “I think that's where people find themselves drawn to liminal pictures. It's temporary places made permanent."
The Attic Of An Abandoned House I Visited
Day 926 Since The Pandemic Began
I've Been Going For Days Now. It Smells Like Must And Old Bedding. I Think I'm On A Ship
My Girlfriend Works In A Bingo Hall And Sent Me This
Several elderly ladies in my family loved bingo but I can't see the attraction. "Betty won £40 at bingo last night!" Yes, but how much of her pension money did she have to spend to win £40?
Market
Carlsbad Caverns National Park Snack Bar
I've been down there! It was super fun and an amazing experience! Didn't see any bats though, but gave me some good inspiration for a story!
It would be a lot better with bats. Everything is better with bats.
Load More Replies...You actually need a light jacket even in the summertime.
Load More Replies...First went there in the mid 60s. About halfway through there was a pause for a seated lecture and a demonstration of what it is like down there with the lights out. About 15 seconds. Complete darkness and silence. Returned in the 80s. They don't do that anymore.
I went in the early 90s. I could swear they did do the lights out.
Load More Replies...Almost looks like that stone snack bar this is holding the ceiling up.
I hear deep in the caves and underground there's skinwalkers and shadow people.
The bar on the right needs to be transformed into a merry-go-round with bats instead of horses
First thing I thought of was The Clangers running a snack bar on the moon.
This was so weird when I first saw it, no one told us there was an entire food court down there
Is it just me or is that rock starting to melt just a little bit? Look REAL hard. For about 10". You'll see.
Why Does It Have To End?
My Town's Library Is Under Construction, So They're Using An Old Grocery Store As The Temporary Library
Took A Ferry Tonight
The wet floor sign next to the closed table makes this worse. What made the floor wet?
The 5AM Ferry From Seattle
How Relaxing
Playground At Girlfriends' Apartment Gives Off Weird Smell
Local Town Hall
I Smell Metal And Mold
Permanently Closed
Kinda looks like when people horde all those toilet papers. Ah, the good old days.
Taken In Times Square Today, And Almost No One In Sight. Very Eerie
O-O-Oh-Omega Mart, You Have No Idea What's In Store For You
Run
Very Odd Looking Bathroom
If Someone Wondered, The Location Is Holiday Inn London Heathrow T4
This Unoperational Escalator Leading To A Black Void
My City's Governor Is Closing Our Old Mall In A Few Weeks. Went In Today And Not A Single Person Was There
Gone Shopping
The Hotel I Am Staying In Feels Like Stagnant In Time; As I Wander The Empty And Slowly Putrefying Halls I Feel As Though I Am In Limbo
Laundromat I Pass While Driving
Figure Y'all Would Like This One, A Computer Shop In My Hometown. Untouched Seemingly Since 2002
A Bowling Alley I Went To Last Night. My Girlfriend And I Were The Only Customers
Hoping This Works, 4AM At The Rec Center
I Think I'm Understanding The Meaning
Walk to the light ... keep walking to the light and don't turn back.
Hotel I Was In
I Can't Remember Which Door Is Mine, Guess I'll Have To Try Them All
Now What
This View Of The Hyatt Regency Houston At Noon On A Sunny Day
I’m So Terribly Afraid To Choose Which Way To Go. I’ve Never Seen This Writing On The Floor Before
It's Not Your Birthday
You Fell Asleep In The Bathroom Stall
You emerged to find that everything is being sold at 1969 prices and your parents haven't been born yet
This Place Was Kind Of Like A Maze
Paradise?
I Feel Like I'm Forgetting Something
The Tram In My City
a pale gentleman in a top hat sits down next to you. you say hello, but he doesn't seem to notice. confused and a bit crestfallen, you return to looking at your phone. it glows coldly like the lights. a minute later you look up, but he is gone. when the tram stops, you find yourself...ok next person, your turn! (this is called a Your Turn story, something my family does.)
Mom Is Coming To Pick Me Up, Right?
Execution Chamber In The Montana State Prison
Empty Office Space Looks Unreal
What Does This Picture Make You Feel?
Eerily Quiet In Cubicle Land
this reminded me of an incident about 20 years ago. i was a newbie at a company and i was working late, i was all alone and only the light above my desk was on. i was eating a kebab and i feel someone watching me. i turn to my left and i see a great dane beside me looking at my kebab. i slowly move it to and fro and he follows it. and as i think what should i do now? the boss lady shows up and takes him away. phew.
I Thought Y'all Would Like To See It
Employees Only
I scrolled halfway down and expected to see a mound of cigarette butts
An IKEA That's Been Cleared Of Furniture
Welcome To The Mall
Meeting in foreground: "Listen, it's simple - we just break through the pots, smash the tiles, then it's UP AND OUT! All we need is time!"
Just Took This Photo, Felt Like It Belonged Here
As Kids, Spending The Weekend With Grandma, We Would Fight Over Who Had To Sleep In The Mirror Room
"dont look into the mirror late at night" said grandma, eerily, "you may find someone looking back." I ignored her. She was an old lady, she didn't know what she was talking about. I rolled my eyes and walked back into the Mirror Room and looked in the Mirror. It was just my reflection staring back at me. No one, nothing was staring back at me. "Guess i'll have to wait a few more hours to find out if she's true" I said to myself wearily. That night, right before I went to bed, I covered the Mirror with an old blanket. "There. Now if she was true, there was no way I could see whatever she was talking about." I assured myself. I even stabilized it with duct tape and clothes pins. My eyes were getting heavy. The next thing I knew I awoke to a soft thud on the floor, followed by light shuffling. I looked around, confused. The clock on the bedside table said "3:22" I woke up in the middle of the night. Great. I looked over to where the soft thud had come from and I found the blanket on
It Looks Familiar But Also Unrecognizable
I Do Wedding Video And I Always Take Pictures Of The Empty Venues After Everyone Leaves. Extra Weirdness Courtesy Of The Broken Glass Over My Phone's Camera
I've Been Taking Pictures Like This For Years Trying To Capture An Inexpressible Feeling
Summer Camp Shut Down Because Of Covid. I Went There Every Summer. Seeing It Like This Made Me Feel As If I Phased Into Another Reality
This Entire House
Waiting For A Train That Never Comes
This was me yesterday. Half the trains in Yorkshire were cancelled or delayed due to breakdown, bad weather in Scotland or "slippery rails"
Stairway To Nothing
The Back Of A Spirit Halloween Location I Was At
Arcade In The Local Dead Mall
I Found It Eerie How The Light Cast Across The Chairs. It Was Very Intriguing Seeing A Place Intended For Hundreds Of People Filled With Just One, Me
Arrived To My Hotel. Not Many People Staying Here
Gates Of Darkness
Abandoned Thai Military Meeting Room
You've got to admire the precision of Thailand's elite Plastic Chair Regiment
The Train Leaves In 40 Minutes, Might As Well Grab A Coke
Found This At A Truck Stop
Happy Birthday, Blow Out Your Candles
We Are Gathered Here Today
My First "Liminal" Experience
Pictures From Today. Hurricane Harvey Is Definitely Taking A Toll
Come, Sit With Me
Accepts invitation, starts walking across the tiles but never gets any closer to the chairs
Floor 143
Eat
I worked in food service for 35 years, so I saw a lot of empty restaurants, before open or after close. It was always kind of weird, but special - like I had access to a secret. Now I work at a homeless shelter and I have the same thing when the shelter is closed.
Anyone Down To Grab A Slice? On Me
If you ring the service bell, someone will emerge from the darkness. It won’t be a worker, though.
The Laundromat At 10 PM
Yeah, this reminds me of the Backrooms, and the whole liminal space, slightly unsettling thingy. Here's a pic of the Backrooms! Backroom-6...5212eb.jpg
they are closing down a big-name dept. store in my town... the retail apocalypse has hit home... It was so vibrant & alive before the pandemic hit a year ago. Now nothing left but surplus empty fixtures & picked-over bargain junk nobody wants at 70% off... last day will be next Sunday. It felt creepy like people were watching when I went there yesterday.... can closed mall stores have ghosts?
Seems to me that a lot of spaces need PEOPLE to bring them alive. Also, there is a reason that lighting engineer or architects exist. Some of these spaces are creepy solely because of the lighting tones.
What about these satues protected from winter weather ? SGZ1965-61...404684.jpg
There's something very unsettling about deserted places that you're used to seeing full of people. Empty malls and schools in particular.
Yeah, this reminds me of the Backrooms, and the whole liminal space, slightly unsettling thingy. Here's a pic of the Backrooms! Backroom-6...5212eb.jpg
they are closing down a big-name dept. store in my town... the retail apocalypse has hit home... It was so vibrant & alive before the pandemic hit a year ago. Now nothing left but surplus empty fixtures & picked-over bargain junk nobody wants at 70% off... last day will be next Sunday. It felt creepy like people were watching when I went there yesterday.... can closed mall stores have ghosts?
Seems to me that a lot of spaces need PEOPLE to bring them alive. Also, there is a reason that lighting engineer or architects exist. Some of these spaces are creepy solely because of the lighting tones.
What about these satues protected from winter weather ? SGZ1965-61...404684.jpg
There's something very unsettling about deserted places that you're used to seeing full of people. Empty malls and schools in particular.