Abandoned Photography
The 2nd time I drove cross country I stopped in New Orleans before making my way back to Philly. If you haven't been that city is absolutely amazing! But if you don't like food, art, and music then you probably wouldn't have fun there. I had just done a cross country drive with nothing more than a point and shoot and here I was in an incredibly photogenic city un prepared. It was the 1st time in a long time I felt the need for an adequate camera. It was a few years after Katrina had hit and there was still signs of her everywhere. But in all that destruction which eventually lead to decay there was a lot of beauty. To me the sight of the wreckage paralleled the vibe of the city, resilient. One thing New Orleans knows how to do is live life and I 100% respect that.
Upon making my way back to Philly I bought a new camera and immediately began exploring the streets and abandonments all over the city. Abandoned warehouses turned into abandoned schools and hospitals, Philly turned into New York, New York turned into Connecticut, New Jersey and Maryland. It had quickly become a hobby I was falling in love with. I find it funny that when I'm over seas most of my photos focus on people but when I'm at home it's the complete opposite. Privacy and space isn't something people take lightly in Philly and I'm less inclined to take photos of people in the neighborhoods I do most of my shooting in. I'm drawn to the history and colors of decay, where photos can really tell stories and speak 1000 words. I'm glad that places like these are being explored and documented by people before they are wiped off the face of the earth and forgotten about. We live in a disposable society but we must never forget how we got here.
