So I threw all my stuff away and drove across the country this year. Colorado is beautiful and dynamic but I can't figure out how to photograph any of this yet. I have no photos of the mountains and I don't know when I plan to take one, I've just stuck with what I know.

There aren't as many abandonments here as in New England and they're more committed to sealing them, I can only figure it relates to the transient population. Between magically obtaining a job, auto repairs, and the general malaise of moving I've found a thing or two to photograph here and there.



Torrential by Wєirdlig, on Flickr

Illinois began pouring frightening amounts of water onto the highway, I managed this shot before I compromised my own driving and nearly killed everyone.



Grand Finale by Wєirdlig, on Flickr

Perhaps a half or whole hour later, Illinois.



In the spotlight by Wєirdlig, on Flickr

Rest stop attraction: toad.



Iowa, which showed to be my favorite state, had this rad sculpture park in the middle of De Moines.

[Pappajohn Sculpture Park]


Headless by Wєirdlig, on Flickr

"Post-Balzac" by Judith Shea



Let it go to your head by Wєirdlig, on Flickr

"Nomade" by Jaume Plensa



Black and White by Wєirdlig, on Flickr


"Nomade" by Jaume Plensa



Remains by Wєirdlig, on Flickr

"Juno & Ancient Forest" by Deborah Butterfield


So yeah. That's America. I guess I was hungry and over-caffeinated for most of it, that and a car full of all your stuff makes things complicated. It took over a month to touch the camera again.




Holes by Wєirdlig, on Flickr



Ajar by Wєirdlig, on Flickr


Peephole by Wєirdlig, on Flickr

What a rad barn. Tucked between Walmart and something else horrendous.



Electric Nest Syndrome by Wєirdlig, on Flickr


Your kind ain't welcome by Wєirdlig, on Flickr


Drag by Wєirdlig, on Flickr


I found a couple sqautter houses after work one day. It seems most of the abandonments around here get recycled, so there's rarely a sense of the original family's presence. Rather a sense that things have been rebooted and lost. The chairs are a different kind of lonely.



Couldn't keep them out by Wєirdlig, on Flickr


Cracking Up by Wєirdlig, on Flickr


Pyramid by Wєirdlig, on Flickr


Food Poisoning by Wєirdlig, on Flickr

Nasty dirty places. I would see myself rather sleeping under the stars. It's strange seeing these places more like camp sites, I'm usually tempted to shout hello up staircases to be certain I'm allowed to be there.


Nomads by Wєirdlig, on Flickr


Well that's been my three months...

you moved out there for the legal weed riiiiight… LOL
I joke.

really nice photos!

I love "let it go to your head" and the related images.

all of these are nice work though.
enjoy CO. never been but I understand it beautiful.

My friend. I'm jealous of your move. Colorado has always been on a list somewhere of places I want to see. Can't wait until you get out and utilize that life capture box of yours.

Major props for doing something I've wanted to do for a while. The west is a vastly different place than New England, but I really think that both are equally amazing in their own right. I really like seeing what you've made of it so far, and I think you'll find some awesome things out there. I can't wait to see it!

BADASS COLLECTION!!!!!!!!

Posted by Speed you moved out there for the legal weed riiiiight… LOL I joke. really nice photos! I love "let it go to your head" and the related images. all of these are nice work though. enjoy CO. never been but I understand it beautiful.

Thanks much! The entire couple of months I was saying my goodbyes I was prodded about the weed thing lol. When you move to CO people will talk to you about the mountains and all that but there's always this one minute that's like you've been caught entering a dirty movie store. "We all know what you're doing there" LMAO.

Posted by randomesquephoto My friend. I'm jealous of your move. Colorado has always been on a list somewhere of places I want to see. Can't wait until you get out and utilize that life capture box of yours.

Thanks Dustin! I think once I can get my money at least back up to zero I'll be able to focus more on the things I want to do. Stress is a cage.

Posted by Baldran Major props for doing something I've wanted to do for a while. The west is a vastly different place than New England, but I really think that both are equally amazing in their own right. I really like seeing what you've made of it so far, and I think you'll find some awesome things out there. I can't wait to see it!

Thanks! It took a lot to get out here, I think the window I was able to do this through could have potentially been my only chance. I miss New England like hell, I'm not used to so much open space and everything being new. As a result one's photography has to evolve to compensate and for now I feel like that ancient fish with legs flopping onto the beach.

Posted by krush BADASS COLLECTION!!!!!!!!

Haha, thanks Krush.

Really lovely set. Have been thoroughly enjoying your work in my short time on the forum

Seems as though you are settling in nicely, certainly looks like a great voyage and as always, you keep making interesting photographs. I once spent a couple weeks in Colorado, didn't have a camera, have always regretted it. I am awaiting some epic mountain landscape shots from you my friend...you know you can do it.

Twist my head again - I love your work, weirdling.

Great shots man! What kind of film were you shooting for the stove shot? I love the colors.

Great stuff, good luck out there in Colorado.

Nice update man. Glad you were able to settle into your new location. Start your googlin' and mappin' when you have time. I'm sure there's plenty of interesting stuff out that way.

Good to hear of your journey. Your shots have improved a lot from when you began. The west is a lot different, I'd try to embrace the difference rather than lament or compare to the east. Vistas are more vast, the history is different (and shorter, in some ways), the whole culture has it's own idiosyncracies(sp?). The best parts of Colorado and the west in general are not in the abandonments, as I am sure you will find out. The natural environment has a lot more to offer, photographically, I think. If you really like old stuff, search out old native American ruins, ghost towns, desert stuff, and whatnot - much of that can be pretty interesting.

Individual responses up for grabs...

Posted by crows Really lovely set. Have been thoroughly enjoying your work in my short time on the forum

Thanks much, I'm glad you appreciate them! My last photo op got me sick so I'm glad it pays off lol.

Posted by Der_Krampus Seems as though you are settling in nicely, certainly looks like a great voyage and as always, you keep making interesting photographs. I once spent a couple weeks in Colorado, didn't have a camera, have always regretted it. I am awaiting some epic mountain landscape shots from you my friend...you know you can do it.

Thanks George, I can easily say the same with your work as well. If you ever make it out this way I'll show you the things and places I hope to photograph myself in the coming days

Posted by Tenebrae Twist my head again - I love your work, weirdling.

Thanks, you're always here saying that when I have photos lol

Posted by turtl Great shots man! What kind of film were you shooting for the stove shot? I love the colors.

Thanks! I actually work exclusively with digital but I get questions about film often for some reason. It might just be the focus on color editing, which can give some varied effects. The stove shot was B&W then I added a violet to yellow gradient layer with low opacity and did some more isolated color editing. Turned out kinda neat!

Posted by macgruder Great stuff, good luck out there in Colorado.

Thanks Steven, I'm enthusiastic to see what's beyond my typical work route once I get the time for it.

Posted by OwlsFlight Nice update man. Glad you were able to settle into your new location. Start your googlin' and mappin' when you have time. I'm sure there's plenty of interesting stuff out that way.

I've heard of ghost towns and even nearby there's a few larger places to see. So far my only ventures have literally been the places I see on the way to work. Small endeavors between chores and meals lol.

Posted by PowSkierNH Good to hear of your journey. Your shots have improved a lot from when you began. The west is a lot different, I'd try to embrace the difference rather than lament or compare to the east. Vistas are more vast, the history is different (and shorter, in some ways), the whole culture has it's own idiosyncracies(sp?). The best parts of Colorado and the west in general are not in the abandonments, as I am sure you will find out. The natural environment has a lot more to offer, photographically, I think. If you really like old stuff, search out old native American ruins, ghost towns, desert stuff, and whatnot - much of that can be pretty interesting.

Thanks for the well-thought out response! I remember we once planned to explore together when I first came here, although that never came to happen I'm very glad to find you're still here. I've learned in the past year to photograph things you don't find in vacant buildings--like sunsets, trees, shadows, and patterns. I never really thought that was something I'd break into for some reason, so I don't see how the scenescapes around me wouldn't follow that same progression. I'm not concerned with finding a new photo subject or adjusting, more I'm concerned with being able to devote my full attention to that process. Sometimes you can be so dedicated to something that it prevents you from doing it at all when the circumstances aren't right.

I was in Denver for several days, just a couple of weeks ago, and Colorado is definitely a beautiful place. Congrats on the move, and the photos are great as always!

Awesome photos! Have you hit longmont yet? A friend and I are thinking heading up there in a week or two.

Posted by Lalani I was in Denver for several days, just a couple of weeks ago, and Colorado is definitely a beautiful place. Congrats on the move, and the photos are great as always!

Thanks! Yes, everything does seem so visually dramatic and intense here in a number of ways. So far I've only experienced front range where you visited as well. I'm interested to see what driving several hours without leaving a state is like.

Posted by dashrsp Awesome photos! Have you hit longmont yet? A friend and I are thinking heading up there in a week or two.

Thank you. I attempted a few years ago when I was out here on vacation, a nice man lead me away from the building pretty early into charting the exterior. Since moving here I haven't had the motivation for a puzzle just yet, which I do interpret it to be since said experience. I suppose whether or not my view on the challenge is skewed would be a good thing to determine in the near future.

Wonderful set. You have a unique perspective that I enjoy. Lets see some more soon please.