Click of the Wild ~ Focus: "Abandonment"
So, about year ago when we started this little Click of the Wild project, our goal was to challenge ourselves in this photography group to see the beauty in what may not be so beautiful to the untrained eye. To me, this focus is a prime example of that. Here's a bit of a story that goes along with these images. Kinda lengthy though, so if you're bored to tears already, feel free to keep scrolling.
Saturday, I had a sunrise shoot downtown Charlotte. So when I finished, it was still early in the day and obviously coming home from work, I didn't have my kids with me. I decided to take advantage of this down time and try to capture "Abandonment" (this week's cotw challenge). I've always admired abandoned houses. To me, there is an untold story in the empty spaces of a vacant old home place. You know, what was once a vibrant home with kids, and laundry and suppers...otherwise, all the daily activities that make a house a home, now is only a reminder of what it once was with it's fragile shell. The 'remains' of this house I photographed is no exception.
For years, I've past by this house while driving back and forth to work and admired this old, falling down structure. Wondering what "life" must have looked like when there was truly "life" within the walls of that old home place. No doubt, this would be the perfect time to take a closer look and try to capture it through the lens of my camera for our "Abandonment" challenge. Recently, the property has been put up for sale and when I started to pull in the driveway, I noticed it was chained off with 'no trespassing' signs. After realizing this, I drove on to the next two neighboring houses, the first one, no one was home but the second I lucked out. (Yeah, I'm nerdy like that. lol) Greeted by an Old Timer in the driveway, I introduced myself, told him what I was wanting to do and asked if he knew who the owner of the property was. He seemed tickled so to speak, to tell me that it was his nieces property and that he and his 93 year old sister (who he was visiting at the the time), actually grew up in that old run down house! They invited me in to visit and while I was talking with them, I was taken aback a little when I recognized an old heirloom photograph of a couple that was obviously taken many, many years ago. After inquiring a little more, I learned that these two, the brother and sister pair, were actually related to many of my own family members! Ended up, this kind gentlemen rode with me over to the property and before I left, I asked if I could take a picture of him to include with this story/images. He concurred and we decided the perfect place...was no other than in front of his "home".
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