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Rural Alberta :

Rural Alberta

WildeLifePhotography

Updated: Nov 08, 2011 4:45am PST

Round Hill : In the summer, she hides. You'd never know she was there. She's a warm feeling place, she was prosperous, and it was a good House. And they had good lives. Until she got beat up. That happened frequently after those attractive biege boxes were built where the cows used to be. The boxes came with kids n' tweens, and THEY brought the couch. Oh my! She was disgusted, and believe it or not, I swear, as I just visted the site again, the Dirty Couch of Ill Repute had been kicked out what remains of the front wall. You can see it sitting in shame outside in the first shot. She feels better now and the kids, with the Couch no longer inside, have taken their fun elsewhere. She seems to like when I visit. I caught her off guard coming so early in the spring, when she's not so completely hidden by dense vegetation. The Couch shot, the window in the Not-Wall shot were taken last summer when I found her. This property was a farm and obigatory farmhouse in Round Hill, VA. The house has to be, and what do I know, circa 1800s, mid to lates. The barns you can readily see on site, but the house, she's in no shape for company much anymore, and really couldn't be bothered. The barns in the images were the lower barns, still umbilically connected to the upper barns by a very functional, yet very ugly cinder block corridor thing. The upper barn roof and floors have completely collapsed, and aren't that interesting. Nor accessible. And if you notice, half of her is completely missing. In the chimney shot is from the rear of the structure, notice the fireplaces. There was a second story to match the other side, and from the looks of things the lower fireplace would have been the kitchen. Makes sense with the other site features (again, not that visually interesting -- think JUNK PILE.) This was the first time I discovered the outhouse, however. Was a gul dern fer piece from the house, dag gummit. I mean, in winter? Go that distance? Please. Not much remains, the masonry is being courageous but ultimately looking at a very bad day. The walls, plaster, wall slatting, are all kicked out. By them damn keeee-ids. ~Bill 4/18/2011

Round Hill

theskewedeye

In the summer, she hides. You'd never know she was there. She's a ...

Updated: Apr 18, 2011 3:01pm PST

West Virginia and Ohio - June 2010 : I knew I'd find it if I just got there. There being primarily western West virginia, and southern Ohio. The following images were taken June 2010 on a week long rambling drive to find exactly these types of places. Started out in Moundsville, WV and shot the prison located there. None of the images made it to this gallery. The former West Virginia State Penitentiary is frankly not that interesting and the images were a snorefest compared to Lorton or Eastern State. Some of the images below come from a completely abandoned town I ran across in Ohio somewhere. The entire main street, the houses, the church, everything - overgrown and long forgotten. EeeeekaLICIOUS! So... as usual, please enjoy the Skewed views of my summer vacation. ~Bill 6/11/10

West Virginia and Ohio - June 2010

theskewedeye

I knew I'd find it if I just got there. There being primarily wester ...

Updated: Jun 11, 2010 7:43pm PST

Route 29 : As always, I sat in front of the computer and started to just look at the maps, and as I did, it became clear to me where I had to go. The gentle tugging, the almost imperceptible whisper said, "Route 29 south. And EXPLORE, hon, go where you feeeeeeel it." The Voice didn't have to tell me twice, I was gone and on my way. And, as always, paydirt. Not much quantity, be lordaMERCY, Percy, the quality was there. If you can call this quality. Below are images from the drive 'down 29'. They are presented here with the usual Skew. Enjoy!

Route 29

theskewedeye

As always, I sat in front of the computer and started to just look at ...

Updated: Aug 02, 2009 2:40pm PST

Akota : I am so thankful for my "gift", and my unseen guides. It was a Sunday morning, and was to be a football widow day. John asks, "You going taking pictures?" "I dunno", I say, but the prospect of listening to those annoying mucho mas macho sportscasters grunt out their opinions all day long was more than I could possibly handle. So, to the maps I turn, and say, "Ok where we goin' today?" I'm drawn to an area I'd never been, but could feel it's intensity, feel something completely unique about it, and heard 'The Voice' say, "Come take a peek, you won't be disappointed." So off I go. The following images are from somewhere in either Loudoun or Faquier counties, I really couldn't tell you. I just go, turn where The Voice says turn, and voila! It was an incredible day, I felt I was in a place where time stood still, and I somehow was time tunneled back a hundred years.

Akota

theskewedeye

I am so thankful for my "gift", and my unseen guides. It was a Sunday ...

Updated: Feb 16, 2008 11:54am PST

The Northern Neck : I went back to King George and other counties to the south and east. I had to. I looked at the maps and KNEW, I could feeeeeeeel it. Below are some of the images from Virginia's Northern Neck as of March, 2005. The images were taken from one abandoned elementary school as well as several abandoned houses. This trip was particularly affecting. You simply cannot stand in these rooms and not hear the voices, and feeeel the intense heaviness of the lives that had to abandon these rooms, sometimes with such obvious haste clothes were left hanging where they were last placed, the comforter remains crumpled at the foot of the bed.

The Northern Neck

theskewedeye

I went back to King George and other counties to the south and east. I ...

Updated: Feb 03, 2008 5:25am PST

Harris Family Houses - Walton, WV : At the very last minute, I looked at the maps and knew I had to "go someplace" once again. "There" was West Virginia, but this time MUCH further than a day trip would allow. I wound up booking a lodge room at LongFork Campgrounds and Resort about 40 miles NE of Charleston, thinking it would be perfect, rustic, and close to what I was looking for -- rotting, abandoned houses. It was all of that and more. What I didn't know was that I was going to meet a very amazing man by the name of Danny Harris, who is the Office Manager/Events Coordinator for Longfork. After checking in, I wound up talking with Danny about, my uh, penchant for abandoned houses. Danny assured me I was in the right area. "Fabulous", I say. Thought so, could feeeeeeeel it from the maps. "Dump the maps", Danny says, "they won't do you any good". Danny was right. Danny grew up in the hollows of Walton, WV, and knows them all like the back of his hand. In fact, four generations of his family are from or were at one time located around Walton, WV. I was extremely fortunate to have Danny personally accompany me to a set of 3 abandoned homes which are all close together, completely isolated now, and which had been occupied by his family for at least 3 generations. All had been at one time - the last being 6 years ago (Bobette's House) - active and thriving homes up on a hillside close to Walton. Danny was right about the maps. Useless. We snaked in the SUV for about 30/40 mins. across the intense ridge roads of the hollows. He directed me to turn on to what looks like a cowpath, and continue driving to the creek. THEN IN AND UP THE CREEK. Which I do. Once we emerged from the creek at the right spot, I see what I've captured in the images below, as well as a total bonus. FOR ONCE, I would know "What happened to the people who lived here?" Danny most graciously shared his family's history, stories from his father and other family, and memories from these amazing houses. Which will NEVER, EVER, BE FOUND. Indeed, CANNOT BE FOUND (nor vandalized, more importantly) unless you know exactly where they are, and Danny Harris is the ONLY one to talk to about that! I will make the briefest of notes on each image page, as my memory sucks (imagine!), and Danny can correct me on any mislabeling and I'll update the page. I cannot thank Mr. Danny Harris at LongFork Campgrounds and Resort enough for his taking an entire day and sharing with me not only his gracious and most excellent company, but also for his recollections of the lives, stories, events and defining moments in HIS family's history since the early 1800s in the family houses you see below.

Harris Family Houses - Walton, WV

theskewedeye

At the very last minute, I looked at the maps and knew I had to "go so ...

Updated: Feb 02, 2008 8:17pm PST

Surreal Estate : I've been lazy, I admit it. I've been shooting in RAW format, and the time it takes to process images has now doubled. I finally decided that I needed to review, process and post images I've taken this summer from places such as Ontario, Canada, rural Virginia, and the Del Marva peninsula, der hon. These images fit the page title. Surreal. Both inside and out. Tip 'o the lens to Robert de Gast, whose stunningly beautiful images of the Eastern Shore so inspired me, I had to go there myself. I felt a bit of artistic skeeviness in shooting some of the same locations, but well, got over it. Our styles could not be more different, despite our common passion for these amazing structures. Yes, we're back to gratuitous effects. Deal. To me, that's what puts the SUR in the real.

Surreal Estate

theskewedeye

I've been lazy, I admit it. I've been shooting in RAW format, and the ...

Updated: Feb 02, 2008 10:36am PST

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