I thought ghost towns were largely a stateside phenomenon, but as it turns out, Italy may have us beat. One source I saw claimed that the country has six thousand of them. I can’t say why there seem to be so many, but I’d speculate that the old Italian propensity for settling on hilltops may … Continue reading The Ghost Towns of Italy
About a month ago, my friend and I returned to Italy to try our luck, yet again, with this beautiful country. A year ago we mostly toured the northern half, a frantic meandering that even took us into the alps. This time, we did a loop around the south that started and ended in Rome … Continue reading Many Happy Returns
Labor Day weekend found me in the rolling Appalachian mountains of West Virginia. It was a showery weekend, making for very humid hiking, but making for a moody, misty atmosphere that felt like that state at its most iconic. On Sunday’s hike, my friend did the splits involuntarily while crossing a very slippery stream and … Continue reading Country Roads, Take Me Home
Two years ago, I got a chance to shoot this abandoned arena in Memphis. In an arrangement similar to what I wrote about in my last post on the Sterick building, a group of photographers were allowed to shoot the place in return for some photos. In each case, the owners were looking to drum … Continue reading Mid-South Coliseum
The Sterick building in downtown Memphis has the demeanor of a deposed queen, who, despite having lost her power and much of her wealth, has lost none of her grace and haughtiness and remains the focal point of the city’s skyline. When finished in 1930, she was said to be the tallest building of the … Continue reading The Sterick, Dowager Empress of Memphis
Bełchatów (pronounced Bew-hot-oof) is a midsized town in central Poland. It is not usually a tourist destination, but it happens to be where my family comes from, and where most of them still reside. Though born in the States, I lived and attended school there for a couple years in the mid 80’s during the … Continue reading Bełchatów, Poland
I am a first-generation Polish-American. Though born here in the States, I lived in Poland for a few years as a kid, speak the language fluently, and know the history and culture pretty well. Most of my family is still in the old country, so visiting offers a chance not only for tourism but to … Continue reading Gdańsk, Poland
Pittsburgh lays at the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers which, in turn, forms the Ohio. The heavily built-up downtown sits right at the tip of the spear of land formed by this confluence, and is surrounded by fairly hilly terrain, particularly to the south. All this means that certain vantage points around town … Continue reading Pittsburgh Skylines
I was in Pittsburgh for a few days a couple of weeks ago. This trip was put together on short notice as other plans fell through, and, consequently our expectations were low. Indeed, we did not hit any home runs, but we found enough stuff to keep ourselves occupied. The vibe was loose, and the … Continue reading Abandoned Pittsburgh
I’ve focused on all the urbex photos from Italy in the preceding few posts. What’s left? Some of the more touristy shit, I suppose. We were in Italy, after all, a country that’s renowned for its beautiful countryside as well as its cultural attractions, and I’m not blind to those charms, however much I may … Continue reading Italy, Coda
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