Abandoned Adventures

Hello friends, 

THIS WAS SUCH A FUN DAY!! 

Alright, now that's out of the way....legit though, this was a really fun day. We talked a while ago about going out and taking photos with Bryan as Cupcake the Clown. We went out with our good friend Stephan. He is an absolutely amazing photographer. I love his work, and his photos of Bryan as Cupcake are probably my favorite. They work so well together and have such a connection that their vision for photos and film sync up so beautifully. 

// credit // Stephan Hazuga //

I had to include one of Stephan's photos because, holy fuck, look at it! The way he captures light is so magical. Every time we work with him, I am completely blown away by his skill and creative eye. 

We went out that day over to the near by town, Mckeesport. Sadly, Mckeesport used to be a bustling metropolis of industry, shopping and medical, but has now become a stereotypical, rundown, steel town; much like many other towns in the area after the downfall of the steel mills. There are still coke plants in the area, so it's all still covered in soot. After the fall of the mills, many families left the area and dozens on dozens of homes and other structures are abandoned and left to rot. You'd be amazed by the incredible amounts of things left behind still in the homes. Pieces of other people's memories left to deteriorate in filth. Stephan knew of this giant church that was also abandoned, apparently there's a few in the neighborhood. 

I was in awe of this church. There used to be a big Catholic church in my childhood neighborhood that got torn down a few years back that I was obsessed with. I would walk down there quite often with my sketchbook and just chill in the courtyard. I know I have old film photos of it, and pieces of the chapel doors, AND my dad has all of the stained glass. I'll have to write a post all about that church some day. But, this church really reminded me of that old St. Cecelia's in Glassport. In the purest way, it was nostalgic walking through this building. 

We love abandoned buildings. There's something powerful in the beauty in the draping bits of ceiling dangling from above, and the gentle gust of dust that wafts over the aged pews that are still in perfect rows; as they rot into the floor. The way nature takes over abandoned human structures is like a graceful waltz of decay, there's a song in the way things melt back into the Earth. And, I love it. I think my favorite photo I took of that day is probably the front stairs of the church, the first photo in this post. The combination of the unnatural green of the stairs themselves juxtapose with the natural green of the moss is such a beautiful contrast of human verses nature as they try to accomplish the same thing. I could stare at that photo forever. 

Do you enjoy abandoned buildings? 

xo. ❤ h.