She's a Brick..House....I promise I'll stop singing

Before now, I didn't think I would ever include this photo. Or if I did, I'd hide it in the series (wait til you see what's coming! I'm sitting on pins and needles.) of my next abandoned place. However, I changed my mind. I'm a woman. I'm prone to do that.

So, here's a tip for my budding and experienced photographers. When you're hunting out a place, check for anything that has names (in this case, a brick that doesn't match its surroundings) or dates. If you record street names, Google maps can even be a powerful source for naming old landmarks. I love uncovering a good mystery, especially since it has paid off well in my adventures.

So, I looked up Acme Standard, which is a brick company founded in 1852. The name Perla confused me, but thankfully their website gave a great line of the company's history. In 1943, an Acme plant was in a town called Perla. The plant in Perla was one of few that employed German POWs (oh my word, what people would say about that these days...).
Acme Standard has experienced great success, except for two periods of its existence: the Great Depression and the current economy (I'd insert my point of view here, but you can make the connection for yourself). Found: http://www.brick.com/company/history.htm
Have a great week! And have a better weekend!

Take a Long Look

Photography, as we all know, is not real at all. It is an illusion of reality with which we create our own private world.

Arnold Newman

Meet my Jumanji house (seriously, doesn’t it remind you of that Robin Williams movie?). It’s taken over by vines as thick as my arms. At first glance, you might wonder why it’s my favorite (I know, because I’ve been asked many times why I love decayed buildings.). But take a second, longer look. It’s not your typical beauty. It stays hidden. Its potential is amazing. It sits in wait for the day it will be restored and loved.

I love finding the diamonds in the rough. It’s an exciting challenge for me. And when I create something like this that I am so excited about, I’m sharing a piece of myself. And I’m grateful for those who have seen that I have potential and have encouraged me, even in my weirdness. You mean the world to me.

And if a day goes by without my doing something related to photography, it’s as though I’ve neglected something essential to my existence, as though I had forgotten to wake up. I know that the accident of my being a photographer has made my life possible.

Richard Avedon

City Park, pre-makeover

A special get away from the city is tucked away into City Park. It is home to the amazing New Orleans Museum of Art, Storyland, Celebration in the Oaks (formerly known as Christmas in the Oaks), stables, and much much more. City Park is an invaluable part of us. Hurricane Katrina raked so much damage all throughout, but volunteers worked hard to piece this place back to being better than it was before. Now, I get to take my children there to generate beautiful family moments. One day, I hope to enjoy it with my grandchildren, and I can show them where their parents use to play.

These photos were taken at the old community center, which is (well, obviously) destroyed.