Shooting photos of decrepit old buildings has become one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. I think I never truly realized that there was anything missing in my life, until I experienced visiting my first set of abandoned asylums. I felt a special inner peace that I had previously never before experienced. Surrounded by peeling paint, inside a building that once contained human examples of life's extremes, I marvel at life. These huge, often frightening buildings fascinate me.

Inside these walls I meditate and bask in the elegance and sometimes opulence of their majestic states of decay. I do hope that I can share my experiences so others might feel similar feelings of peace and fulfillment. Additionally, I also hope to address major issues with the way our society handles its “other citizens," those with developmental or psychological disabilities. Archived stories of patient abuse, reflections shared by staff members and ex-patients, and old patient files that are often left strew about in old building, all fascinate me. There is definitely something to be learned here. We should not forget those who have been pushed aside (behind walls, stowed far from us in asylums and other facilities) and hidden from view. Our neighbors, our family members, our co-workers (sometimes even the institution staff members,) and sometimes we, ourselves, can end up in institutions. As a society we cannot ignore these realities. Please enjoy the photos and anecdotes, and please feel absolutely free to contribute with photos of your own, comments on blogs/photos/articles/books, stories from these institutions, reflections and even just encouragement. Thank you for allowing me to share my experiences with you. Welcome to cathedralsofdecay.com