Abandoned Prison Grounds

A couple of months ago, I went for a photo shoot at an abandoned prison in Lorton, VA, near where I live. I had always wanted to go there with my camera. We went right during the peak of autumn, so at the time I put the photos aside for processing while I worked on all my "fall season" images. Then we entered the Christmas season and things got busy...now, here it is 2013 and I haven't shared any of them yet.

Part of the prison grounds have now been converted into art studios, but there are acres of land in the back that still sit empty and overgrown. I never would've visited this area of the grounds without my husband...it was quite creepy, to be honest. We were there for a couple of hours and not once did we see another person. When we got up close (and even inside) some of the abandoned buildings, I could feel the dark history of the place seeping into my bones. Yet, there was also something very striking about the peeling paint, the textures, the weeds growing in odd places...it's hard to believe that decay can be beautiful...but in its own stark way, it can be.

These photos I'm sharing today were taken at what was once the prison's baseball field...the guard tower in the background of some of the photos is a stark reminder that this wasn't the typical baseball field.

Thanks for stopping by and I'll have more prison photos to share in the coming weeks. We actually went inside one abandoned building...we think it may have been the prison clinic. I got some amazing textural photos inside...I was literally squealing out loud I was so excited (even though I was scared to death)...lol. It was the perfect backdrop for a horror movie. I look forward to sharing some with you soon!