Traces: A Photographic Journey Through Small Town America

“A Photographic Journey Through Small Town America” is a series of photography books created from a two-year project in which I traveled the back roads of America seeking to discover the essence of life in small towns. From the thousands of images documenting hundreds of towns, I discerned common themes that were evident in multiple towns across the country. I am featuring these themes in individual books. This one is called “Traces.” It contains images illustrating traces of people’s lives. As I walked the streets of the towns, I discovered small objects or scenes that revealed remnants of past activity. These images represent vestiges of past activity in the towns. They provide a glimpse into a reality that is no longer viable. The true meaning of each photograph comes with contemplation about the human element and what these traces say about the people whose lives were there, but are no more.