Have you ever gone out super early in the morning and the streets are just...empty? Like there's no one awake and out in the world other than you? Those are the kinds of mornings I absolutely love whenever I go out into the city or when I'm traveling. I find that you see more things when there's no one else around compared to when the hustle'n'bustle of daily life is in full swing.

I find that my hometown is the most beautiful in the early hours of the morning, when the sun is just starting to peek over the horizon and the first rays of light start touching the buildings of Downtown. I don't often get to go out before sunrise anymore on my off days, but when I get the chance, I take the opportunity to take as many pictures as I can.

I also love the beauty of abandoned or seemingly abandoned buildings. There's a melancholic beauty that just comes from seeing a building that was once loved but is only visited by the ghosts of the past. You see this more in rural areas, where people have left because the opportunities have dried up or moved to the city. It reminds me of the photographs from the Great Depression I saw growing up that got me really interested in documenting these types of settings and taking portraits of the people who still live in the areas.

I try to take the time to photograph the things that interest me and snag my attention. Whether it's an empty street with quiet storefronts or an alleyway that doesn't see any foot traffic anymore, everything deserves to be documented. With the fleeting nature of our lives, the impermanence of seemingly permanent buildings is a siren song for me.