Greensboro Vernacular

What is the personal story behind photography projects? Confronted with a photo serie many questions come to mind. One in particular intrigues me: what inspired the photographer to shoot the serie? This time Lisa Scheer answers.

What inspired you to shoot the serie called Greensboro Vernacular?

The series documents the place where I live, the post-industrial Piedmont of North Carolina. I was thinking about the built landscape. I was also seeking clues to regional identity, often in ordinary places, like highway truck stops, gas stations, and old restaurant interiors.  

I’d just get in my car and drive; I frequently didn’t have a fixed itinerary in mind. Sometimes I’d end up in these struggling manufacturing towns, places bankrupted by the decline of the old textile, tobacco and furniture economies. Wandering around alone was a sometimes eerie, sometimes surreal experience. On the good days, there was an almost dream-like feeling. On other days, I barely shot anything.

Over time, the images fell into a kind of narrative about place. I hope they reflect some of the sensations I felt about these environments at the time.

By: Saskia Hogerhuis - www.ilovethatphoto.com

Photos: ©Lisa Scheer