Yahoo Autos A photographer's haunting images of America's abandoned homes look like they're frozen in the past
Bryan Sansivero has spent the last decade photographing America's abandoned homes.
He describes each home as a time capsule, often brimming with dusty antiques and faded artwork.
A collection of his haunting photos were published in his book, "American Decay: Inside America's Forgotten Homes."
Bryan Sansivero's haunting photography career all started when he stumbled upon an abandoned home in rural Pennsylvania.
Bryan Sansivero was driving on a long, windy road about 45 minutes outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, when a dilapidated home caught his eye.
"I was so intrigued," he told Insider.
He said he pulled over in an apple orchard and made the trek up to the stone home, which he estimates was built in the 1700s.
Sansivero, 36, recalls peering through the only open window of the house. Amongst the crumbling and decaying walls, he spotted an elegant piano.
"This is so strange and it's beautiful," Sansivero remembers thinking.
So naturally, he stepped inside to snap a few photos.
That was more than 10 years ago. Today, Sansivero said he's photographed hundreds of abandoned houses and buildings across the US.
Sansivero said he's always gravitated towards the eerie and unfamiliar.
In college, where he said he majored in filmmaking, he made a documentary about an abandoned hospital.
The house in Pennsylvania reignited his interest, he said.
"Naturally, I was just drawn to wanting to photograph and explore things off-the-beaten path or the not-typically-seen kind of things," he said.
Sansivero has captured everything from decaying houses rumored to be haunted to homes in pristine condition that feel like they're frozen in time.
Sansivero said he takes inspiration from other photographers on Instagram, and uses Google Earth, word of mouth, and aimless trips in his car to find abandoned homes in different parts of the US.
Sansivero describes each home as a "time capsule," as they're filled with clothing, antiques, furniture, and toys that give a glimpse into what life was like decades ago.
When Sansivero arrives at an abandoned house, he usually finds plenty of antiques, such as CRT TVs, phonographs, and old chandeliers.
He said it's often obvious that other photographers have visited the homes as well, and that they might have staged objects or moved furniture around.
If that's the case, Sansivero said he might do a bit of his own staging before shooting — propping up a photograph or moving a lamp into the shot — but he says he keeps staging to a minimum.
"There's plenty of photos in my book where I literally walked in and that's what it looked like," he said.
"It's almost like a treasure hunt looking at my pictures," he told Insider. Nostalgia oozes from some images while others leave a lingering, eerie impression.
Sansivero's images are often teeming with color. Old, peeling floral wallpaper might be a focal point in one image and colorful '60s mod clothing might fill the frame in the next.
Sansivero said he loves color, noting that he was wearing a tie-dye T-shirt and rainbow, striped shorts while speaking with Insider.
But even with bright colors, his images are unsettling.
One year, he photographed an abandoned home with a surprising twist: The entire second story was circus-themed.
One of the most famous houses Sansivero photographed was nicknamed the "Catskill Clown House" in upstate New York.
The home was filled with white-and-red carnival stripes, a canopy circus ceiling, and harlequin patterns covering the walls.
