Point of view: Elegance in the rust

It is rare to get an assignment to photograph the transformation of a decayed building from the beginning. Sheep Dog Hollow in Connecticut was a treat. How can a photographer resist the visual appeal of weathered wood, rusted metal, and abandoned items? It's the photographic equivalent of comfort food.

Little was left in the house when I arrived. But a few abandoned chairs, an old dresser, and an archetypal red barn provided enough material for exploring after the key images for the story were made. A red velvet chair sat regally in front of a haystack in the barn. The blue peeling paint retained its vivid color behind a rusted switch plate. Discarded tools lay haphazardly on a cracked concrete floor. A bureau in reasonable condition made it through the entire construction process without being marred. The photos are simple reminders of this farmhouse's history.