Photographer John Garrett has been taking photographs of abandoned houses for the last three years
BEAUTY can be found even in the most run-down and forgotten places – at least that is what one Irish photographer discovered.
John Garrett, a self-taught photographer, has been travelling around Ireland snapping shots of abandoned buildings with incredible results.
As part of a photography project called "Beauty in Decay", the photos show properties in mostly rural areas of Ireland that are crumbling and strewn with foliage.
Garrett, who is originally from Fermanagh but now lives in Newtownards (about 10 miles east of Belfast), says he "believes in the enjoyment of photography rather than 'perfectionism.'"
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He told The Irish Post that he started photographing derelict houses three years ago. The idea "came about as an offshoot of photographing Irish landscape images for clients."
"Derelict properties can be found in abundance littering rural areas of Ireland and as they decay with the elements it seemed appropriate to document them before they are completely lost to time," he said.
At first, he stumbled upon these buildings, but as interest in his project grew he now receives tip-offs from fans of his pictures. He gets calls "from the four corners of the island offering me locations of more of these abandoned homes."
Garrett said that although he feels a "sense of sadness to see these buildings in such a state of disrepair", he hopes that some form of heritage grant aid could help restore and save some of these properties.
The photographs are all of the buildings' exterior and Garrett said he doesn't "as a rule enter the abandoned buildings, because I'd be trespassing."
