“A melancholy vibe seems to suit me more.”

“The area had a very atmospheric feel about it, with most of the holiday homes either boarded up or unoccupied by their owners waiting for the warmer months to return.”

In The Forsaken We Find Beauty

When I first discovered this area at the tail end of summer 2024, I knew I wanted to do a small project on it, but I was waiting for it to feel right. Late summer was beautiful, the light perfect, and in the evening, I was lucky enough to witness thousands of starlings doing what's called a murmuration before going to roost for the night. The sky buzzed with the sound of them passing overhead. It really was an amazing sight, watching them swoop back and forth in such numbers across the houses before going up to roost, but even this evening wasn't the one, and it took multiple trips out before I began to feel good about it.

It wasn’t until the winter that it slotted into place. Taken during the run-up to Christmas, the area had a very atmospheric feel about it, with most of the holiday homes either boarded up or unoccupied by their owners waiting for the warmer months to return. The winter mood and sometimes misty atmosphere suited the landscape more, and with it being winter and no one home, it had a lingering sadness about it, but beautiful at the same time.

An old house with a corrugated metal roof in a grassy rural area, overcast sky, power lines, and other houses visible in the background.
A house with white horizontal siding and a black roof, next to grassy dunes, with a lookout structure in the distance and a diagonal pole in the foreground.
A small white house with a black roof, surrounded by grassy land and a dirt path leading to the front door. There is trash on the ground near the house and a wooden picnic table nearby. In the background, there are other houses and a swing set.
Old white wooden house with a corrugated metal roof, one window with black trim, a small wooden fence, a blue trash bin, and grassy surroundings under a cloudy sky.
A small white house on stilts in a grassy field with a wooden deck and fence, on an overcast day.
Close-up of a door with the number '3A' on the wall next to it, featuring a silver door handle, with a white-framed window and cracked wall surface.
An old house with a sloped roof, surrounded by tall grass and a cloudy sky in the background.
Black and white photo of a house elevated on stilts, with a surrounding grassy field and a fence, and a utility pole with power lines nearby.
A small, single-story, yellowish-white house with a flat roof and wooden steps leading to two doors. The house has large windows with curtains. It is situated on a grassy area with a dirt path nearby, and there are utility poles and wires overhead.
A dirt road running through a residential area with mobile homes on both sides, some with fenced yards, under an overcast sky with utility poles and power lines.
A house with a white and beige exterior, surrounded by tall grass, under a bright, mostly clear sky.
A white house with a yellow door labeled "OLD TIMES 43", a small porch with black railing, a window, and a grassy yard, surrounded by wind-blown grass and an overcast sky.

These types of environments are my favourite to photograph, as they are slightly odd and against the grain in how usual folk live and holiday. I think it attracts a certain type of person, maybe. It definitely has a unique feel to it, and it's like no other place I have found in Norfolk. It reminded me of parts of America in some ways. What these places have is character and personality all their own. I’d imagine this is what draws people here—something a little different from the often very boring architecture of today’s living that we find ourselves in.

I loved walking around here; I loved the emptiness of the area and the isolation I felt. Something always resonates with me in these types of places. I often feel very at home and at peace, which I have come to realize over the last few months as I think more about myself, my photography, and the places I seek out. It strikes a sense of familiarity within me, reminiscent of when I was young and where I lived.