Abandoned America: Intimate Portrait Photography By Justin Sellers
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Justin Sellers is a conceptual photographer from Richmond, Virginia. As an adolescent, Justin fell in love with photography through taking photos of friends in cosplay.
Photography quickly became a creative release from the stress of everyday life where he could lose himself in the art he was creating.
Justin’s unique style relies on combining the human form with the decay left by mankind: his art has become recognizable within artistic circles worldwide with unique backdrops and poses that show how fragile the human form can be.
Justin’s unique style relies on combining the human form with the decay left by mankind.
His artwork has been featured in magazines and art galleries across the US, and has also been featured his art book titled Relinquish. Justin doesn’t want to be remembered for the art he created but for the memories he has created with the his models along the way.
Mr. Sellers developed started his ongoing series, what we refer to as “Abandoned America”, exploring an abandoned town with a friend few years ago. There was the bed with vanity that drew them into an abandoned place and Justin asked the friend to pose up on bed and to be vulnerable just like the background.
“It’s often said the human form is the most beautiful form of art and it’s one of the oldest works of art we have.”
Taking those images, getting home and editing them it created such excitement for him and viewers on social media that he knew he had found a style that made him feel he was doing something he loved.
All Justin’s images are taken with natural light as he feels like it’s the only way to stay true to the environment. The poses are about passion and emotion where the human body contrasts and connects with the decay left by mankind.
“It’s often said the human form is the most beautiful form of art and it’s one of the oldest works of art we have.” he reflects. “All of our bodies are unique, one of a kind. The way the beauty of the human form stands out against the decay creates deep emotions for me. It’s beautiful but also creates sadness because in truth we are all decaying just as the backgrounds used in my images.”
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