Fascinating images capture abandoned America, from a "haunted" prison to a spooky old house filled with forgotten family memories.

Illinois photographer Ben Geier paints a vivid picture of abandoned America through his photographs. He is particularly concerned about capturing relics from the 1950s, as he says they are "completely disappearing." READ MORE: Lavish photo book shows how James Bond films sparked wanderlust. for decades

By Laura Sharman

Published: 2:06 p.m. BST, 12 October 2023 | Updated: 2:06 p.m. BST, October 12, 2023

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A 'haunted' prison in Indiana, a dilapidated movie theater in Texas and a car graveyard in Illinois.

Here are some of the abandoned sites that photographer Ben Geier has captured, with his nostalgic photographs attracting a growing audience on Instagram.

This 42-year-old Illinois native reveals his motivation is to “preserve or document” abandoned spaces in the United States, with an emphasis especially on relics from the 1950s. He says: "We're on the verge of that era completely disappearing, so I'm trying to see and document as much of it as possible while it's still here." »

Ben, who also runs a marketing agency, spends his weekends exploring rural areas of the United States in hopes of discovering subjects to photograph. In the abandoned properties he photographed, he discovered "shocking things like mummified cats, body casts and nude Polaroids," he reveals.

But what strikes fans of his work the most, he says, are “all the family photos, the relics and the reels of 8 mm” left behind. “These kinds of things are so important to individuals and families that it’s baffling that anyone would leave these things behind,” he says.

Ben continues: "I get an overwhelming response [on] how the images do...