Places and Spaces

Decagon Gallery proudly presents Places and Spaces, an exhibition that invites viewers to consider the environments we move through, construct, and imagine. The photographs on view span landscapes both vast and intimate—urban streets, quiet interiors, and dreamlike realms—revealing how place shapes experience and memory. Together, these works explore not only the physical characteristics of space but also the emotional and psychological resonance of the places we call our own.

Juror's Statement:

It was an honor to be selected to serve as juror of Decagon Gallery's Places and Spaces exhibition. With hundreds of excellent entries exploring the wide variety of ways photographers can interpret and express the essence of a location, narrowing the selection down was incredibly difficult. There were many entries that I was unable to include that I felt were well-crafted and engaging, but I am pleased that the final selection covers an incredibly diverse array of styles and voices that each offer a thoughtful approach to their subject. Even from first place winner Ashley Humason's A Way Out, which is not only a beautiful and well-crafted image but also a conceptually innovative and compelling approach to expressing the history of her chosen location, to second place winner Michael Marlett's Limerant Haze, which presents a mesmerizing and heady glimpse of a mysterious storefront at night, there is a wonderful disparity in how each entrant chose to capture in many cases not just the space itself, but their relationship to it. As a curator, I find that distinctiveness of vision is part of what makes images so endlessly fascinating: each photograph represents not just the subject being photographed, but the multitude of creative choices that went into how it was translated and each photographer's individual approach to their work.

The theme of the exhibition is intentionally ambiguous and open-ended, ranging from the literal and concrete to the symbolic and imagined. Selected images range from Steven Silvers' and Eric Kunsman's urban, documentary-style black and white images that recall the work of Robert Frank and Gordon Parks to Elizabeth Johnson's retro hotel signs that John Margolis would have surely adored. Michael Chesler's collage of Beverly Hills mansions echoes the work of Bernd and Hilla Becher, and the lush beauty of images by Kristopher Schloenleber, Susan Smith, and Viktoriia Sorochuk invite us to contemplate the boundaries of landscapes and dreamscapes. I wish to thank everyone who entered, as I've enjoyed experiencing these photographs immensely. It is my hope that those who view this exhibit will spend some time with each selection, absorbing the details, so that they can savor the voyage as well.

Sincerely,
Matthew Christopher

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First Place

Second Place

Third Place

Honorable Mention

Director's Choice

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Ashley Humason

A Way Out

New Bedford, MA

As an analog photographer, the process of working with film allows me to slow down and remain present in the moment in space; it demands patience, intention, and a deep connection to the act of creation.

Through my work, I explore themes of mortality, impermanence, loss, isolation, and the emotional states of feeling trapped or lost. Each image is an echo of my internal landscape—an honest expression of my personal struggles and reflections on the fragility of life.

Film itself, with its limitations and imperfections, adds emphasis to the vulnerability felt in confronting these themes, allowing the images to become a form of catharsis and self-expression. It is a quiet, contemplative process that offers the space to acknowledge and articulate emotions, inviting others to share in that reflection.

Michael Thomas Marlett

Limerent Haze

Los Angeles, CA

I photograph the spaces in between—neon reflections, empty sidewalks after rain, the quiet hum of a city caught in pause. My work is rooted in liminal moments and cinematic tension, drawing influences from loneliness and isolation to evoke a sense of longing, memory, and imagined intimacy.Through night photography, I explore emotional residue—the ache of what almost was, the ghosts of connection, the beauty in isolation. My images are not just about place, but presence—the kind you feel when no one else is watching.

Steven Silvers

Harwood Street Dallas

Lakewood, CO

Inspired by Henri Cartier-Bresson, Elliott Erwitt and other humanist photographers, I take a black-and-white photojournalistic approach to capturing contemplative, narrative compositions of people, animals and places, both natural and man-made. My approach to taking pictures is instinctive, a quiet observer in the presence of place, both static and unfolding.

Sara Pinkus

End of the Road

Bensalem, PA

I am a visual storyteller, blending multiple photography genres to capture the essence of places, events, and experiences. My images are infused with depth, emotion, and artistic vision. Using creative techniques, I add a distinct, expressive style that transforms static moments into immersive visual narratives. My goal is to transport viewers, making them feel as if they were there, absorbed in the magic of the moment.

John Diephouse

Lady In Red (Sin City)

Lansing, MI

I am a self-taught photographer and collage artist and am attracted to a variety of subject matter. My interests range from natural landscapes, botanicals and wildlife to images that provide either abstract expression or social commentary. I share images that evoke a story of some kind that may be simply documentary, reflect a sense of time and place, or resonate on a more abstract level of color, shape or form. Others provoke an indefinable question that does not readily yield answers without further study and reflection. Most often I am drawn back to images created while wandering through the back roads of the upper Midwest. These images of architecture, commerce and social life often reflect a mixture of nostalgia and a changing set of forces that shape life in the heartlands.

I have exhibited widely and have earned recognition in local, regional, and national exhibitions. My photographs are also included in several corporate and private collections.

Richard Murrin

Shivering Sands Fort

Dartford, UK

Believing that one picture is worth a million words, it is the task of the contemporary photographer to expose the magic that nature & humanity can perpetuate, using representations of form & colour to produce images reflecting the agonies & ecstasies of the process of making & the appreciation of the visual experience.My work is the product of a combination of direct observation, photo-reference, memory and imagination. Most interesting to me is the effect of light. As my work tends toward a high degree of realism, it’s only the product of trying to ‘shine light on something’, producing the illusion of high-fidelity realism, which, one hopes, has the ability to positively sway the viewers perception, imagination & consciousness.

David Welch

Patriotic Tanks

Santa Rosa, CA

This set of images is from a series titled "Echoes of Scenic", a project I completed in the summer of 2024. Scenic is a largely abandoned town in South Dakota. It sits fifty miles east of Rapid City, its name a tribute to the sweeping vistas that roll endlessly across the prairie. Its history is inseparable from the great migration of Europeans to the American Midwest in the 19th and early 20th centuries—Germans, Norwegians, Swedes, Irish, and Czechs—each carrying fragments of home and a longing for freedom, land, and a future.Through the Homestead Act of 1862 and the railroad’s determined recruitment, these settlers forged a modest but meaningful life: farms, churches, a school, and a mercantile hub that served travelers and ranchers alike. Scenic was never large, but it pulsed with effort, resilience, and community.By the mid-20th century, that life began to ebb. Farms consolidated, young people moved to cities, and the rhythms of rural living gave way to time’s slow erosion. Twila Merrill, a rodeo champion and fierce steward of Scenic, held on as long as she could. After her passing, the town changed hands—but not its soul.The Artist’s GazeAs an art photographer, I am drawn to places where memory and landscape converge. Scenic called to me not with spectacle, but with subtlety—a quiet poetry of light, texture, and endurance. Standing in the doorway of an abandoned storefront, or watching the wind ripple through an overgrown lot, I felt the presence of lives once deeply rooted here.Echoes of Scenic is not a chronicle of decay. It is a meditation on time, presence, and the cultural legacy of those who shaped this place. These images are visual hymns—gentle gestures of remembrance, composed in shadow and light.The rusted hinges, flaking paint, and sagging porches are not merely relics. They are testaments. They speak of labor, tradition, and the fierce hope of those who once called Scenic home.This series is both an homage and an invitation: to pause, reflect, and listen. Even in silence, Scenic still speaks—echoing the spirit of our European Fathers and Mothers.

Kylo Patrick-Hart

Bales at Sunrise

Aledo, TX

Photography has been my passion since early childhood. My motivation is to discover and capture the beauty, even when it is not always readily self-evident, that surrounds us continuously in all areas of our everyday lives. I believe the finest images are those that are serious yet playful, aesthetically appealing yet a bit quirky. As both an artist and an admirer, my favorite photographs tend to be ones whose contents speak loudly for themselves — even when it is not immediately clear exactly what they are saying. They seek to inspire their viewers to wrestle with their intriguing contents and, as a result, ponder various aspects of our surrounding world in new and unique ways.

Kelsey Sasser

Jackass Joe's

Franklin, TN

I am a Nashville based photographer and artist who has been passionate about photography since the age of 15. Paralyzed at the age of 6, photography quickly opened up an outlet for creativity and expression to overcome my disability. The images presented below are spaces I have come across through my travels. Each place, while new to me, holds the history of the people that have come and gone.

Richard Crumb

A Trip to Bountiful

Stillwater MN

I grew up on a "Century Farm" in southern Minnesota. From my early interests sparked in college to my
retirement years, I have deeply invested in photography, a passion spanning decades. My rustic roots often
shine through in the pastoral scenes I photograph, offering a glimpse into my rural background. My unique
perspective, shaped by a disability acquired over fifty years ago, focuses on the liberating aspects of nature,
contrasting with the physical constraints I face daily. This viewpoint enriches my photographic work, highlighting
not just the beauty of the landscapes but also the resilience and adaptability of the human spirit.

Ashley Humason

Desert Portal

New Bedford, MA

As an analog photographer, the process of working with film allows me to slow down and remain present in the moment in space; it demands patience, intention, and a deep connection to the act of creation.

Through my work, I explore themes of mortality, impermanence, loss, isolation, and the emotional states of feeling trapped or lost. Each image is an echo of my internal landscape—an honest expression of my personal struggles and reflections on the fragility of life.

Film itself, with its limitations and imperfections, adds emphasis to the vulnerability felt in confronting these themes, allowing the images to become a form of catharsis and self-expression. It is a quiet, contemplative process that offers the space to acknowledge and articulate emotions, inviting others to share in that reflection.

Janna Carter

Egyptian Avenue

Burlington, IA

I am inspired by everyday scenes, objects or details that are often overlooked. Photographs should be
technically exquisite and aesthetically inviting, inspiring viewers to search it out for themselves, or live vicariously
through it. I especially enjoy capturing the ideal, often atypical, likeness of a subject. I might explore a single subject in completely different ways - at a glance, the subjects appear disparate, but careful inspection reveals a unifying vision.

My photography is pure realism, but the way I see objects - the angles, composition, perspective, and point of view - is unique to my style.

Gaurav Govil

Hustle

Noida, India

I am an amateur photographer. I have been using my smartphone Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra and DSLR Canon EOS R8 to capture the scenes around me. I am a self-employed medical professional with surgeon's capabilities. I am interested in capturing the essence and scenery in monochrome and colors. The happiness one derives from the emotions one captures makes the efforts worth trying and showcasing.

Sivan Yan

Reverie

Changsha, China

Sivan Yan is a photographer and independent publisher from Hunan, China, who originally studied railway engineering at Hunan Vocational College of Railway Technology but is now currently pursuing his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.Sivan Yan’s imagery focuses on the relationship between the individual and society. In his first three-year documentary project, he walked 100 kilometers along the Xiangjiang River in his hometown, focusing on the identity and living conditions of the new generation of Xiangjiang residents. Reconstruct the emotional commonality of the residents of Xiang river in the folds of history.

Maureen Ravnik

You Can't Go Back

Littleton, CO

My methods and techniques are largely self-taught. I am deeply inspired by the work of Ansel Adams and Art Wolfe. My work is also derived from my imagination. My greatest satisfaction comes from taking the file from camera to computer to develop composites. The results reflect my personal feelings, beliefs, events, culture, etc. that are best expressed through artistic interpretations. My work is delivered in an array of styles that arc between realism, passionately abstract and doggedly figurative.

Jackie Sajewski

Despair

Mentor, OH

Jacqueline (Jackie) Sajewski started in photography over ten years ago. Jackie’s photography work has been published in several magazines. She participates in many gallery shows. The images Jackie entered in this competition are from a trip she took to Cuba this past April. The environment - places and spaces there were heartbreaking yet brought a realization how happy the people were despite the difficult circumstances that surround them.

“Don’t shoot what it looks like. Shoot what it feels like.”– David Alan Harvey

Nily Harel

Delicatessen

Paso Robles, CA

For many years I enjoyed taking travel photography. In the last 8 years I have been more active participating in a few photography venues. After my retirement I joined the Paso Robles Art Association and have been participating in the monthly exhibits since September 2018. I also participated in previous curated exhibits in Studios on the Park in Paso Robles: “The Big Little show”/APR 2019 , “Keeping the Faith”/JAN 2020 and “Walk like an Animal” / February 2025.The aspect of photography I'm into is the aesthetics- finding the composition that I like. I enjoy finding beauty and humor in the world around me, nature or urban; special or mundane.

Maryam (Nilu) Ghasempour

No Voices

Lahijan, Iran

I’m Maryam(Nilu) Ghasempour from northern Iran, from a green place called Lahijan in Guilan. That land has always been a big part of who I am. I started with documentary photography back in Iran, trying to capture small moments and details around me, houses, roads, tea fields, and people just being in their space.Now I’m living in the U.S. and studying for my MFA in Photography at Kansas State University. Being far from home made me see those places in a different way, with more emotion and longing. The photos I’m sharing here are part of that. They are small pieces of my Place, quiet spaces, old homes, nature growing wild, and traces of people’s lives.I’ve always been drawn to the way people live in the places they belong to. Sometimes the space tells more than the people. Even how a tree grows in a forgotten garden, or how a wall is falling apart, carries a story. I like to photograph those details, the things that seem simple but are full of memory and feeling.This work is my way of staying close to home. It’s also a way of sharing how I see the world, as something soft, fragile, and deeply connected to where we come from.

Rebecca Skinner

Book Beauty

Franklin, MA

I have spent over a decade photographing abandoned structures. Abandoned locations can be found in any demographic, but are most prevalent in areas that were once thriving. Whether people left due to closing factories, loss of tourism, home foreclosure, or natural disaster, the sense of struggle and loss is clear. I photograph throughout the United States. I belong to a group of like minded photographers that I travel with and am inspired by. Each location has a story to tell. I hope to immerse the viewer in the scene, intertwining the viewer and the location into a single narrative of nostalgia and respect for the suspended moment. I portray these facilities not only as a preserved instance of a forgotten time, but as the summation of the place’s history and beauty.The locations I photograph are often dangerous, whether it be rotten floors or asbestos (requiring a respirator). I never go to these places alone, and feel strongly about leaving a location as I found it. I do not stage my photographs -- there is a story to be told and I do not want to affect it. I used natural light and a tripod for the images in this project.I am the owner/ director of Fountain Street Gallery based in Boston, MA, and a graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design.