I’ve spent 20 years—my whole life—in the same town. This time last year, paralyzed by agoraphobia (which I’ve since recovered from), I couldn’t have imagined calling anywhere else home. Going long distances alone made me feel like I would never find my way back; familiar people were my safety net. Independent, I felt like a child who lost her parents in a crowd and had no sense of direction or how to get back to them. Luckily, I taught myself ways to cope. I still love where I live, but a life on a continuous loop is no life at all.
A movie is spoiled if you know how it ends, so why does taking the leap of faith into the unknown always seem so scary? I want to revel in its excitement instead of fearing it. So now I’m leaving. These photos are a goodbye to the place where I grew up, and to the light that comes through the diamond-shaped window panes in the afternoon, the decorations in the front hall, the buttery smell of the flowers on the tree in our yard, the neighbor’s house I walked past every day but never went inside… all of it. It’s easy to look back and cling to memories, but when I look forward, I see nothing—and therefore anything and everything.
26 Comments
This is one of my favorite photo shoots ever!!! I love the shadow in the first one!
#6 is my favorite… I love it when photographers/performance artists put themselves into the work, like Cindy Sherman (and, obvi, Eleanor)
8th is my favorite, i love freckles ahh
Yikes so many questions! Your outfit in the first pic is TO DIE FOR, where’s it from? Also where the hell is #7? It’s fantastic!
Finally I think #3 is perfect , I really do! Good luck with the move.
did anyone else think slenderman when they saw the first pic?? D:
that was my first thought too…!
GOOD LUCK ELLE!!!
Your intro to this was really inspiring for me. I have the whole weekend to myself and I don’t venture outside as often as I’d like but now I feel a strong sense to go outside and leave these walls behind me and go out and do what I what I love most: making art.
These are one of the dreamiest photos I have seen. I adore this. I feel the exact same way about the place I’m in for almost 18 years now.
Perfect timing as always Rookie. I’m moving from the house that I’ve lived in for 16 years tomorrow. So weird. I know I will really miss it and I took pictures too. I’ll miss walking down to the library, laying at the pool with the lemon trees, my neighbors and walking out on the street at night. But I guess I share the excitement for the unknown, the ability for “anything and everything” to happen is a nice way to look at it.
love these.
I loved the intro especially the last bit about looking forward. I just drew some tarot cards and they were basically telling me the same thing :)
This is so so crazy gorgeous
This photoshoot is beautiful. That house looks gorgeous and you honestly look like a princess!
i love these so so so much. all of the photos give off hints of innocence
There are so many wonderful things to come for you. I just know it.
These photos are gorgeous!
Sooo beautiful!!! How I love this. Dreamy.
this is so perfect for me right now cos I’m moving out of my childhood home in a few weeks and I’m really excited but also terrified that the house I live in will soon no longer be my home
oh my effing god, so beautiful
I love this so much! You did a great job. I’m also wondering where #7 is in your home. That looks like such a cool room! Much love and good luck out in the world, Eleanor. <3
Bit confusing! 2, 4 and 5 were taken in my house. The others are taken around the area I live in. Image 7 (and also 3 & 6) was taken at a big, beautiful house in our village where we used to have summer picnics when we were children. They have amazing ancient baths in their basement which is where that was shot. x
these are crazily beautiful. I think it might be some of my favourites of your work <3
you look a little like Charlotte Gainsbourg in these photographs xx
These are precious. I especially like the one at the pool. It reminds me of that film Shoeshine.
All the pics are so good. And I’m moving out for college this year, I feel you…
Awesome photo shoot, pic 3 looks so effortless and the bath in 7 is neat and kinda creepy at the same time haha