SEPH LAWLESS
Seph Lawless has explored abandoned places all over the world, especially abandoned Ohio and haunted places like amusement parks. The now abandoned Geauga Lake amusement park was visited and documented by Lawless several times over the years starting in 2010 making him one of the first to take photographs of it and is why you can see rides and other roller coasters in his images that other photographers images don’t. What makes Seph Lawless’ images so compelling and intimate is he has shared personal memories going to Geauga Lake here as a kid and he shares those memories and personal anecdotes which accompany his many images along his journey.
Seph Lawless rarely uses the real name of the locations he photographs unless it’s a place like an abandoned mall, abandoned amusement park or abandoned place so big that it’s already pretty well known by locals. Lawless’ images of Geauga Lake went viral several times here and here. As a result, over the years several people have followed in his foot steps trying to get inside to take photographs. The abandoned park now is a crumbling shell of what it once was and through Lawless’ images we get to see how the abandoned amusement park had slowly decayed through out the years. The park is still owned by Cedar Fair Inc., which owns nearby Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio. Over the years, the company has sold many of the rides at the abandoned Geauga Lake property, while scrapping other rides and attractions. All that is left in 2016 is an old wooded coaster that eerily sits overlooking the hauntingly beautiful abandoned amusement park.
Many of Lawless’ supporters remember going to the abandoned places that he photographs over the years and these people enjoy the images because they are nostalgic for them. Like Cleveland native Joe Melendez, who recalls going their as a kid several years ago. “It was a real treat going to Geauga Lake as a kid growing up in Ohio,” Melendez said. Going on to say that for most it was a place where many locals shared beautiful memories at and often times he still passes the now abandoned park which brings back those same memories. I suppose that is why so many people, especially in Ohio really enjoy seeing Seph Lawless’ images that he has captured over the years.
By Daniel Todd