Another shot from my visit to the Missouri State Penitentiary, yesterday. The interior of a two person cell. I found this building compelling, on many levels, so you may be seeing few more over the week (sorry... not uplifting, in the least). For context, this prison was a maximum security prison, housing prisoners who served decades for their sentences.
Our guide from yesterday was the warden of this prison, for some 40 years. He described how some inmates return for the tour, after they are released. One prisoner came back for the tour and confided that he entered the prison on the same day the warden started, leaving on the last day the warden served. Forty years, together... sort of.
Anyway, thanks for taking time to visit. I appreciate every one.
10/1/2020: Finished year 7 (!), with continuing gratitude towards this amazing community. Based in St. Louis, MO. Regular worker-bee and self-taught photography dilettante....
Quite a powerful, even poignant capture. The window is so much larger than you would expect to see in a prison. It must have been quite an interesting place to visit.
This makes for a compelling photo--both the composition, shapes and textures--and the story--imagining what it must have been like. I look forward to more.
What a story about the warden and the inmate - together "sort of" as you say. I can't imagine a life behind bars - guess that keeps me on the straight and narrow as they saw, right! Another great shot.
I can see a partial footprint and although it must be a modern one it's a reminder that people lived? existed in this cell. Again, thought-provoking and the light is very good too.
Fascinating to read that inmates would revisit...this is quite a stark reminder of prison life. I wonder how much of a deterrent this is and for whom. So much crime these days...
Very powerful image! Such an interesting story -,how amazing that the inmates would revisit. I can't imagine what 40 years in such a place would do to a man.
