Color and Texture: Abandoned Amusement Parks Around the World

There is no shortage of abandoned places in the world, from ancient landmarks and religious symbols to gaudy and festive amusement parks left to the weather and the vines. As people shift across the landscape, an imprint is left behind-- farms gone to forests, houses and barns left to the weather, and amusement parks with forever empty rides.

At left is a ride from New Orleans Six Flags, abandoned for years. Photographers and amateur explorers love to take photos there, or tag the structures with creative graffiti. "Six Flags 2012: Coming Soon," says one ironic message. The bathroom has spray-painted arrows pointing to the rooms for male and female roaches.

Across the world in Germany is another abandoned park that has been extensively photographed. Spreepark appeals for another reason: It has giant dinosaurs. Some fallen, some still standing, the massive statues are increasingly surrounded by wild nature, making them seem all the more like real prehistoric creatures frozen in a particular moment of time.

Though a little bit creepy, abandoned parks are fascinating tours of bygone days, full of intermingling color and texture from old painted attractions, spray paint, wild-growing plants and that particular kind of light that falls on abandoned places. It's not surprising that they are a favorite for photographers all over the world.

Spreepark, Berlin

There are parks such as these worldwide. Jon Dunbar photographed this beautiful abandoned park in South Korea. Below is a "haunted house," which was once haunted only by paid staff; perhaps now it is for real.

More:

 Spreepark, Berlin (See more photos here.)

Jazzland/Six Flags, New Orleans (See more!)

"Takakanonuma Greenland" Park near Tokyo. Photo by Spiral.

Autumn in Maine on the Forest Floor

Fall in Maine is a beautiful time. We get to enjoy the fantastic, classic New England foliage that draws people from around the country, all to witness the blazing colors of the trees against the cobalt blue skies.

While the changing colors of leaves are the showiest and most obviously beautiful part of autumn in Maine, there are a thousand tiny changes to observe as well. I love to get down and look at the little things. Near the forest floor, we can find infinite varieties of lichens and mosses. Patterns and textures. Groupings and shapes.

These clusters are communities of many species of moss, fungus and lichen. The many species create a mosaic of life. See those little red dots in the above pictures? Those are fruiting bodies from the fungal part of lichen, like the equivalent of tiny mushrooms. These communities of life can survive almost anywhere, even where there's no soil at all. Clinging to the sides of big boulders brought by glaciers long ago, they thrive, perfectly at home.

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Suzanne Anderson is the creator of YIKES! Studio Jewelry. Suzanne has been busy creating for most of her life. After graduating with a BA from Maine College of Art, she worked as a graphic designer and a painter. Suzanne works to ensure that YIKES! Studio creates work that is fun, beautiful, always interesting, and adorns the wearer with joy. Catch up with her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, or Etsy, or her website at www.yikesstudio.com.