My parents live in Macon, Mississippi, and often when we’re visiting for several days, I’ll take a morning by myself to drive around and shoot photographs. Although I’ve never actually lived in Macon, the town is very familiar to me from family visits since I was a child. So, it’s fun to explore the hidden crannies and take note as structures and places change. After quite a few solo photo adventures, common scenes begin to emerge – like this one… Red White and Blue.
Like many small rural towns, Macon holds a number of vacant buildings and breaking structures in the center of town and throughout the county – structures whose function is no longer needed or whose ownership has passed to new generations with interests elsewhere. The photos in this capsule collection offer a small pocket of inspiration from the Noxubee County I’ve explored, and whether in paint or reflections of the sky, each bears a version of red, white and blue patina. Worn, shadowed, and weathered.
As we near Independence Day and the patriotic celebrations of our nation all the while witnessing the continued unrest and disillusionment brought by injustices both past and present, there’s never been a better time to readjust our lens of America as a work in progress. Like these structures, painted in red, white and blue, and bearing the crumbling remnants of history, our land is worn and imperfect. And, while we celebrate our founding, we must also renew our commitment to continually strive for a “more perfect union.” A union where every American is allowed to rise to his full potential and fulfill the true promise of freedom.
Each POCKETS OF WONDER post is a small capsule collection of photographs curated to provide a moment of inspiration.
Hello & welcome! I’m Haley Montgomery, and I’m the designer and owner of 
