Ascendant - handcrafted stairwell in the abandoned Torgerson farm homestead Framed Print

This staircase to second level in the Torgerson homestead (circa 1900) is unique - very very narrow/difficult to climb/descend due to the narrowness and encroaching ceiling, but it was obviously built with care and attention to detail. I have greatly enjoyed photographing at this picturesque abandoned farmsite/homestead location on the shores of Lake Ibsen a few times now, and it seems the sky is always very moody when I'm there, which kind of suits the scene. I love the architecture of this very small, but still distinguished home - the "L" shape floor plan, the very steep roof pitch (maybe Nordic settlers who knew a bit about snow loading?), the little ornamental siding details in the roof-wall sections. This time I noticed, for the first time, a very large diameter (about 6') hand-dug and cement-lined well. I am very careful when I explore/photograph these types of places, as just last year, a Saskatchewan photographer perished by falling into one. One of these years,...

Peter Herman was born and raised on a farm in North Dakota, where his love for photography first took root during high school. After acquiring a Pentax SLR, he began capturing moments for the school yearbook and developing black-and-white images in the school darkroom. Throughout college, Peter continued honing his craft by taking portraits, group photos, and wedding pictures. After starting his 32 year engineering career at Cummins, Peter’s photography interests went dormant until 2005, when he purchased his first DSLR. This rekindled his passion, leading him to focus on scenic landscapes across the United States, with a particular emphasis on rural areas in North Dakota and Wisconsin. Many of his images are discovered while riding his...