I was raised in Henrietta/Clay County, TX. While working in West Texas for the Boy Scouts of America, I started telling my family about all of the ghost towns and cool abandoned things that were around. My parents asked that I start taking pictures and bought me a cheap digital camera. Everyone started saying "wow, you've got a great eye". Since that time in 2003, I have purchased better equipment and learned more and more about techniques, editing and just photography in general.

I call my style rusty and crusty. I mostly take photos of landscapes, abandoned things like cars, trucks, barns and houses and occasionally a few animals. Our society today likes to throw things away and go get something new. With that, we are getting rid of a lot of old things that are still around. These old cars, barn and houses are being torn down to make room for new houses or to "pretty up" the property. I endeavor to capture these abandoned things before they are gone and although I may not know their story, I have at least captured them for future generations to see what it was like.

Michael A. Mitchell
Howling Coyote Photography