I photographed funeral homes in small Vermont towns, spaces where the decor remained largely unchanged as generations passed through them. These rooms held an enormous amount of human presence, even when I photographed them empty and quiet.

Everything was designed to offer comfort: flowers, soft light, heavy curtains, religious imagery, carefully arranged furniture. But it was often the smallest traces that stayed with me, the dent in the carpet where folding chairs had stood, the evidence of people gathering and then leaving again.

These are spaces we pass through, leaving our marks behind. The rituals and gestures meant to help us confront death become reminders of our own impermanence. We arrange the flowers, straighten the chairs, gather together, and then we leave alone.

Two yellow tufted sofas in a vintage living room with a floral wallpaper background, illuminated by a yellow lampshade on a glass-top side table.
A wooden staircase with a polished handrail and spindles, ascending against patterned wallpaper with a subtle floral and geometric design.
Microphone on a stand, a wine bottle with an electronic device and wires on a wooden table, and wall with electrical switches.
Two tall vintage floor lamps with yellow glass shades stand in front of yellow curtains, set against a brown carpeted floor.
Living room corner with a black upright piano, a gold table lamp, framed painting, modern wall lamp, wooden music stand, and a silver coat rack against a pale blue wall.
Close-up of a vintage-style, ornate, yellow and gold patterned upholstery with floral and damask designs.
Gas fireplace with simulated burning logs and glowing embers, surrounded by a brick wall and ceramic tile hearth.
Green patterned curtains hanging closed.
Interior of a room with patterned wallpaper, window with curtains, a table covered with gold fabric and lace, and empty gold and black easel stands.
Decorative vases on a gold tray, one purple with gold floral design and another wrapped in plastic, against a green and white floral wallpaper background.
Room with round tables and white chairs, colorful landscape mural of trees and flowers, yellow carpet, potted plants, ceiling lights.
Close-up of a wooden surface with a small glass container at the bottom center and some shadows.
A glass-top side table with a brass and wood column base, placed against a plain beige wall and an electrical outlet with a cord plugged in.
Close-up of window blinds with fabric and shadow patterns
A vintage pink rotary telephone on a marble-top table, flanked by two glass vases with flowers and decorative beads.
Two closed books stacked on a metallic shelf against a beige patterned wall.
Empty room with a small wooden table, beige wall, electrical outlets, and orange carpet.
Close-up of a vintage sofa with a tufted backrest and wooden carved legs.
Empty room with wooden floor, lace curtains on window, decorative wallpaper, marble fireplace on left, radiator cover on right, and a black metal standing frame or support in the center.
A vintage floral-patterned sofa with matching cushions and a dark round coffee table in front, set against a plain wall with a green carpet.
Open ballot box with a pull handle on patterned wallpaper background.
Silver bar with the words 'SOLID CHERRY' displayed on it, reflected on the surface below.
Four metallic chairs lined up against a floral patterned wall.
Open white coffin with pillow inside, on display in a room, with plain white wall and spotlight overhead.
Interior of a room with large windows covered by sheer curtains, featuring three potted indoor plants near the windows.
Wooden sliding door open to a room with yellow curtains, a yellow chair, and an armchair near a large window
Part of a hotel room bed with blue and white bedding, a headboard, and framed artwork on a patterned wallpapered wall.
Two walls with green floral wallpaper meeting at a corner, with three framed pictures hanging on them.
A fireplace mantel with two candleholders, a tissue box, and a potted plant. Above is a large round mirror with a gold frame and eagle decoration on top. The mirror reflects a living room with windows, curtains, furniture, and a person standing.
Indoor potted plant with large, glossy green leaves against a light-colored wall.
Decorative wooden and cream-colored pedestal tables and stands in a room with yellow walls and beige carpet.
Stacks of beige boxes labeled with handwritten and printed text, some in plastic wrapping, stored on a shelf.
A vintage Hammond electric organ with multiple keyboards, colorful control switches, and sliders on a wooden surface.
Empty round wooden table with three beige chairs in a plain yellow-walled room.
A vintage Hitachi speaker on top of a radiator with ornate white detailing, positioned against a white wall with decorative molding.
A warmly lit corner of a room with a wooden side table and a table lamp, framed art on the wall, an open white door, and beige carpet.
Flower arrangement with yellow lilies, red flowers, and white accents on a table with a purple curtain backdrop.
A set of vintage wooden folding drying racks in a room with yellow walls and a wooden chair in the background.
A wooden wall clock with Roman numerals and ornate details, a blue water jug on a small table, and a metal pole leaning against the wall.
A white roll of paper towel mounted on a beige wall, with sunlight creating dotted light patterns on the wall and towel.
A cozy living room corner with two table lamps casting warm light, a patterned armchair, and a floral-patterned sofa.
A large gray rock with a rectangular gold-colored plaque attached to it, placed on a reddish-brown carpeted floor next to a beige wall and a potted plant.
Orange door with textured glass window and a golden doorknob, surrounded by orange floral wallpaper.
Empty room with a snake-patterned table, a blank wall, an emergency shower sign hanging from the ceiling, and a wall outlet.
A vintage black model car with whitewall tires and chrome detailing, displayed on a white shelf with a beige patterned wallpaper background.
A wooden shelf with religious and decorative figurines including an angel, a statue of Jesus Christ with a child, an eagle, and flowers, against a wooden paneled wall.
Close-up of a vintage table lamp with a beige fabric shade and hanging crystal accents, set against a yellow and green floral patterned wallpaper.
Two blank whiteboards on easels with a gold-colored stand in front of a beige curtain and a reddish wall, with a vintage lantern on the left side.
A wooden shelf holding a variety of CDs, cassette tapes, and a radio or speaker, all arranged on a wall with vertical wooden panels.
A bouquet of yellow, purple, and pink flowers in a small green vase on a green carpeted floor next to a white heater baseboard against a beige wall.
A wooden desk with a white landline telephone, a black electronic device, and a pen on top. A framed picture of a white building with columns and a domed roof hangs on a yellow, impressionistic painted wall.
A religious altar displaying a statue of the Virgin Mary, a glass vase with pink roses, a small eagle figurine with an American flag design, a calculator, and a plaque with text, all set against a backdrop of white curtains.
Two empty black speaker cabinets on stands against patterned beige wallpaper.
Gray suit with white shirt and patterned tie hanging inside a clear plastic bag.
Shadow of a potted plant cast on a plain beige wall.
A wooden table with decorative carvings, a lace table runner, a tissue box with tissues, and white curtains with lace patterns in the background.