You're not in Disneyworld anymore: Florida's 'shadow country' laid bare by photographer who spent months traveling through the Sunshine State's wild side

  • Photographer Curran Hatleberg set out on a months-long journey to capture the wilder side of the Sunshine State
  • His project his titled Shadow Country after Peter Matthiessen's 1990s novel about the life on the Florida frontier
  • Hatleberg, who's traveled all over the US for his photography, said he followed 'an imaginary line... trying to get lost'
  • His captivating pictures reveal the poverty but eerie natural beauty of Florida away from the lines at Disneyland

By Hannah Parry For Dailymail.com

Published: 13:47 EST, 21 April 2016 | Updated: 16:41 EST, 21 April 2016

Away from Orlando's bustling theme parks, Miami's clubs and Palm Beach's white sands, exists a very different Florida. 

It's a wilder and less traveled region, one never seem by the hoards of tourists who descend on the state party and vacation.

Photographer Curran Hatleberg set out on a months-long journey to capture the lesser known side of the Sunshine State.

The project is titled Shadow Country after Peter Matthiessen's 1990s novel about the life and death of notorious outlaw E.J. Watson who lived on the Florida frontier in the early 20th century.

Photographer Curran Hatleberg set out on a months-long journey to capture the lesser known side of the Sunshine State (pictured a girl grasps a snake in one hand and covers her face in another as she sits surrounded by broken bricks)

Photographer Curran Hatleberg set out on a months-long journey to capture the lesser known side of the Sunshine State (pictured a girl grasps a snake in one hand and covers her face in another as she sits surrounded by broken bricks)

In another, an elderly man diligently mows his sun bleached lawn. Next to him are the crumbling remains on a former property, it's broken concrete posts and falling bricks forcing him to detour around the rubble

In another, an elderly man diligently mows his sun bleached lawn. Next to him are the crumbling remains on a former property, it's broken concrete posts and falling bricks forcing him to detour around the rubble

A young boy shows his 'muscles' of to his family in Hatleberg photographic project on Flrodai - titled Shadow Country

A young boy shows his 'muscles' of to his family in Hatleberg photographic project on Flrodai - titled Shadow Country

The snapper had hoped to show a Florida away from Orlando's bustling theme parks, Miami's clubs and Palm Beach's white sands

The snapper had hoped to show a Florida away from Orlando's bustling theme parks, Miami's clubs and Palm Beach's white sands

The project looks at the wilder and less traveled region, one never seem by the hoards of tourists who descend on the state party and vacation

The project looks at the wilder and less traveled region, one never seem by the hoards of tourists who descend on the state party and vacation

Other images capture Florida as 'a place built on mystery'. In one picture, a boy is seen sitting alone, seemingly caught up in his own thoughts, in the 'otherworldly' mangrove swamps

Other images capture Florida as 'a place built on mystery'. In one picture, a boy is seen sitting alone, seemingly caught up in his own thoughts, in the 'otherworldly' mangrove swamps

Hatleberg, who has traveled all over the US during the past ten years for his photography, told the New Yorker he had followed 'an imaginary line... trying to get lost.'

During his travels he came face-to-face with poverty, something he tried to convey in his pictures. He described repeatedly coming across cars, machines, even homes that were long past working order.

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In one of his most striking images, a young girl sits on the floor in what appears to be the remnants of a house. Tightly grasped in her hand is a snake. It is not clear what happened to the property. Perhaps it was damaged in an earthquake or became so dilapidated it was bulldozed.

But the girl, surrounded by broken bricks and tiles, looked happy in her own Florida playground, even stifling a laugh with her hand. 

Hatleberg, who has traveled all over the US during the past ten years for his photography, told the New Yorker he had followed 'an imaginary line... trying to get lost.'

Hatleberg, who has traveled all over the US during the past ten years for his photography, told the New Yorker he had followed 'an imaginary line... trying to get lost.'

During his travels he came face-to-face with poverty, something he tried to convey in his pictures (workmen are pictured digging out a car)

During his travels he came face-to-face with poverty, something he tried to convey in his pictures (workmen are pictured digging out a car)

He described repeatedly coming across cars, machines, even homes that were long past working order

He described repeatedly coming across cars, machines, even homes that were long past working order

In another, an elderly man diligently mows his sun bleached lawn. Next to him are the crumbling remains on a former property, it's broken concrete posts and falling bricks forcing him to detour around the rubble.

Other images capture Florida as 'a place built on mystery'. In one picture, a boy is seen sitting alone, seemingly caught up in his own thoughts, in the 'otherworldly' mangrove swamps.

Hatleberg, who received an MFA from Yale University, currently teaches photography at Yale University and Cooper Union. 

He is also the recipient of the 2015 Magnum Emergency Fund, the 2014 Aaron Siskind Foundation Individual Photographer’s Fellowship Grant, the Richard Benson Prize for excellence in photography. 

Hatleberg, who received an MFA from Yale University, currently teaches photography at Yale University and Cooper Union, was fascinated by the non-tourist side of Florida

Hatleberg, who received an MFA from Yale University, currently teaches photography at Yale University and Cooper Union, was fascinated by the non-tourist side of Florida

In his project, which involved a months-long journey to the most remote regions of the state, he photographed the area's unique quirks

In his project, which involved a months-long journey to the most remote regions of the state, he photographed the area's unique quirks

He also captured the economic stagnation affecting the regions away from the bustling Orlando theme parks and white beaches (pictured is storefront with peeling paint)

He also captured the economic stagnation affecting the regions away from the bustling Orlando theme parks and white beaches (pictured is storefront with peeling paint)

The project is titled Shadow Country after Peter Matthiessen's 1990s novel about the life and death of notorious outlaw E.J. Watson who lived on the Florida frontier in the early 20th century

The project is titled Shadow Country after Peter Matthiessen's 1990s novel about the life and death of notorious outlaw E.J. Watson who lived on the Florida frontier in the early 20th century

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