Continental Obscura Is A Cross-Country Journey in Pictures

You’re probably familiar with Ryan Russell’s work even if you don’t realize it. The photographer is best known for his shots of bands like Death Cab For Cutie and Blink 182. In Continental Obscura, he ditched the hi-hats and electric guitars for the road. The book chronicles a life-changing, cross-country odyssey he embarked on in the summer of 2013. Starting in his home town of Birmingham, AL, Russell captured the dusty back roads and derelict motel rooms that littered the route he took to Bellingham, WA where he would move to. Words are sparse, but the photographs take you emotionally through the trip like you were riding shotgun. The book even comes with a 7″ vinyl with unreleased b-sides from Manchester Orchestra and Minus the bear, two of the bands Russell spent a ton of time working with; perfect for accompanying you on your road trip if your car has a turntable.