About

Born in Canada, Edward Mance picked up his first camera at age 13. Like his closest friends, he started by shooting endless roles of black and white film, then spent hours perfecting the final prints. But, as with most creative endeavors, photography would have to take a back seat to career and family. He has since moved to the US, settling in Palo Alto, California.

An avid traveler, he was captivated by the enduring intrigue of Route 66. He wanted to capture the truth, a truth… the evidence of abandonment of so many structures once filled with the lives of their occupants. But he wanted to add a human element to his photo shoot as well. The light came on for him when he met and conspired with Melissa Shaker. So he brought Mel into the picture to help tell the story of this once thriving national artery.

What follows is a small sample of the collection of photographs taken during their journey from Chicago to Los Angeles.