A Palmerton photographer will be hosting a show at the Capitol building in Harrisburg this April, highlighting the amazing odds, ends and eccentricities of Pennsylvania.

Lynn Shupp, who owns Photos by Lynn, is set to display dozens of photographs within the Capitol’s rotunda, featuring a variety of notable locations and hidden gems found throughout the state for her “PA Road Trip” show.

The idea for the show came from Shupp’s realization that there is an abundance of wonder in every community around the state, but sometimes people just forget that it is there.

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“I’ve learned that everyone basically takes their local surroundings for granted,” Shupp said. “I wanted to explore Pennsylvania. We have everything from Lake Erie, to the farmland, to a whole bunch of cool abandoned stuff, to cities like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. We do have a lot within our state, and it was interesting to see what there is to see in Pennsylvania.”

Over the course of a year, Shupp and her husband made trips out to various locations for shoots. Starting locally, half-day and day trips were common, but before long, ventures out to remote areas and the western half of the state required overnight stays.

Some of the highlights include a vibrant field of tobacco in Lancaster, Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater house in Stewart Township, a night shot of the Capitol, and the eclectic collections of recycled glass and rubbish that make up the Magic Gardens in Philadelphia.

While the more notable landmarks were easy to pinpoint, when it came to exploring the forgotten nooks and crannies of the state, Shupp said it could sometimes be difficult to find some hidden subjects.

“Especially the abandoned places. I shot one of the abandoned turnpike tunnels, and they give you ‘kind-of’ directions online, so, not being from that area, and having to try to find it, those were the little struggles. You can MapQuest all you want, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to take you where you need to go,” she said.

On the positive side, Shupp said she got to broaden her horizons, explore the great outdoors, and interact with interesting people from all walks of life.

“I got to meet a lot of genuinely nice people, and I got to hear their stories,” she said. “I got to hear how some farms were in families for decades, and it was neat to hear their story. I loved seeing how much farmland we still have.”

Shupp hopes that her photos will lead people to appreciate the incredible elements of their own state, and perhaps get out there to see it themselves.

“Maybe because you saw the picture of the Magic Gardens in Philly, now you want to go see it for yourself and experience it, and have that next level of connection,” she said. “I want to give them that first level of connection that inspires them to go get that next level of connection, to see it and do it themselves, maybe share it with a loved one. Memories are priceless, and to be able to do something like that with someone else, and have that experience, that’s what I hope my little nudge gives them.”

“PA Road Trip” will run throughout the month of April at the Capitol building in Harrisburg, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the weekends. Shupp will host a meet-and-greet/question and answer session on Tuesday, April 10 from 4:30 to 6 p.m.

See the photos.