In a creepy, abandoned school house in Bonner Springs, Joshua Hoffine finds inspiration.
It's a long way from where he started at Hallmark.
"I think at that time, I was obsessed with everything technical. How to light things, how to get the best exposure," said Hoffine of his days at Hallmark.
So he took what he learned making greeting cards and started making something creepy. He calls it horror photography.
"I love Halloween. I love haunted houses. I love every horror movie that's ever been made, so dealing with that kind of imagery was really pleasing," said Hoffine.
GALLERY | Click here to see more of Hoffine's photos
For more than a decade he's taken countless horror photos, often starring his own children.
"I didn't frighten them. That was very important. But they certainly loved the idea that we were frightening somebody else," said Hoffine.
He often spends weeks building sets before bringing in his family and other actors for the final shot.
"The first images were meant to upset the viewer, but they had as much to do with childhood fears, and I think it blended a lot with my own parental fears for my children," said Hoffine.
Now he's raising money to publish a book of his photos. Click here to donate.
Up until now, people around the world have bought them on his website, with a majority of his customers in Europe, Russia and Brazil.
Others find his work at art shows.
"Some people get genuinely frightened, like more so than I anticipated," said Hoffine. "I've had a few people almost break into tears because they were so upset by what they were seeing."
But in this very creepy case that's exactly the way he likes it.
"In a way it's kind of a good review," said Hoffine. "I really think my role as a horror photographer is to show you what you don't want to see."
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Justin Wilfon can be reached at justin.wilfon@kshb.com.
