Photos by Neal Dazey

Neal Dazey’s Instagram stream presents a vision of America unlike any other. At first glance it would be tempting to categorize these images as a humorous commentary on the mundane and occasionally surreal nature of life in the Midwest. But I’m not sure these scenes are necessarily “Midwestern,” or that they even take place in an America anyone but Neal has access to. It’s a world in which adolescent humans grapple with animals; where seemingly feral children are imprisoned in trees while penguins are studied with rapt attention. Whoever they are, these ordinary folks and social outliers form an improbable community in the context of Neal’s stream, which we have selected from here with the photographer’s blessing. We hope you enjoy these images as much as we did, and encourage you to follow @nealdazey. — Kawsmouth editors