|
(click on any of the images to open up the slideshow)
I've been struggling lately with what The Vanishing America Project is all about, and was finally confronted with the cold, hard facts tonight.
My friend, Julie, who knows my passion for photography better than anyone, showed me that I need to get back to my roots... to get back to the reasons I began this project in the first place.
What are those reasons?
Well, the primary reason is my passion for photography. Making images that create emotion in me is a real rush. When it comes to creating photographs, I'm my harshest critic. I don't just take pretty pictures that will look good on a calendar or on a postcard. I create images that stir the soul. (At least, that's my goal.)
And, in my effort to make this project a success on so many levels, I've strayed from that goal.
Well, it's time to re-focus (if you'll pardon the pun). It's time to get behind the camera again and record how I see the world around me. I don't see the world the way most people do, and whether you like my work or not, I believe I have a gift of being able to tell a story, to share an emotion, and to inspire with my camera.
From now forward, this blog, this website, and all of my images will be dedicated to telling the story of what happens we take our country for granted. You may love what I do, disagree with what I say, or not care one way or the other. But, it will be clear that I am passionate about what I do.
No more getting sidetracked by daily events. No more rants about driving. And, no more preaching about being "green".
Certainly, I'll continue to care for the world in which I live -- that's simply a part of who I am. I still recycle, I still run on veggie oil, and I still tread lightly on the lands I visit. But they will not be the focus of my attention. My focus will be my art.
My images are what got me here, and as the saying goes... "Dance with the one who brung ya." My partner is my camera, my song is my passion, and the dance is a two-step through a country few of us take the time or effort to see.
I simply want to show you what is out there... before it's gone for good.
Tomorrow... my vision for The Vanishing America Project.
|
