Heavy vehicles manufactured in Detroit once dominated roads in every part of the world. A few managed to avoid the wrecking yard and now sleep in pastures or beside rural lanes. They have become a kind of nostalgic industrial sculpture to be photographed and remembered. As someone with personal experience of the mid twentieth century I say let them sleep. We of a certain age often insist that our industrial past was a national high water mark. The tools of the past don’t fit the talented hands of the present. Those hands will shape new tools for their world.
Grapevine Hills – 4Many of my most vivid memories of living on the earth are about mountains. I was born at five thousand feet at the base of the Wasatch beneath peaks where you could see campfires and snow pack in early summer. As a teenager we dared to swim in the icy water of Pineview on a moonlit winter night. The snowy peaks all around were a magical sight.
Later I rode the Jemez where spirits are strong and mastered the last switchbacks of the Crest road. I visited the Plains of San Agustin where whispers from stars are captured. The back roads between Grass Valley and Truckee are in my memory as are the peaks above Palm Springs.
These days I spend as much time as possible in the Chisos. The drive from hot desert floor to the cool air of the basin is always good. Sometimes the peaks make their own weather. They Appear out of heavy ground fog or with tops obscured by storms or adorned by a halo of lenticular clouds. I feel at home when I can see the dark blue high altitude sky with mountains close by.Plains of San Agustin
Abandoned Ranch HouseI’m interested in photographing in rural Texas and the southwest region of the US. This area has a colorful past that is disappearing very quickly. My goal is to save a few fragments as images supplemented with some written words. It is an entirely selfish pursuit given the fact that I have no credentials as a historian.
Non-professional photographers have many motivations for picking up a camera to make pictures. Reasons run from a fascination with technology to creative expression or even visual note taking. There are as many reasons to make photographs as there are people. The trick is to find what motivates you as an individual.
Personally I find it difficult to just drive or walk around looking for something to shoot. Having a project gives me context to help identify subjects that tell a story. I generally have several projects underway and switch between them to keep myself motivated. It is a strategy that is perfect for me.
It is important for me to shoot in places I know rather than going off to exotic locations to find images. I’m sure many people are completely bored by familiar surroundings. So shoot what interests you whatever that may be. Non-professional photographers have to be self motivated because there is no art director to guide your work.
I believe it is important to show your finished work rather than keeping it hidden from the world. Everyone has unique vision so share your images. Make prints or publish a book or create an online gallery. At the moment my work is mostly displayed online in web galleries and blog posts. My goal is to someday be able to sell a few prints but for now my audience is on the internet. There is an audience for just about any type of photography so find your audience.Abandoned Ranch House B&W
