A Risk Worth Taking

[Nathan, Louie, Sweet Emily, Jim, Peter, Aaron O, Miles]

Do you remember when it took 6 months to shoot a whole roll of film? Just a couple photos of each thing that happened. Now we shoot everything, everywhere, all the time. We spent more time editing photos than we do enjoying the few precious ones we got.

Below are pictures from a "Nickelodeon" twin lense camera. With 36 exposures and 4 shots on each frame, you have to take 144 pictures to get through a roll. By nature of it taking so many pictures to complete a roll, and being forgetful that I have this weird camera, I get the same effect as the old days. You're even likely to get your mom, your ex-ex-boyfriend, your cousin rolling a blunt and decorating the Christmas tree to turn up all on one picture.

[Kindy and Tara, Lake Michigan]

You don't have to be from the south....

Here's Grandpa Doan at his happy hour spot in the driveway opening a can of Natural Light with his car key. He lives in Olney, Illinois; home of the albino squirrels. Also home to my cousins Jesse, Jessy, Jessi and Jeremy. While my grandmother was still alive, Gramp taught me how to break on the CB radio and gave me the handle Yum Yum. He still makes his own wine with frozen Welches grape juice in a can. I don't drink it, but I like seeing the glass jugs lined up with balloons swelled up around the lips, almost ready. If we go out at night after a few, he says "keep it between the ditches," and we try.

Coming out of the Dark

I'm dreaming of a farm in Ojai.... Nothing much just a small house with lots of land to work for a garden, a camping ground to bed folks passing through, outdoor showers with hot water that drain over smooth tiny pebbles so your feet stay clean. I'll take good care of these folks passing through, record their stories and photograph them.

The way I'm figuring it, my chances for work even out. It may take me a few years to get established but you can shoot year round, so opportunities for contracts more than double. Maybe the impending feeling of doom won't crouch around so often with "ahhhh, another perfect day," being the first thing out of my mouth instead of "another sloppy pony tail. hope i can make it to supper on cigarettes and tic tacs."

Now that my ticker is on the mend, my imagination is running wild again. Stephanie.....I'm on my way.